2012 Honda Ridgeline Car Insurance Rates – 5 Savings Tips

If you’re new to shopping for auto insurance quotes online, there’s a good chance you are bewildered thanks to the huge assortment of online companies all claiming to have the lowest rates.

Five discounts for cheaper auto insurance rates

Car insurance companies don’t list all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the list below gives a summary of a few of the more common and the harder-to-find discounts that may be available. If you don’t get every credit possible, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Early Switch Discount – A few companies allow discounts for switching companies prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
  • Theft Prevention System – Cars and trucks equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems can help prevent theft and earn discounts up to 10% off your auto insurance quote.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory options such as air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
  • Data Collection Discounts – People who choose to allow their insurance company to analyze driving habits by installing a telematics device such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system may get a rate reduction if they are good drivers.
  • Distant Student Discount – Youth drivers who attend college more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.

You can save money using discounts, but most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will cut your policy cost.

Some of the insurance companies that may offer quotes with some of the discounts shown above are:

If you want cheaper auto insurance quotes, ask every company which discounts you qualify for. A few discounts might not be available to policyholders in your area. For a list of providers that offer discounts, follow this link.

Tailor your insurance coverage to you

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.

These are some specific questions could help you determine whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.

  • What is the ISO rating for a 2012 Honda Ridgeline?
  • I have a DUI can I still get coverage?
  • Do I need motorclub coverage?
  • What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
  • Why is insurance for a teen driver so high?
  • Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
  • Am I covered if I hit a deer?
  • Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
  • Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
  • Why do I only qualify for high-risk insurance?

If you can’t answer these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.

Car insurance coverages 101

Learning about specific coverages of a car insurance policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. Car insurance terms can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Liability

Liability insurance can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people in an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show values of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as bail bonds, funeral expenses and loss of income. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but buy as large an amount as possible.

Medical payments coverage and PIP

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for expenses for surgery, ambulance fees and prosthetic devices. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Comprehensive coverage

This will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things like damage from flooding, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hitting a bird and damage from getting keyed. The most your car insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Collision protection

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against things such as rolling your car, crashing into a ditch, crashing into a building, hitting a mailbox and hitting a parking meter. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage

This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your Honda Ridgeline.

Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Frequently your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

The bottom line

A few companies may not provide rates over the internet and these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents. Affordable 2012 Honda Ridgeline insurance can be bought on the web and from local agencies, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates.

People switch companies for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, delays in paying claims, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and even denial of a claim. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching insurance companies is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice full coverage and discovered at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford and still be able to protect your assets.

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