2013 Toyota Highlander Insurance Cost

Want cheaper insurance coverage rates for your Toyota Highlander? No car owner gets a kick out of paying for insurance coverage, especially knowing they could find better rates elsewhere. Big-name insurance companies like Geico, 21st Century and Progressive all claim big savings with catchy ads and it can be hard to ignore the propoganda and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Smart consumers take time to shop coverage around periodically because insurance coverage prices fluctuate regularly. If you had the lowest rate on Highlander insurance at your last renewal you may be paying too much now. Forget all the misinformation about insurance coverage because you’re about to learn how to use the internet to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

If you are insured now or are just looking to switch companies, you can use these techniques to find better prices while maintaining coverages. Finding the best rates is easy if you know what you’re doing. Drivers just need to learn the proper way to buy car insurance online.

Discounts to earn cheap insurance rates

Companies that sell car insurance do not list their entire list of discounts very clearly, so the list below gives a summary of a few of the more common and the more hidden insurance savings.

  • Sign Early and Save – Some insurance companies provide a discount for switching policies before your current coverage expires. It can save you around 10%.
  • Accident-Free Discounts – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims pay much less when compared to frequent claim filers.
  • Distant Student Discount – Youth drivers who attend college more than 100 miles from home and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
  • Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings as much as 30%.
  • One Accident Forgiven – This one isn’t a discount, but companies like Progressive and Allstate will forgive one accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
  • ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Student Driver Training – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers sucessfully take a drivers education course in school or through a local driver safety program.

You should keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, that’s just not realistic.

Some of the insurance companies that may offer these discounts are:

If you want low cost car insurance quotes, ask each insurance company the best way to save money. All car insurance discounts may not apply to policyholders in your area. To see a list of insurers that offer discounts, click here to view.

Seven factors that influence insurance prices

Multiple criteria are used when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable like your driving record, but other factors are less obvious such as your credit history or your commute time.Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for insurance coverage. If you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get lower insurance coverage prices.

  • Where you reside – Being located in small towns and rural areas has definite advantages if you are looking for the lowest rates. Drivers in populated areas have much more traffic and longer commutes to work. Fewer people translates into fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
  • Save mileage and save money – The more miles you rack up on your Toyota each year the more it will cost to insure it. A lot of insurance companies rate vehicles partially by how you use the vehicle. Vehicles that do not get driven very much can be on a lower rate level than those used for commuting. Improper usage on your Highlander can result in significantly higher rates. It’s a smart idea to ensure your vehicle rating states the proper vehicle usage.
  • Do you have enough liability protection? – The liability section of your policy will provide protection when you are ruled to be at fault for an accident. Your liability coverage provides legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
  • Battle of the sexes – Over time, data shows that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. This data doesn’t prove that men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women tend to get into at-fault accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species have accidents that have higher claims. Not only are claims higher, but men receive more major tickets like DUI and reckless driving. Young males tend to get in the most accidents so they pay the highest premiums.
  • Get hitched and pay less – Your spouse may earn you lower rates compared to being single. Marriage means you’re more responsible and statistics prove married couples file fewer claims.
  • Accidents can increase prices – Drivers who don’t get tickets have lower premiums as compared to those with violations. Just one moving violation may increase your cost by twenty percent. Drivers who have received flagrant tickets like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to prove financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
  • Consolidating policies can get discounts – Most insurers give a discount for people that buy multiple policies, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. The discount can add up to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even with this discount, you may still want to shop around to help ensure you have the lowest rates.

Tailor your car insurance coverage to you

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions can help discover if you may require specific advice.

  • Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
  • Does my personal policy cover me when driving out-of-state?
  • Is pleasure use cheaper than using my 2013 Toyota Highlander to commute?
  • Is my state a no-fault state?
  • Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
  • Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
  • Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
  • Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
  • Do I need motorclub coverage?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.

Don’t be fooled by advertising claims

Consumers can’t get away from ads for cheaper insurance from the likes of Progressive, Allstate and Geico. All the ads state the claim about savings if you move your insurance coverage to their company.

How can each company charge you a lower premium? Here is how they do it.

Insurance companies have specific guidelines for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For example, this type of insured may need to be over age 30, is a homeowner, and drives a safe vehicle. Any person who matches that profile will qualify for the lowest premium rates and will most likely cut their rates if they switch.

People who are not a match for those criteria will have to pay a higher rate and this results in the customer not purchasing. The trick companies use is to say “drivers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can claim big savings.

This really drives home the point why you should get a wide range of price quotes. Because you cannot predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

Car insurance 101

Understanding the coverages of insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the normal coverages found on most insurance policies.

Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like damage from a tornado or hurricane, hitting a deer, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and theft. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for bills like chiropractic care, X-ray expenses and ambulance fees. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Liability car insurance – Liability coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to a person or their property by causing an accident. It protects YOU from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show liability limits of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit without having the split limit caps.

Liability coverage pays for things such as emergency aid, court costs and pain and suffering. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Collision coverages – This will pay to fix damage to your Highlander caused by collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision insurance covers claims like crashing into a building, crashing into a ditch, colliding with a tree and colliding with another moving vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Toyota Highlander.

Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Normally the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Compare but don’t skimp

As you prepare to switch companies, don’t be tempted to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed full coverage and discovered at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.

Some insurance providers do not provide online rate quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through independent insurance agents. Affordable 2013 Toyota Highlander insurance can be bought on the web and with local insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection.

You just learned quite a bit of information on how to lower your 2013 Toyota Highlander insurance premium rates. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of getting cheaper car insurance. You may even find the best price on auto insurance is with a lesser-known regional company. They may only write in your state and offer lower prices compared to the large companies like Allstate, Geico and Progressive.

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