It’s a fact that car insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. Consumers who shop around for the cheapest rate will probably switch to a new company because the odds are good of finding better rates. A recent survey revealed that drivers who compared rate quotes regularly saved about $865 a year as compared to drivers who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding the lowest price on auto insurance in Columbus is the reason you’re reading this, knowing how to quote and compare insurance premiums can make it easier to shop your coverage around.
The best way we recommend to get more affordable auto insurance rates in Columbus is to compare prices regularly from providers that insure vehicles in Ohio. Drivers can shop around by following these steps.
- First, read and learn about how insurance works and the steps you can take to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating criteria that result in higher rates such as inattentive driving and a low credit rating can be amended by making minor changes in your lifestyle. Continue reading for additional tips to find cheap prices and find available discounts that you may qualify for.
- Second, get rate quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can give quotes from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide rate quotes for a wide range of insurance providers. Compare rates
- Third, compare the new quotes to the premium of your current policy and see if there is a cheaper rate in Columbus. If you find a lower rate quote and decide to switch, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Fourth, give notification to your agent or company of your decision to cancel your current coverage. Submit a down payment along with a completed application to the new company. As soon as you have the new policy, safely store the certificate verifying proof of insurance in an easily accessible location.
One piece of advice is to make sure you enter the same level of coverage on every price quote and and to get prices from as many different insurance providers as possible. This provides a level playing field and a complete selection of prices.
If you have coverage now, you will surely be able to reduce premiums using this strategy. The goal of this article is to introduce you to how insurance works and some tips to save money. But Ohio vehicle owners should learn how big insurance companies calculate their prices and use it to your advantage.
Informed Consumers Can Reduce Their Insurance Premiums
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. When consumers understand what impacts premium levels, this helps enable you to make changes that may result in cheaper rates. Many different elements are considered when you quote your car insurance policy. Some are pretty understandable like an MVR report, although some other factors are not as apparent like your continuous coverage or how financially stable you are.
Shown below are just a few of the factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set rates.
- Put fewer miles on your vehicle – The more you drive your Kia each year the higher the price you pay to insure it. Many insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles that do not get driven very much qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy is rated on the right rating data, because improper ratings can cost you money. An incorrectly rated Sedona is throwing money out the window.
- Poor credit decisions can cost you – A driver’s credit score can be a huge factor in determining your rates. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers who have lower ratings. So if your credit is lower than you’d like, you could potentially save money when insuring your Kia Sedona if you clean up your credit.
- Single drivers take more risk – Having a wife or husband can get you a discount on your policy. Marriage is viewed as being more stable financially it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
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Mature drivers save more – More experienced drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims, and receive fewer citations. Drivers with little experience are statistically shown to get distracted easily behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates.
The data below assumes a single driver, full coverage with $250 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
- Multiple policies with one company can save – Some auto insurance companies give a discount to insureds who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Even though this discount sounds good, you still need to compare Kia Sedona rates in Columbus to make sure you are getting the best deal.
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High performance vehicles cost more to insure – The performance level of the vehicle you need insurance for makes a substantial difference in determining your rates. The cheapest insurance rates are generally reserved for smaller low performance passenger models, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
The following chart uses these assumptions: single male driver age 20, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. The chart compares Kia Sedona rates compared to other models that have a range of performance rating factors.
- Lower premiums for vehicles with better crash test results – Safer cars are cheaper to insure. Vehicles engineered for safety reduce injuries and lower injury rates means your insurance company pays less which can mean better rates for you. If your Kia has ratings of a minimum four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you may qualify for a discount.
- Liability coverage – Your auto insurance policy’s liability coverage is the coverage that protects you when you are ruled to be at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It provides for a legal defense to attempt to prove you were not liable. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.
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Insurance losses for a Kia Sedona – Companies analyze the history of losses in order to profitably underwrite each model. Vehicles that historically have increased losses will have higher premium rates.
The next table shows the compiled insurance loss statistics for Kia Sedona vehicles. For each policy coverage, the claim probability for all vehicles combined as an average is set at 100. Values below 100 mean the vehicle has better than average losses, while percentage numbers above 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or an increased chance of a larger loss.
Kia Sedona Insurance Loss Statistics Vehicle Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Kia Sedona 102 64 96 116 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
Insurance statistics for a Kia Sedona
The coverage information shown next outlines detailed analysis of rate quotes for Kia Sedona models. Having a good grasp of how auto insurance policy rates are figured is important for making decisions on which insurance to purchase.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedona | $138 | $192 | $196 | $12 | $58 | $596 | $50 |
| Sedona LX | $138 | $234 | $196 | $12 | $58 | $638 | $53 |
| Sedona EX | $156 | $234 | $196 | $12 | $58 | $656 | $55 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data based on married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and homeowner. Rates do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can lower or raise insurance rates noticeably.
The illustration below shows how choosing a deductible and can change Kia Sedona insurance costs for each different age category. The price estimates are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
Reckless driving habits raise insurance rates
The information below demonstrates how speeding tickets and accident claims can impact Kia Sedona insurance prices for different categories of driver ages. The rate quotes are based on a married female driver, full coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
Insurance rates by age and gender
The information below shows the difference between Kia Sedona auto insurance rates for male and female drivers. The premium estimates are based on no violations or accidents, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no policy discounts are applied.
Kia Sedona liability-only versus full coverage
The illustration below illustrates the comparison of Kia Sedona insurance prices with full coverage compared to only the Ohio minimum liability coverage. The premium estimates are based on no claims or driving citations, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are applied.
Are you wasting money on full coverage?
There isn’t a written rule to exclude physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than around 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Kia Sedona settlement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would receive is $8,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $800 annually for physical damage coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
There are some scenarios where removing full coverage is not financially feasible. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you have to carry full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should maintain full coverage.
Get lower-cost Kia Sedona insurance in Columbus with discounts
Car insurance is not cheap, but there are discounts available to cut the cost considerably. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for before being credited.
- Home Ownership Discount – Just owning your own home can save a few bucks since owning and maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
- Discount for Good Grades – This discount can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply until age 25.
- Defensive Driver Discount – Taking a course that instructs on driving safety may get you a small discount depending on where you live.
- Life Insurance – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a lower price if you buy some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
- Full Payment Discount – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying in monthly installments you may have a lower total premium amount.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Just because you may think it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
The diagram below illustrates the difference between Kia Sedona insurance rates with and without discounts applied. The premium estimates are based on a female driver, no claims or violations, Ohio state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-car, claim-free, and homeowner discounts applied.
Car insurance companies that possibly offer these discounts include:
- State Farm
- Liberty Mutual
- American Family
- Progressive
- Farmers Insurance
- Auto-Owners Insurance
- SAFECO
Before you buy a policy, ask every insurance company to give you their best rates. Some discounts listed above might not apply in your area.
Do the work, save more money
While you’re price shopping online, never reduce needed coverages to save money. There are many occasions where an insured cut liability coverage limits only to find out that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
You just learned a lot of ways to lower your Kia Sedona insurance rates in Columbus. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get car insurance rates for, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a smaller regional carrier. These companies may often insure only within specific states and give better rates as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
To learn more, feel free to visit the articles below:
- A Tree Fell on Your Car: Now What? (Allstate)
- Automakers compete to add autobraking (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Protect Yourself Against Auto Theft (Insurance Information Institute)