It’s safe to assume that auto insurance companies don’t want you quoting rates from other companies. People who shop around once a year are highly likely to switch to a new company because there are good odds of getting low-cost coverage. Remarkably, a study showed that consumers who regularly shopped around saved approximately $70 a month compared to people who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding the lowest price on auto insurance in Columbus is your objective, then knowing how to find and compare insurance rates can save time, money, and frustration.
The recommended way to find low-cost auto insurance rates in Columbus is to compare prices once a year from companies that sell auto insurance in Ohio.
Step 1: Try to learn about the coverage provided by your policy and the things you can control to prevent rate increases. Many factors that cause rate increases such as at-fault accidents and an imperfect credit score can be improved by being financially responsible and driving safely.
Step 2: Obtain price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only quote rates from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote prices from multiple companies. Begin your rate comparison
Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy and see if you can save money. If you can save some money and change companies, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
One key aspect when comparing rates is to make sure you enter identical coverage information on every quote request and and to get price quotes from as many companies as you can. This ensures the most accurate price comparison and a complete selection of prices.
Buying affordable insurance in Columbus is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you have a current insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to cut your premiums using this strategy. Nevertheless, Ohio consumers can benefit from knowing the way insurance companies calculate their prices because rates fluctuate considerably.
Discounts for cheap car insurance rates
Not many people think insurance is cheap, but you can get discounts to cut the cost considerably. Some discounts will apply at the time you complete a quote, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied before they will apply.
- Defensive Driver Discount – Passing a course in defensive driving could earn you a small percentage discount and easily pay for the cost of the class.
- Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories are rewarded with significantly better rates on Columbus car insurance quote as opposed to bad drivers.
- Low Mileage – Driving less can qualify you for slightly better prices than normal.
- Federal Government Employee – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with a few car insurance companies.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower premium rates.
As a footnote on discounts, some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.
The example below illustrates the difference between Lexus GS 450h car insurance costs with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The price estimates are based on a female driver, no violations or accidents, Ohio state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, claim-free, multi-policy, multi-car, safe-driver, and marriage discounts applied.
A few of the larger companies and their offered discounts are shown below.
- GEICO offers discounts including anti-lock brakes, driver training, defensive driver, good student, and five-year accident-free.
- USAA policyholders can earn discounts including loyalty savings, multi-vehicle, new vehicle, safe driver, good student, and defensive driver.
- Progressive discounts include online signing, multi-policy, online quote discount, multi-vehicle, good student, and homeowner.
- American Family offers discounts for early bird, Steer into Savings, bundled insurance, defensive driver, good driver, and TimeAway discount.
- Esurance may include discounts for anti-lock brakes, online shopper, DriveSense, homeowner, online quote, and claim free.
- Farmers Insurance includes discounts for homeowner, business and professional, pay in full, multi-car, electronic funds transfer, and alternative fuel.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for defensive driving training, multiple policy, passive restraint, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and good student.
Check with all companies you are considering which discounts they offer. Discounts may not apply to policyholders in Columbus.
When looking for affordable Columbus car insurance quotes, there are a couple ways to compare quotes from car insurance companies in your area. The best method to compare insurance prices is to jump online and get quotes. Just remember that more quotes helps you find more affordable rates.
The companies shown below provide comparison quotes in Ohio. If several companies are displayed, it’s a good idea that you get rate quotes from several of them to get the most competitive price.
Detailed insurance information
The table shown next covers a range of rate quotes for Lexus GS 450h models. Having a good understanding how prices are established can aid in making smart buying decisions.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS 450H Hybrid | $190 | $414 | $296 | $18 | $88 | $1,006 | $84 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data based on single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in Columbus location which can change premiums noticeably.
Why Your Insurance Premiums might be higher
The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at the different types of things that go into determining your policy premiums. If you know what determines base rates, this enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.
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Get a ticket, pay higher premiums – Just one citation can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Attentive drivers receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers who have gotten license-revoking violations like DUI or willful reckless driving may find they need to maintain a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.
The information below shows how violations and at-fault collisions influence Lexus GS 450h car insurance costs for different ages of insureds. The rates are based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
- Premiums may be lower depending on your vocation – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for auto insurance? Careers such as judges, police officers, and dentists generally pay the highest average rates because of high stress and lengthy work days. On the other hand, careers like scientists, students and retirees get better rates.
- Do you really need roadside assistance? – There are quite a few additional coverages that can waste your money on your auto insurance policy. Coverages like replacement cost coverage, death and dismemberment, and membership fees may be costing you every month. They may seem good when deciding what coverages you need, but if they’re wasting money remove them and pocket the money.
- Frequent insurance claims will increase rates – Companies in Ohio generally give lower rates to people who are not frequent claim filers. If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can pretty much guarantee higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of more catastrophic claims.
- Your address can affect price – Living in areas with lower population is a good thing when talking about auto insurance. Less people means fewer accidents in addition to fewer liability claims. Urban drivers regularly have more road rage incidents and a longer drive to work. Longer commute distances means higher likelihood of an accident.
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Gender as a rate factor – Statistics have proven females are less aggressive when driving. However, this does not mean females are better drivers. Males and females get in fender benders at about the same rate, but the males get into accidents with more damage. Men also tend to receive more costly citations like DUI and reckless driving.
The example below illustrates the difference between Lexus GS 450h insurance costs for male and female drivers. The costs are based on no accidents, no driving violations, full coverage, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no policy discounts are applied.
- Deter car thieves – Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can save you some money. Theft deterrent systems like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all help prevent auto theft and help lower rates.
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High premiums for younger drivers – Drivers with little experience are proven to be inattentive in a vehicle and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher. Older drivers have been proven to be more responsible, tend to file fewer claims, and usually have better credit.
The following data uses these assumptions: single driver, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
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Insurance loss data for a Lexus GS 450h – Companies analyze the history of losses to help set a rate to offset losses. Vehicles that have higher claim frequency or loss amount will cost more for coverage.
The data below shows the actual insurance loss data for Lexus GS 450h vehicles. For each policy coverage, the claim amount for all vehicles, regardless of make or model, is set at 100. Values that are under 100 indicate a favorable loss history, while values that are 100 or greater point to more frequent losses or a tendency for claims to be larger.
Lexus GS 450h Insurance Claim Statistics Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Lexus GS 450h Hybrid 4dr 208 250 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Shop online but buy locally
A small number of people would rather buy from a local agent and that can be a great decision An additional benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get the best rates and also buy local.
By using this form (opens in new window), the quote information is sent to insurance agents in Columbus who will gladly provide quotes to get your business. It makes it easy because there is no need to do any legwork since rate quotes are delivered instantly to you. You can find lower rates and a licensed agent to talk to. If you wish to compare rates for a specific company, just jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Finding the right insurance company is decision based upon more than just the premium amount. You should also get answers to these questions.
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
- If they are an independent agency in Columbus, which companies do they recommend?
- Where are claims handled?
- What insurance companies do they work with in Columbus?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
If you want to use a local agent, there are a couple of different types of agencies and how they work. Auto insurance agents in Columbus are either independent or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
These agents work for only one company such as Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive agencies are well schooled on sales techniques which helps them sell on service rather than price. Consumers often buy insurance from these agents primarily because of the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Columbus that are able to give rate quotes.
- Bill Alsnauer – State Farm Insurance Agent
2500 W Dublin Granville Rd – Columbus, OH 43235 – (614) 764-2411 – View Map - Debbie Montgomery – State Farm Insurance Agent
1880 Schrock Rd – Columbus, OH 43229 – (614) 890-2886 – View Map - Bud Kulp – State Farm Insurance Agent
1707 Bethel Rd – Columbus, OH 43220 – (614) 459-2424 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents often have many company appointments so they can write business through many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To move your coverage to a new company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you won’t have to switch agencies.
If you are comparing auto insurance prices, we recommend you get some free quotes from multiple independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison. A lot of them also have access to mutual insurance companies that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
Listed below is a short list of independent agencies in Columbus that can give you price quote information.
- Nationwide Insurance – Nick Miller and Assoc Ins Agency Inc
6834 Caine Rd – Columbus, OH 43235 – (614) 889-0701 – View Map - IHT Insurance Agency Group LLC
655 Metro Pl S Suite 330 – Dublin, OH 43017 – (614) 761-2825 – View Map - Ansong Insurance Agency
5272 Cleveland Ave – Columbus, OH 43231 – (614) 259-3635 – View Map
Insurance is not optional
Even though it can be expensive, buying insurance serves an important purpose.
First, just about all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to carry a specific level of liability coverage in order to license the vehicle. In Ohio these limits are 25/50/25 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if your car has a loan, more than likely the lender will make it mandatory that you carry insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Lexus for a much higher rate and require you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
Third, insurance protects your car and your assets. It also can pay for all forms of medical expenses that are the result of an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance will also pay for a defense attorney if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, your insurance policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of insuring your car greatly outweigh the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. According to a recent study, the average American driver is currently overpaying as much as $810 a year so compare rate quotes once a year at a minimum to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Persistent drivers can save
Consumers leave their current company for a number of reasons such as denial of a claim, extreme rates for teen drivers, policy non-renewal and even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching insurance companies can be pretty painless.
Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how to shop for Lexus GS 450h insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may even discover the lowest car insurance rates are with a smaller regional carrier.
When you buy Columbus car insurance online, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Additional learning opportunities
- A Tree Fell on Your Car: Now What? (Allstate)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Chevrolet Silverado in Columbus? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Columbus Car Insurance for a GMC Acadia? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for Ride Shares in Columbus? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Columbus Auto Insurance Quotes for College Graduates? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for Good Drivers in Columbus? (FAQ)
- Parking Tips to Reduce Door Dings (State Farm)
- Event Data Recorders FAQ (iihs.org)
- Child Safety FAQ (iihs.org)
- Protecting Teens from Drunk Driving (Insurance Information Institute)