The easiest way to get the cheapest auto insurance rates is to regularly compare price quotes from different companies who provide car insurance in Columbus.
- Try to understand how auto insurance works and the things you can control to lower rates. Many factors that cause rate increases like traffic violations, accidents, and poor credit rating can be eliminated by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
- Compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can give quotes from one company like Progressive and State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes for a wide range of insurance providers. Compare rates now
- Compare the new rate quotes to the price on your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available in Columbus. If you can save some money, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Provide written notification to your current company of your intention to cancel your existing policy and submit a down payment along with a signed application to your new carrier. Once received, place the new certificate of insurance in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
One thing to point out is to compare identical coverage information on every quote and and to get price quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. This provides an accurate price comparison and the best price selection.
Unbelievable but true according to a study a large majority of drivers have stayed with the same insurance company for a minimum of four years, and just short of a majority have never compared car insurance rates at all. Ohio drivers could save roughly 55% a year just by shopping around, but they assume it’s a waste of time to compare rates online.
Finding cheap car insurance prices is an easy way to save money. You just need to invest a few minutes comparing rate quotes provided by online insurance companies.
The companies shown below can provide comparison quotes in Ohio. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get the best price comparison.
Data for Saab 9-5 insurance
The information displayed below showcases different insurance costs for Saab 9-5 models. Being more informed about how insurance policy rates are calculated can help guide drivers when making decisions on which insurance to purchase.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9-5 Aero XWD 4-Dr Sedan | $232 | $530 | $256 | $16 | $76 | $1,110 | $93 |
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Table data assumes single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Rate information does not factor in specific location which can impact auto insurance rates substantially.
Policy deductible comparison
One frequently asked question is how high or low should comp and collision deductibles be. The following insurance rates summarize the rate difference of buying low and high coverage deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $100 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second price grid uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9-5 Aero XWD 4-Dr Sedan | $270 | $542 | $226 | $14 | $68 | $1,145 | $95 |
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Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9-5 Aero XWD 4-Dr Sedan | $150 | $286 | $226 | $14 | $68 | $744 | $62 |
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Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Price estimates do not factor in Columbus location which can lower or raise coverage rates substantially.
Based on the above data, using a $100 deductible could cost the average driver approximately $33 more each month or $396 for a full year than quoting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $900 more out of your own pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to average at a minimum 27 months between claims, you would save more money if you choose the higher deductible.
Careless Columbus drivers pay higher rates
The example below shows how violations and at-fault fender-benders influence Saab 9-5 annual premium costs for different categories of driver ages. The price estimates are based on a married male driver, full coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Full coverage rates vs. liability-only
The chart below compares Saab 9-5 car insurance costs when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The price estimates are based on no claims, a clean driving record, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are factored in.
When to drop full coverage
There is no definitive rule to eliminate comp and collision coverage, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Saab 9-5 book value is $4,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would receive is $3,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If it’s costing you more than $300 a year for your policy with full coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
There are a few situations where dropping full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Cheaper Columbus car insurance quotes with discounts
Some companies don’t always advertise all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the below list has some of the more common as well as some of the hidden ways to save on car insurance. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you deserve, you may be paying too high a price.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking time to complete a course that instructs on driving safety is a good idea and can lower rates depending on where you live.
- Life Insurance Discount – Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn a lower price if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Insuring several vehicles on one policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Active or former government employment could qualify for a slight premium decrease depending on your company.
- Low Miles Discount – Keeping the miles down on your Saab can earn lower car insurance rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Military Rewards – Being deployed in the military could trigger a small discount.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% than drivers with accident claims.
It’s important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.
The diagram below illustrates the comparison of Saab 9-5 insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The prices are based on a female driver, no violations or accidents, Ohio state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-car, and marriage discounts applied.
A list of car insurance companies and the discounts they provide are:
- GEICO may include discounts for daytime running lights, defensive driver, multi-vehicle, good student, anti-theft, air bags, and military active duty.
- MetLife policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, accident-free, defensive driver, good driver, good student, and claim-free.
- State Farm offers discounts including accident-free, anti-theft, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good driver, student away at school, and driver’s education.
- Progressive has discounts for multi-policy, continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, and good student.
- Mercury Insurance offers discounts for annual mileage, accident-free, type of vehicle, professional/association, good driver, and low natural disaster claims.
- 21st Century discounts include student driver, theft prevention, defensive driver, early bird, teen driver, homeowners, and anti-lock brakes.
- Allstate offers premium reductions for defensive driver, good payer, 55 and retired, resident student, safe driver, premier plus, and economy car.
When getting free Columbus car insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to every prospective company which discounts can lower your rates. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not apply in Columbus.
Here’s why insurance is not optional
Even though Columbus 9-5 insurance rates can get expensive, insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- Almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means the state requires a minimum amount of liability in order to drive the car legally. 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.
- If your Saab has a loan, almost every bank will make it a condition of the loan that you have physical damage coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you let the policy lapse, the lender will be forced to insure your Saab at a much higher rate and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects both your assets and your car. It will also reimburse you for medical bills for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability coverage will also pay for a defense attorney if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your Saab gets damaged, collision and comprehensive coverages will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, particularly for liability claims. On average, a vehicle owner in Columbus is currently overpaying as much as $869 every year so compare rates once a year at a minimum to save money.
Local Columbus insurance agents
A small number of people would rather talk to an insurance agent and that can be a smart move Insurance agents can help you build your policy and will help you if you have claims. A nice benefit of comparing insurance online is you can get cheap insurance rates and also buy local.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, the coverage information gets sent to companies in Columbus who will return price quotes to get your business. You won’t even need to find an agent as quotes are delivered to you instantly. If you wish to get a comparison quote for a specific company, don’t hesitate to visit that company’s website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Choosing an company should include more criteria than just a low price. Any agent in Columbus should be willing to answer these questions.
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- Can glass claims be handled at your home?
- Is the agency active in community causes in Columbus?
- Will they give you a referral list?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
If you are wanting to find a reliable insurance agent, it can be helpful to understand the different types of agencies and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Either one can write policy coverage, but it is a good idea to know why they differ since it can affect the type of agent you choose.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies can usually just insure with one company like Allstate and State Farm. Exclusive agents are unable to compare other company’s rates so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agents are well schooled on sales techniques which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates. Drivers often buy insurance from these agents partially due to the brand name and solid financial strength.
Shown below are Columbus exclusive agencies who can help you get price quote information.
- Howard Tyler – State Farm Insurance Agent
1395 E Dublin Granville Rd #201 – Columbus, OH 43229 – (614) 431-8192 – View Map - Bill Alsnauer – State Farm Insurance Agent
2500 W Dublin Granville Rd – Columbus, OH 43235 – (614) 764-2411 – View Map - Scott Dawson – State Farm Insurance Agent
5871 Cleveland Ave – Columbus, OH 43231 – (614) 891-2886 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents that elect to be independent do not have single company limitations and that allows them to write policies with a variety of different insurance companies and find you the best rates. If they quote lower rates, they simply switch companies in-house which makes it simple for you. When comparing insurance rates, we recommend you compare prices from a few independent agents to have the most options to choose from. Many can place coverage with small mutual carriers which may provide better rates.
Below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Columbus willing to provide comparison quotes.
- Putnam White Lewis Insurance Agency
4161 N High St – Columbus, OH 43214 – (614) 267-1269 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Glenn R Williams
2930 N High St – Columbus, OH 43202 – (614) 268-3567 – View Map - AA Affordable Insurance Agency of Ohio
1180 W Broad St – Columbus, OH 43222 – (614) 221-7007 – View Map