How Much Does 1998 Nissan Sentra Car Insurance Cost?

I can’t think of a single person who looks forward to buying car insurance, especially when they are paying too much.

Since consumers have many choices of insurance companies, it can be challenging to find the lowest price insurer.

It’s a good idea to price shop coverage at least once a year since insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you found the lowest price for Sentra insurance on your last policy you will most likely find a better rate today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding car insurance online, so by reading this article, you’re going to learn some great ways to find affordable car insurance.

Locating cheaper auto insurance coverage is easy if you know what you’re doing. Essentially every vehicle owner who has to buy auto insurance will be able to save money. But vehicle owners can benefit from knowing the way companies sell online because it can help you find the best coverage.

Factors that might impact rates for a Nissan Sentra

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that come into play when calculating insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels enables informed choices that can help you get better insurance rates.

  • Better credit scores mean better rates – Having a bad credit score is a large factor in determining your rates. Therefore, if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your 1998 Nissan Sentra by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with poor credit.
  • Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates. If the Nissan Sentra scored better than an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website you may qualify for a discount.
  • Add-on coverages can add up – There are a lot of extra coverages that can waste your money on your Sentra policy. Coverages like personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but if you don’t need them get rid of them and save.
  • Never allow your policy to lapse – Driving without insurance is against the law and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance lapse. Not only will you pay more, failure to provide proof of insurance may earn you a license revocation or jail time.You may then be required to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with your state motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
  • Men fork out a little more – Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn’t mean men are worse drivers. Men and women have accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving.

The quickest method to compare rate quotes is to realize auto insurance companies will pay a fee to give you rate quotes. The only thing you need to do is provide a small amount of information such as if you have a valid license, how old drivers are, if the car is leased, and if you require a SR-22. Your details gets transmitted to multiple auto insurance providers and they return quotes with very little delay.

These discounts can slash auto insurance rates

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there are discounts available that can drop the cost substantially. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you get a quote, but a few must be specifically requested in order for you to get them.

  • Homeowners Savings – Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Paperless Signup – Certain companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application over the internet.
  • Claim Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay much less when compared with drivers who are more careless.
  • Life Insurance Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with lower rates if you buy auto and life insurance together.
  • Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
  • Senior Citizens – Older drivers may qualify for a discount up to 10% for Sentra insurance.
  • Federal Government Employee – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount for Sentra insurance with a few auto insurance companies.

It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don’t profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will cut your overall premium however.

For a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts, click here.

When might I need the advice of an agent?

When it comes to buying adequate coverage, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions could help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.

  • What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
  • Are rock chip repairs covered?
  • Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
  • Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
  • What is PIP insurance?
  • Do I need rental car coverage?
  • Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
  • Should I buy additional glass protection?
  • What happens if I owe more than my 1998 Nissan Sentra is worth?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

Coverages available on your insurance policy

Knowing the specifics of a insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are typical coverages found on most insurance policies.

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your 1998 Nissan Sentra.

Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Usually the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.

Medical payments and PIP coverage

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for expenses for prosthetic devices, dental work, pain medications and surgery. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Comprehensive auto coverage

Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things like hitting a deer, hail damage, rock chips in glass, vandalism and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The highest amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Liability coverages

Liability insurance can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see limits of 50/100/50 which stand for a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Occasionally you may see a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as loss of income, attorney fees, medical expenses and court costs. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but buy as large an amount as possible.

Collision coverage

This coverage pays for damage to your Sentra from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as sideswiping another vehicle, scraping a guard rail and hitting a parking meter. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.

More choices the merrier

While you’re price shopping online, it’s not a good idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Cost effective 1998 Nissan Sentra insurance is available on the web in addition to many insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers do not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

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