Cheaper 2003 Nissan Altima Car Insurance Cost

Trying to find better auto insurance rates for your Nissan Altima? Expensive auto insurance can empty your personal savings and make it hard to pay other bills. Shopping your coverage around is free and is an excellent way to slash your bill and have more diposable income. Insurance companies such as Progressive, State Farm and Geico all promote huge savings with advertising and consumers find it hard to separate fact from fiction and find the best price available.

Smart consumers take time to take a look at other company’s rates occasionally because insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the lowest rates on Altima coverage six months ago you can probably find a better price now. There is a lot of bad advice regarding auto insurance online but we’re going to give you some excellent ideas to put money back in your pocket.

Verify you’re getting all your discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but you may find discounts to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about before being credited. If you don’t get every credit you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.

  • Discount for Good Grades – A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
  • Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% off your medical payments premium.
  • Theft Prevention Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off on Altima coverage with a few insurance coverage companies.
  • College Student – Youth drivers living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus can be insured at a reduced rate.
  • Anti-lock Brake System – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially when compared to frequent claim filers.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think all those discounts means the company will pay you, insurance coverage companies aren’t that generous. But all discounts will help reduce the cost of coverage.

A partial list of companies that possibly offer these benefits include:

Before buying, ask every prospective company what discounts are available to you. Savings might not apply in your state.

Pieces of the Nissan Altima insurance rate puzzle

It’s important that you understand the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for insurance coverage. Understanding what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that could result in big savings.

Listed below are a partial list of the pieces insurance coverage companies consider when setting premiums.

  • Low deductibles can be expensive – The deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your insurance coverage will be on Altima coverage.
  • Do you have a high stress job? – Occupations such as real estate brokers, business owners and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average attributed to job stress and long work hours. On the flip side, professions such as scientists, athletes and retirees pay the least on Altima coverage.
  • Pay less if you’re married – Having a spouse helps lower the price on insurance coverage. Having a significant other usually means you are more mature and it’s proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • More miles equals more premium – The higher the mileage driven in a year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars left parked in the garage can get a lower rate as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Make sure your insurance coverage declarations sheet is showing the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money. Incorrect usage on your Altima can cost quite a bit.

When should I talk to an agent?

When buying the right insurance coverage, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight whether you would benefit from professional advice.

  • What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
  • Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
  • Am I insured when driving a different vehicle?
  • Should I waive the damage coverage when renting a car?
  • Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Can I make deliveries for my home business?
  • How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in my state?
  • Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
  • Should I buy more coverage than the required minimum liability coverage?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.

Don’t listen to company ads

Consumers can’t ignore all the ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like State Farm, Geico and Progressive. They all seem to say the same thing that you can save after switching to them.

How can each company make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that is profitable for them. A good example of a preferred risk might be profiled as between the ages of 40 and 55, a clean driving record, and chooses high deductibles. A driver that hits that “sweet spot” will get the preferred rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Drivers who fall outside the “perfect” profile must pay higher rates and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads say “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. That’s the way companies can make those claims.

This illustrates why drivers should get as many quotes as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will have the lowest Nissan Altima insurance rates.

Insurance coverage considerations

Having a good grasp of insurance helps when choosing the best coverages for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are typical coverage types found on most insurance policies.

Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like hitting a bird, hail damage, theft, damage from a tornado or hurricane and a broken windshield. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Liability coverages – This provides protection from damage that occurs to people or other property by causing an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 50/100/50 that means you have a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit without having the split limit caps.

Liability can pay for things like attorney fees, loss of income and pain and suffering. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Nissan Altima.

Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for immediate expenses for things like chiropractic care, prosthetic devices and EMT expenses. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Collision – This coverage covers damage to your Altima resulting from a collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision insurance covers claims like sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a mailbox, sustaining damage from a pot hole and hitting a parking meter. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.

A penny saved is a penny earned

In this article, we presented some good ideas how you can compare 2003 Nissan Altima insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies. Regional companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.

Lower-priced insurance can be purchased on the web as well as from independent agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

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