Compare 2003 Toyota Prius Car Insurance Quotes

Shoppers have a choice when shopping for low-cost Toyota Prius insurance. They can either spend hours driving around to compare prices or use the internet to compare rates. There are more efficient ways to shop for auto insurance and we’ll show you the absolute fastest way to quote coverages on a Toyota and find the lowest price from both online companies and local agents.

If you have insurance now or are looking for a new policy, you will benefit by learning to find better prices and possibly find even better coverage. The purpose of this article is to tell you the best way to quote coverages and some tricks to saving. Drivers only need an understanding of the most effective way to get comparison quotes online.

How to Buy Car Insurance Online

There are several ways to compare Toyota Prius car insurance prices but one way is less time-consuming than others. You could waste time talking to insurance companies in your area, or you can stay home and use online quoting to maximize your effort.

Most of the larger companies participate in an industry program that enables customers to complete one form, and each company can give them a price for coverage. This system prevents you from having to do quote requests for each company.

To use this form to compare 2003 Toyota Prius insurance rates click here to open in new window.

The only downside to using this type of form is that you can’t choose which insurance companies to receive prices from. So if you prefer to choose specific insurance companies for rate comparison, we put together a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in your area. Click to view list.

It’s up to you which method you use, but make sure you use apples-to-apples coverage information with each company. If you have different deductibles you will not be able to make an equal comparison.

Beware of misleading insurance ads

Consumers constantly see and hear ads for the lowest price auto insurance from companies such as State Farm and Allstate. They all have a common claim about savings after switching your policy.

How does each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that makes them money. A good example of a preferred risk could possibly be a mature driver, a clean driving record, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and therefore will save when switching.

Drivers who are not a match for these standards will be charged higher premiums and this can result in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently state the savings. That is why drivers should compare as many rates as you can. You cannot predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Parts of the Toyota Prius rate equation

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the rates you pay for insurance. Knowing what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better insurance rates.

The following are some of the factors that factor into your rates.

  • Credit scores impact insurance rates – Credit score is a huge factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your 2003 Toyota Prius by improving your credit score. Drivers with high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with poor credit.
  • Protect your assets with liability insurance – Liability coverage provides coverage if a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. It will provide legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
  • You might want pay the small claims yourself – If you file claims often, you can expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Companies provide better rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
  • Marriage brings a discount – Getting married actually saves money on your policy. Marriage translates into being more mature and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment – Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your insurance. Theft prevention devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent your car from being stolen.
  • Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are quite a few extra coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Insurance for personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and motor club memberships are some examples. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but if you don’t need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies that sell car insurance don’t list every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched both the well known and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Braking Control Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Accident Waiver – Certain companies will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
  • Save with a New Car – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • Discounts for Safe Drivers – Safe drivers can pay as much as 50% less on Prius coverage than drivers with accidents.
  • Low Mileage Discounts – Driving fewer miles could qualify for a substantially lower rate.

A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.

Companies who might offer these benefits include:

Before buying, ask every prospective company how you can save money. Some discounts might not apply in your state.

It’s not one size fits all

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s needs are different.

For instance, these questions might point out if you could use an agent’s help.

  • Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
  • Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
  • Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
  • Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in my state?
  • Can I make deliveries for my home business?
  • Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
  • Am I covered if hit by an uninsured driver?
  • Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my 2003 Toyota Prius is totaled?
  • Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.

Coverages available on your policy

Learning about specific coverages of insurance aids in choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Comprehensive auto coverage

This will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as falling objects, damage from flooding, fire damage and damage from getting keyed. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage

This coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked.

Liability coverages

This coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property in an accident. This coverage protects you from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see values of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability coverage pays for claims like bail bonds, emergency aid, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, structural damage and pain and suffering. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Auto collision coverage

This coverage pays for damage to your Prius resulting from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision can pay for claims such as colliding with another moving vehicle, crashing into a ditch and backing into a parked car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.

Medical payments and PIP coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for short-term medical expenses for things like nursing services, hospital visits, X-ray expenses and surgery. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Be a penny pincher

We’ve covered a lot of information how to get a better price on 2003 Toyota Prius insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the lesser-known companies.

Consumers leave their current company for a number of reasons such as unfair underwriting practices, extreme rates for teen drivers, high prices and even delays in paying claims. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding the right auto insurance provider is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.

Cheaper insurance is available from both online companies and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

More detailed auto insurance information is located in these articles: