How Much Does 2018 Toyota Highlander Insurance Cost?

Searching for the cheapest insurance rates for your Toyota Highlander? Are you sick and tired of scraping nickels together to keep your car insured? Your situation is no different than millions of other vehicle owners. With vehicle owners having so many insurance providers from which to choose, it’s nearly impossible to pick the best insurance company.

You need to shop coverage around once or twice a year because prices are variable and change quite frequently. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal for Highlander coverage two years ago other companies may now be cheaper. Ignore everything you know about insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the best methods to save on insurance.

Shop car insurance online

Comparing car insurance rates can be a lot of work if you don’t understand the best way to get rate quotes. You could waste a few hours driving to local insurance agents in your area, or you could use the web to achieve your goal.

Many insurance companies belong to a marketplace where insurance shoppers only type in their quote data once, and every company can give them a price based on the submitted data. This prevents consumers from doing quote requests to every company. To find out what other companies charge click here to start a free quote.

The only drawback to using this type of system is you cannot specify the insurers you want to price. If you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to compare rates, we have assembled a list of low cost car insurance companies in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.

Compare rates however you want, just ensure you’re using the exact same coverages for each quote you get. If you use different limits and deductibles on each one it will be next to impossible to find the best deal for your Toyota Highlander.

Insurance advertising tricks

Consumers constantly see and hear ads that claim the cheapest prices by State Farm and Allstate. All the ads have a common claim that people will save if you change to them.

How does each company give you a lower rate? Here is the trick they use.

Most companies look for specific characteristics for the type of driver that will not have excessive claims. A good example of a preferred risk may need to be between the ages of 30 and 50, owns their home, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any customer who matches that profile receives the best prices and as a result will probably save money with a new company.

Drivers who are not a match for those standards will see higher premiums and the customer buying from someone else. The trick companies use is to say “people who switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save money. That is how companies can truthfully claim big savings.

This really illustrates why you really should compare as many free insurance coverage quotes as you can. It is impossible to predict with any certainty which company will fit you best based on your risk profile.

What determines Toyota Highlander insurance premiums?

A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. When consumers understand what determines base rates, this allows you to make good choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs. Lots of things are used in the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some factors are common sense such as traffic violations, but other factors are less obvious such as your marital status or your vehicle rating.

Shown below are most of the major factors used by your company to calculate your rates.

  • Women tend to take less risk – Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn’t mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Females and males are responsible for accidents at a similar rate, but the males get into accidents with more damage. Men also get higher numbers of serious violations such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly. Young males are several times more likely to be in an accident and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
  • Where you reside – Choosing to live in less populated areas of the country is a positive aspect when shopping for auto insurance. People in densly populated areas regularly have traffic congestion and longer commute times. Fewer drivers corresponds to lower accident rates in addition to lower liability claims
  • Save money with higher comp and collision deductibles – Comp and collision deductibles define the amount you are required to pay if a covered claim is submitted. Coverage for physical damage, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, insures against damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims would be collision with another vehicle, damage caused by hail, or theft of your vehicle. The more expense you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the better rate you will receive for Highlander coverage.
  • Responsible drivers pay less – Careful drivers pay less for auto insurance as compared to careless drivers. Having just one driving citation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have severe citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find that they have to to file a SR-22 with their state in order to prevent a license revocation.

Take policy discounts and save

Some insurance providers don’t necessarily list every disount available very clearly, so the list below details both well-publicized and also the more inconspicuous credits available to you. If you are not receiving all the discounts possible, you could be paying more than you need to.

  • Defensive Driver – Successfully completing a course that instructs on driving safety could earn you a small percentage discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
  • Driver’s Education for Students – Teen drivers should sucessfully take a drivers education course as it can save substantially.
  • Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying in monthly installments you can avoid the installment charge.
  • Good Student – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount well after school through age 25.
  • Waiver for an Accident – Not really a discount, but a few companies such as Geico and Allstate will turn a blind eye to one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven’t had any claims before the accident.
  • Discounts for Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% for Highlander coverage with a few car insurance companies.
  • Switch and Save Discount – Some car insurance companies provide a discount for switching policies before your current coverage expires. You could save around 10% when you buy insurance coverage online.
  • Service Members Pay Less – Being on active duty in the military may lower your car insurance rates slightly.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So even though you would think you could get a free car insurance policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

To see car insurance companies that offer some of these discounts, click this link.

Which policy gives me the best coverage?

When it comes to choosing coverage, there really is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

  • Is my ex-spouse still covered by my policy?
  • Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
  • How does medical payments coverage work?
  • When should I not file a claim?
  • Am I better off with higher deductibles on my 2018 Toyota Highlander?
  • How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in my state?
  • Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
  • Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It is quick, free and can help protect your family.

Insurance policy specifics

Knowing the specifics of insurance helps when choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find typical coverage types available from insurance companies.

Liability insurance – This protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show values of 100/300/100 that means you have a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability can pay for claims like medical services, medical expenses, loss of income and pain and suffering. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but consider buying higher limits if possible.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your 2018 Toyota Highlander.

Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Usually these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Coverage for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for immediate expenses for things like hospital visits, X-ray expenses and pain medications. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Collision coverages – This covers damage to your Highlander resulting from colliding with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against things such as scraping a guard rail, crashing into a ditch, hitting a parking meter and driving through your garage door. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive coverages – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as a broken windshield, damage from flooding and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum payout a insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Best coverage at the best price

Cheap 2018 Toyota Highlander insurance can be purchased online in addition to local insurance agencies, so you need to shop insurance coverage with both to have the best rate selection. A few companies may not have online quoting and usually these small insurance companies sell through independent insurance agencies.

In this article, we presented many ways to reduce 2018 Toyota Highlander insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with some of the smallest insurance companies. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like Progressive or Geico.

More detailed car insurance information is available in the articles below: