Uncover Better Insurance Rates on a Toyota Sienna

Are you sick and tired of scraping the payment together to buy car insurance? You are no different than many other drivers.

Big companies like Allstate, Liberty Mutual and State Farm continually bombard you with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to see past the corporate glitz and take the time to shop coverage around.

Toyota Sienna insurance rates are influenced by…

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that could result in big savings.

The following are some of the items that factor into premiums.

Males pay more for insurance – Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women are in accidents in similar percentages, but the males have costlier accidents. They also have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI. Young males are several times more likely to be in an accident and thus pay the highest rates.
Having a spouse can save you money – Having a wife or husband can get you a discount on auto insurance. Having a significant other is viewed as being more mature and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Theft deterrents lower rates – Driving a car with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your car from being stolen.
The more you drive the more you pay – The more miles you rack up on your Toyota each year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies rate vehicles determined by how the vehicle is used. Autos used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates compared to those used for work or business. If your policy improperly rates your Sienna can result in significantly higher rates. Double check that your auto insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Traffic violations increase rates – Whether or not you get tickets has a big impact on rates. Good drivers receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. Even one citation can increase rates forty percent or more. Drivers with dangerous tickets such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
Drive a safer car and pay less – Cars with high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Safe vehicles reduce injuries and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your Toyota Sienna scored better than an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website you are probably receiving a discount.
Policy add-ons can waste money – There are quite a few add-on coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Coverages like personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but if they’re wasting money get rid of them and save.

Finding Auto Insurance Deals

The are a couple different ways of comparing rates from auto insurance companies in your area. The best method to find competitive Toyota Sienna insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be done using a couple different methods.

The single most time-saving way to compare a lot of rates at once is an all-inclusive rate comparison click here to open form in new window. This form saves time by eliminating repetitive form entry for each company you want a rate for. One quote request will get you price quotes from several companies.
A slightly less efficient method to get comparison quotes is spending the time to visit the website for every company you want to comare to complete a price quote. For example, let’s say you want rates from USAA, Safeco and Allstate. To find out each rate you need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker.
To view a list of companies in your area, click here.
The least recommended way to compare rates is to spend time driving to and from local insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you want the professional guidance only provided by licensed agents. You can, however, comparison shop online but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.

It’s up to you which method you use, but ensure you’re using exactly the same coverage limits with each company. If each company quotes different limits and deductibles on each one it’s impossible to decipher which rate is best. Just a small difference in coverages may result in large price differences. Just keep in mind that comparing more company’s prices will enable you to find the best rates.

Do you really save 40% when you switch?

Companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. All the ads make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you switch to their company. How do they all make the same claim?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the right customer they prefer to insure. For instance, a preferred risk might be between the ages of 40 and 55, is a homeowner, and has excellent credit. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Consumers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile must pay more money which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why you need to get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings. free insurance quote

Are you getting all your discounts?

Car insurance companies don’t list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both well-publicized as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance.

Driver’s Ed – Have your child take driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
Homeowners Discount – Owning a house may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because owning a home shows financial diligence.
Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
Driver Safety – Completing a driver safety course could save 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
Discount for Good Grades – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply up to age 25.
Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Keeping the miles down on your Toyota can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
Discount for Swiching Early – A few companies offer discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
Club Memberships – Belonging to a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance for Sienna coverage.
Anti-theft System – Vehicles with anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.

Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

To see a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts, click here to view.

Quote online but work with a neighborhood agent

Certain consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find better rates and still have an agent to talk to.

Once you complete this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is sent to local insurance agents who will battle for your business. There is no need to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy! It’s the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.

Picking an insurance company should depend on more than just the premium amount. Here are some questions to ask:

If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
How long has their agency been open?
Who are their largest clients?
How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?

What type of car insurance agent is right for you?

When researching a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two different types of agents that you can select. Insurance agencies can either be captive or independent.

Agency Captives

These agents write business for a single company and examples are AAA, Allstate and State Farm. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so always compare other rates. Captives receive extensive training in insurance sales which can be an advantage.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company so they can insure your vehicles with any number of different companies and potentially find a lower price. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency. When comparison shopping, you should always include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency for maximum quote selection.

For a complete listing of insurance agents, visit this page.

Once you have received positive responses for all questions you ask and an affordable coverage quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that can adequately provide auto insurance.

In the end, you save

We just presented a lot of information how to lower your Toyota Sienna insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from the smaller companies. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.

When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. In many cases, an insured cut physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

Cheaper Toyota Sienna insurance can be sourced online as well as from independent agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.