The recommended way to find lower priced Kia Optima Hybrid insurance in Minneapolis is to make a habit of regularly comparing prices from different companies who provide auto insurance in Minnesota. You can compare prices by following these guidelines.
First, get a basic knowledge of what coverages are included in your policy and the changes you can make to prevent high rates. Many rating criteria that cause high rates like traffic violations, accidents, and a negative credit score can be remedied by being financially responsible and driving safely. Later in this article we will cover ideas to prevent high rates and find overlooked discounts.
Second, obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like GEICO and State Farm, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes from multiple sources.
Third, compare the new quotes to your existing coverage and determine if cheaper Optima Hybrid coverage is available. If you find a better price and buy the policy, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
Fourth, notify your agent or company of your intention to cancel your current coverage. Submit the completed application along with a down payment to your new company or agent. Make sure you safely store the certificate of insurance in your glove compartment.
A tip to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare the same deductibles and limits on each quote and and to get prices from every company you can. Doing this provides a level playing field and a thorough price selection.
Unthinkable but true, most insurance customers kept their coverage with the same insurance company for over three years, and approximately 38% of consumers have never compared rates to find lower-cost insurance. With the average insurance premium being $2,240, Minnesota drivers could save roughly $1,040 every year by just comparing rate quotes, but they don’t want to take the time to compare rate quotes.
When looking for low cost Minneapolis auto insurance quotes, there are a couple ways of comparing price quotes from many different Minnesota insurance companies. The easiest way by far to comparison shop is to use the internet to compare rates.
Doing online rate quotes comparisons is so easy that it takes the place of having to make phone calls or go to local Minneapolis insurance agencies. The internet eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you want the professional assistance that only an agent can give. Although, it is possible price shop your coverage online and still use a local agent. Just remember that quoting more will increase your chances of finding lower pricing.
The companies in the list below are ready to provide price comparisons in Minnesota. To get the best cheap auto insurance in MN, we suggest you visit as many as you can in order to find the most affordable rates.
Car insurance just makes sense
Despite the high cost, car insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
- The majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific limits of liability in order to drive the car. In Minnesota these limits are 30/60/10 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you took out a loan on your Kia Optima Hybrid, it’s most likely the lender will make it a condition of the loan that you carry insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Kia at an extremely high rate and force you to reimburse them a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Car insurance protects not only your Kia but also your financial assets. It also can pay for all forms of medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability insurance will also pay attorney fees if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of insuring your Optima Hybrid more than cancel out the cost, especially with large liability claims. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver overpays more than $850 per year so it’s recommended you shop around each time the policy renews to ensure rates are inline.
Cheaper Minneapolis insurance rates with discounts
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Some trigger automatically when you quote, but a few must be specifically requested before you get the savings.
- Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
- Smart Student Discounts – Maintaining excellent grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
- Military Deployment Discount – Being on active duty in the military may lower your rates slightly.
- Telematics Data Discounts – Insureds who allow companies to analyze when and where they use their vehicle through the use of a telematics system such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system could save a few bucks if they are good drivers.
- First Accident Forgiveness – Not necessarily a discount, but a few companies such as GEICO and Liberty Mutual allow you one accident before they charge you more for coverage if you have no claims prior to the accident.
- Discount for New Cars – Buying insurance coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less since newer vehicles have better safety ratings.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Maintaining low annual mileage can qualify you for slightly better prices than normal.
- Senior Citizens – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens can possibly qualify for a small discount on rates.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Buying insurance for multiple cars on the same insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Cautious Driver Discount – Insureds who avoid accidents can save as much as half off their rates than drivers with accident claims.
You can save money using discounts, but some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Just because you may think you could get a free insurance policy, it’s just not the way it works.
A few popular companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts can be read below.
- Esurance discounts include online shopper, anti-lock brakes, multi-policy, DriveSense, online quote, renters, and anti-theft.
- The Hartford may include discounts for vehicle fuel type, anti-theft, good student, driver training, bundle, and air bag.
- AAA may have discounts that include multi-car, anti-theft, AAA membership discount, education and occupation, good student, and good driver.
- GEICO has discounts for anti-lock brakes, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, driver training, and federal employee.
- State Farm includes discounts for student away at school, anti-theft, multiple autos, good driver, and defensive driving training.
Double check with every prospective company which discounts you qualify for. All car insurance discounts may not apply in Minneapolis. To see a list of insurance companies that offer multiple discounts in Minneapolis, follow this link.
When to talk to an insurance agent
Many drivers would rather have an agent’s advice and doing that can be a smart decision The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is you can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting local insurance agencies is definitely important in Minneapolis.
After completing this short form, your information is submitted to local insurance agents in Minneapolis who will gladly provide quotes to get your business. There is no need to search for any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent to you directly. You can find better rates and a licensed agent to talk to. If for some reason you want to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance provider, just navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.
Below is a list of auto insurance companies in Minneapolis that can give you comparison quotes for Kia Optima Hybrid insurance in Minneapolis.
State Farm Insurance: Karl Herman
3017 W 56th St – Minneapolis, MN 55410 – (612) 455-8844 – View Map
True Insurance Agency and Financial Services – Minneapolis Home and Auto Insurance
4708 Excelsior Blvd – St Louis Park, MN 55416 – (952) 388-2006 – View Map
Kelly Mulligan Allstate Insurance Agency
80 8th St S – Minneapolis, MN 55402 – (612) 713-9253 – View Map
AAA Minneapolis Insurance
5400 Auto Club Way – Minneapolis, MN 55416 – (952) 927-2518 – View Map
Picking an insurer should include more criteria than just the premium amount. The answers to these questions are important, too.
- What kind of financial rating does the company have?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
Car insurance company ratings
Finding the best insurance company is hard considering how many different companies sell coverage in Minneapolis. The company ratings in the lists below may help you analyze which car insurance providers to look at buying from.
Top 10 Minneapolis Car Insurance Companies Overall
- USAA
- 21st Century
- GEICO
- Nationwide
- AAA Insurance
- Liberty Mutual
- Safeco Insurance
- State Farm
- Travelers
- American Family
Top 10 Minneapolis Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Claims Service
- Progressive
- Travelers
- Liberty Mutual
- Nationwide
- USAA
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- Safeco Insurance
- Mercury Insurance
- Esurance
Information about specific coverages
Understanding the coverages of auto insurance helps when choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are the usual coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (30/60/10), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Most of the time these limits are set the same as your liability limits.
Coverage for medical payments – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for immediate expenses like EMT expenses, funeral costs and chiropractic care. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover you and your occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Collision – This coverage covers damage to your Optima Hybrid 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 coverage protects against things like colliding with another moving vehicle, sustaining damage from a pot hole, driving through your garage door and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible on your Optima Hybrid to save money on collision insurance.
Comprehensive coverages – Comprehensive insurance pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like damage from a tornado or hurricane, fire damage and hitting a deer. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Coverage for liability – Liability insurance can cover damage that occurs to a person or their property. This coverage protects you against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have limits of 30/60/10 which stand for $30,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $60,000, and $10,000 of coverage for damaged property. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage pays for things like structural damage, bail bonds, funeral expenses and emergency aid. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but consider buying as large an amount as possible. Minnesota requires minimum liability limits of 30/60/10 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.
The chart below demonstrates why minimum state limits may not provide you with enough coverage.
Cheap coverage is out there
Affordable Kia Optima Hybrid insurance in Minneapolis is possible on the web as well as from independent agents in Minneapolis, and you should compare rates from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some car insurance companies don’t offer price quotes online and most of the time these regional carriers provide coverage only through independent agencies.
We just showed you many ways to save on Kia Optima Hybrid insurance in Minneapolis. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote Minneapolis auto insurance, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the lowest premium rates are with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. They may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
More information can be found on the following sites:
- Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much is Minneapolis Car Insurance for 4×4 Vehicles? (FAQ)
- How Much are Minneapolis Auto Insurance Rates for a Ford Fusion? (FAQ)
- Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)
- Comprehensive Coverage (Liberty Mutual)