Car Insurance Rate Quotes in Thornton

How many years has it been since you compared cheaper auto insurance rates in Thornton, CO? Are you irritated from wondering where the money will come from to pay high auto insurance rates every month? You’re in the same situation as many other people in Colorado.

Inconceivable but true, almost 70% of drivers kept their coverage with the same auto insurance company for well over three years, and 38% of customers have never shopped around. With the average premium in Colorado being $1,810, drivers could save as much as 35% a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they feel it’s too difficult to save money by comparing rate quotes.

Insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO and Farmers Insurance all promote huge savings with fancy advertisements and consumers find it hard to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and do the work needed to find the best deal.

It’s important to quote other rates before your policy renews because prices are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal on auto insurance at your last renewal you can probably find a better rate now. There is too much inaccurate information about auto insurance out there, but we’re going to give you some great ideas on how to lower your auto insurance rates in Thornton.

How to compare insurance quotes in Thornton, Colorado

It’s important to know that having more price comparisons increases the chance that you will find a better price.

The companies in the list below are ready to provide free quotes in Colorado. If more than one company is shown, it’s highly recommended you visit as many as you can to get a more complete price comparison.

Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Colorado minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Table data does not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can lower or raise premiums substantially.

Raise deductibles and save

The diagram below highlights how deductible selection and can influence Hyundai Elantra insurance costs for different insured age categories. Data assumes a married female driver, full coverage, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Hyundai Elantra rates are for example purposes only. To get rates for your specific vehicle, click here.

Physical damage deductibles: Should you raise them?

When comparing auto insurance rates, the most common question is which deductible level should you buy. The tables below determine the rate difference of buying low and high coverage deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second set of rates uses a $500 deductible.

Honda Civic rates are for example purposes only. To get rates for your specific vehicle, click here.

Data rating is based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Colorado minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Rate quotes do not factor in Thornton location which can modify premium rates substantially.

Based on the data above, we can derive that using a $250 deductible costs about $15 more each month or $180 for a full year than choosing the higher $500 deductible. Because you would pay $250 more to settle a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you usually have more than 17 months between claim filings, you would probably save some money by selecting a higher deductible. The table below shows an example of how you can make your own decision.

Cost comparison with and without full coverage

The chart below illustrates the difference between Kia Optima annual premium costs when comparing full coverage to liability only. The premiums assume no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, married male driver, and no discounts are applied.

Kia Optima rates are for example purposes only. To get rates for your specific vehicle, click here.

Guidelines for dropping full coverage

There is no definitive rule to exclude full coverage on your policy, but there is a general school of thought. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is 10% or more of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s assume your Kia Optima claim settlement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company would pay you is $5,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying over $500 a year for full coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.

There are some cases where eliminating full coverage is not a good plan. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should keep full coverage in place.

It may be expensive, but it’s not optional

Despite the high cost, insurance serves an important purpose.

• Just about all states have minimum liability requirements which means the state requires specific minimum amounts of liability if you drive a vehicle. In Colorado these limits are 25/50/15 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $15,000 of property damage coverage.
• If you have a lien on your vehicle, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it mandatory that you have physical damage coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If you let the policy lapse, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your vehicle at a much higher rate and force you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
• Auto insurance preserves your car and your assets. It will also pay for many types of medical costs for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability coverage also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, your auto insurance policy will cover the repair costs.

The benefits of insuring your vehicle are definitely more than the cost, especially with large liability claims. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is currently overpaying as much as $820 a year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison at every policy renewal to make sure the price is not too high.

How to lower your car insurance premiums

When buying car insurance it’s important to understand some of the factors that help calculate the price you pay for car insurance. If you understand what controls the rates you pay, this helps enable you to make changes that could help you find lower rates. Many different elements are used in the calculation when you get a price on insurance. Some are pretty understandable like an MVR report, but other criteria are less apparent such as whether you are married or your financial responsibility.

The itemized list below are some of the factors companies use to determine rates.

Where you reside plays a part – Being located in small towns and rural areas is a good thing when insuring your vehicles. Fewer people corresponds to lower accident rates and lower theft and vandalism rates. Urban drivers regularly have traffic congestion and longer commute times. Longer commute distances statistically corresponds to a higher accident and claim rate.

An active insurance claims history can cost you more – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can pretty much guarantee much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Car insurance companies in Colorado provide discounts to people who only file infrequent claims. Your car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the large, substantial claims.

Discounts for alarms and GPS tracking – Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can earn a premium discount. Theft prevention features like OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms help track and prevent vehicle theft.

Liability preserves assets – Your policy’s liability coverage will protect you if you are ruled to be at fault for physical damage or personal injury to other. It provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is quite affordable when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.

Credit rating impacts premium prices – Having a bad credit history factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. So if your credit history can be improved, you could potentially save money when insuring your vehicle by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers with high credit scores tend to be better risks to insure than drivers who have lower ratings.

Age of drivers impacts rates – Beginning drivers in Colorado are known to be careless and easily distracted in a vehicle so car insurance rates are higher. Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets.

Don’t get traffic citations – Having just one ticket can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Good drivers get better rates as compared to careless drivers. Drivers unfortunate enough to have license-revoking violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find they need to prove financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to prevent their license from being revoked.

Thornton car insurance discounts

Auto insurance companies don’t always list all available discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below contains a few of the more common as well as the least known discounts that you may qualify for.

• Telematics Discount – Drivers who elect to allow their company to analyze vehicle usage by using a telematics device in their vehicle such as Progressive’s Snapshot and State Farm’s In-Drive might see lower rates as long as they are good drivers.
• Theft Deterrent – Cars, trucks, and SUVs optioned with advanced anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Low Miles Discount – Fewer annual miles could earn cheaper prices.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Cars and trucks that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can stop better under adverse conditions and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Life Insurance – Larger insurance carriers have a lower car insurance rate if you buy auto and life insurance together.
• Good Grades Discount – Maintaining excellent grades may save as much as 25% on a Thornton auto insurance quote. You can use this discount normally up until you turn 25.
• Early Payment Discounts – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
• Safe Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.
• Safety Course Discount – Taking a course teaching safe driver skills could save 5% or more depending on where you live.

We need to note that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Despite the appearance that you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. But any discount will definitely reduce your policy premium.

To locate car insurance companies with significant discounts in Colorado, click here.

Insurance can be complex

When it comes to coverage, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of policy. Everyone’s situation is unique.

For instance, these questions can aid in determining whether you may require specific advice.

• What is the minimum liability in Colorado?
• Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
• Will damage be repaired with OEM parts?
• Should I carry comprehensive and collision coverage?
• Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
• What is no-fault insurance?
• Does every company file a SR-22 automatically?
• Do I have newly-aquired coverage?
• Is my custom stereo system covered?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.

Car insurance is available from agents near you

Some people still prefer to buy from a local agent and that is not a bad decision A nice benefit of comparing rate quotes online is you can get the best rates and still buy from a local agent.

By using this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is emailed to participating agents in Thornton who can give free rate quotes for your business. You won’t need to do any legwork because prices are sent directly to you. You can find better rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If you want to quote rates from a specific car insurance provider, feel free to search and find their rate quote page and fill out their quote form.

Selecting an provider is decision based upon more than just a cheap quote. Any agent in Thornton should be forthright in answering these questions:

• Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
• Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
• What company holds the largest book of business for them?
• Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
• If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
• Are they actively involved in the community?
• What is the financial rating for the quoted company?

How to choose the best car insurance agent in Thornton

If you’re trying to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, it helps to know the two different types of agents and how they operate. Agents in Thornton are either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.

Exclusive Insurance Agencies

Exclusive agents are contracted to one company such as AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance, and Allstate. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so you need to shop around if the rates are high. These agents are well trained in insurance sales which can be an advantage.

Listed below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Thornton that can give you price quotes.

View more agents

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company and that allows them to write policies with an assortment of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If they find a lower price, the business is moved internally and you can keep the same agent. If you are comparing rate quotes, we recommend you contact a few independent agents to have the best price comparison.

Shown below is a list of independent agencies in Thornton who can help you get comparison quotes.

View more agents

If you get positive feedback to your questions and an acceptable price quote, you may have just found an insurance agent that can be relied on to service your policy. Keep in mind it’s your policy and you can terminate coverage any time you want so never feel that you are permanently stuck with the car insurance policy for the full policy term.

Insurance losses by coverage

Are you driving a statistically high-claim vehicle? The following statistics outline the good and bad manufacturer models for likelihood of having claims.

Persistent drivers can save

Cheaper auto insurance in Thornton is available on the web and also from your neighborhood Thornton agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who don’t offer the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional carriers prefer to sell through independent agencies.

Drivers leave their current company for many reasons like an unsatisfactory settlement offer, high prices, not issuing a premium refund and lack of trust in their agent. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch choosing a new insurance company is not as hard as you think.

When buying insurance coverage, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where someone dropped full coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

To learn more, take a look at the resources below:

• How to Avoid Common Accidents (State Farm)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for 16 Year Olds in Denver? (FAQ)
• What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Under 21 in Denver? (FAQ)
• How Much is Denver Car Insurance for a GMC Acadia? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Denver Car Insurance Rates for 18 Year Olds? (FAQ)
• How Much are Denver Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Highlander? (FAQ)
• Uninsured Motorist Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
• Eight Auto Insurance Myths (Insurance Information Institute)
• Speed and Speed Limit FAQ (iihs.org)