Inconceivable but true, a large majority of car insurance policyholders have purchased from the same company for at least the last four years, and nearly half have never compared rate quotes at all. With the average car insurance premium being $1,343, Ohio drivers could save themselves approximately 55% a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they don’t believe the big savings they would realize if they switched.
To save the most money, the best way to get low-cost Lexus IS 200t insurance is to compare prices once a year from insurers who provide auto insurance in Columbus. Rates can be compared by following these steps.
First, try to comprehend coverages and the measures you can control to prevent high rates. Many rating factors that result in higher rates such as traffic tickets, fender benders, and a negative credit score can be improved by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. Read the full article for additional tips to help reduce prices and find additional discounts.
Second, request rate estimates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only quote rates from one company like Progressive and State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide price quotes from multiple insurance companies. Start a quote
Third, compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate quote and change companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
Fourth, give notification to your agent or company of your intention to cancel your existing policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application to your new company or agent. Don’t forget to put the new proof of insurance paperwork above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
The key thing to remember is to use similar coverage information on each quote and and to get price quotes from as many carriers as you can. This guarantees a level playing field and plenty of rates choose from.
The method we recommend to get rate comparisons for Lexus IS 200t insurance in Columbus is to take advantage of the fact auto insurance companies actually pay money for the chance to compare rate quotes. The only thing you need to do is provide a little information such as types of safety features, if you require a SR-22, how your vehicles are used, and if the car is leased. Your rating data is then submitted to insurance companies and you get price estimates immediately.
To find lower cheaper Lexus IS 200t insurance rates now, click here and find out if lower rates are available in Columbus.
The companies in the list below are our best choices to provide quotes in Columbus, OH. If the list has multiple companies, we suggest you get rate quotes from several of them to get the most affordable price.
Discounts can help lower rates on Lexus IS 200t insurance in Columbus
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you might find some hidden discounts that can drop the cost substantially. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of quoting, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for in order for you to get them.
- Driver Education Discount – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers successfully take a driver’s education course as it can save substantially.
- Accident-Free Discounts – Columbus drivers who stay claim-free are rewarded with significantly better rates on Columbus car insurance quote in comparison with frequent claim filers.
- Government Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government may qualify for a discount when you quote Columbus car insurance with select insurance companies.
- College Student – Children living away from Columbus attending college and do not take a car to college can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Good Student Discount – This discount can earn a discount of 20% or more. Most companies allow this discount well after school through age 25.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on one policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Vehicles that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more on IS 200t insurance in Columbus.
- Good Drivers – Insureds who avoid accidents can pay as much as 50% less compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Data Collection Discounts – People who choose to allow companies to look at driving habits by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system could save a few bucks if they exhibit good driving behavior.
Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But any discount should help lower your overall premium however.
Large insurance companies and their possible discounts are:
- Travelers may offer discounts for multi-policy, home ownership, student away at school, continuous insurance, good student, early quote, and payment discounts.
- 21st Century has discounts for early bird, homeowners, good student, student driver, and teen driver.
- State Farm discounts include multiple autos, anti-theft, defensive driving training, good student, and accident-free.
- GEICO may include discounts for multi-vehicle, defensive driver, emergency military deployment, anti-lock brakes, multi-policy, and five-year accident-free.
- SAFECO offers discounts including safe driver, teen safe driver, teen safety rewards, bundle discounts, anti-theft, accident prevention training, and drive less.
- AAA offers discounts for anti-theft, AAA membership discount, good student, good driver, multi-policy, education and occupation, and pay-in-full.
If you need cheaper Columbus car insurance quotes, ask each insurance company the best way to save money. A few discounts might not apply in every state.
What if I want to buy from local Columbus auto insurance agents?
A lot of people just prefer to go talk to an agent and that is OK! Professional insurance agents can make sure you are properly covered and help in the event of a claim. One of the great benefits of getting free rate quotes online is that you can obtain the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to.
To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, your information is immediately sent to participating agents in Columbus who want to provide quotes for your coverage. You won’t even need to leave your house due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. If you have a need to get a rate quote from a particular provider, just jump over to their website and fill out their quote form.
Picking the best provider should depend on more than just the premium amount. Agents should be asked these questions:
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Will you work with the agent or an assistant?
- Do they see any coverage gaps in your plan?
Is an exclusive or independent auto insurance agent right for you?
If you want a good Columbus insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies and how they can write your policy. Insurance agencies can be classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents. Both types of agents can write policy coverage, but it’s good to learn the difference in the companies they write for since it could factor into your selection of an agent.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
These type of agents can only provide one company’s prices and examples are State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agents cannot compare other company’s rates so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive agencies are highly trained on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Some consumers prefer to use the same agent primarily because of the brand rather than low price.
The following are Columbus exclusive insurance agencies who may provide you with comparison quotes.
- Jack Gilkerson – State Farm Insurance Agent
4232 E Main St – Whitehall, OH 43213 – (614) 237-4256 – View Map - Debbie Montgomery – State Farm Insurance Agent
1880 Schrock Rd – Columbus, OH 43229 – (614) 890-2886 – View Map - Amie Kim – State Farm Insurance Agent
1246 N High St – Columbus, OH 43201 – (614) 586-8701 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be independent do not have single company limitations and that enables them to quote your coverage through lots of different companies and find you the best rates. If your premiums go up, your agent can just switch to a different company and you don’t have to find a new agent. If you are comparing insurance prices, you need to get several quotes from several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison. Most also have access to small regional insurance companies which may provide better rates.
Listed below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Columbus willing to provide price quote information.
- Central Ohio Insurance Services, Inc
1205 Hill Rd N – Pickerington, OH 43147 – (614) 861-3100 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Sylvia A Garrett Insurance Agency Llc
1 W Nationwide Blvd – Columbus, OH 43215 – (614) 249-2141 – View Map - All Ohio Insurance Agency Inc
180 Northwoods Blvd – Columbus, OH 43235 – (614) 825-0770 – View Map
How do I know if I need professional advice?
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing coverage for your vehicles, there is no one-size-fits-all type of policy. Everyone’s situation is a little different and your car insurance should be unique as well.
These are some specific questions may help you determine if your insurance needs will benefit from professional help.
- How much coverage applies to personal belongings?
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
- Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
- Does my policy cover me if I wreck while driving under the influence?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
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. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.
Why insurance is not optional
Even though Columbus IS 200t insurance rates can get expensive, insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means state laws require a specific minimum amount of liability if you don’t want to risk a ticket. In Ohio these limits are 25/50/25 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your Lexus has a loan, almost all lenders will have a requirement that you buy insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If you let the policy lapse, the bank may buy a policy for your Lexus at a significantly higher premium and require you to reimburse them the higher price.
- Insurance protects not only your Lexus but also your assets. Insurance will pay for many types of medical costs for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance also covers legal expenses if you are sued as the result of your driving. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of buying enough insurance definitely exceed the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. As of last year, the average driver in Ohio is overpaying over $825 a year so it’s important to compare rates each time the policy renews to save money.
Insurance policy specifics
Learning about specific coverages of your insurance policy can help you determine the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find the usual coverages found on the average insurance policy.
Liability insurance – This can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see values of 25/50/25 that translate to $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers things such as medical services, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, emergency aid and pain and suffering. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Ohio state minimum liability requirements are 25/50/25 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
The next chart shows why buying the state minimum limits may not provide adequate coverage.
Coverage for medical expenses – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for immediate expenses like ambulance fees, nursing services, X-ray expenses, chiropractic care and rehabilitation expenses. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many Ohio drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (Ohio limits are 25/50/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.
Collision – This coverage will pay to fix damage to your IS 200t resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision insurance covers things like crashing into a building, hitting a parking meter and colliding with a tree. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible on your IS 200t to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive insurance – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like vandalism, fire damage and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout your insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
Cheaper car insurance premiums are out there
Discount Lexus IS 200t insurance in Columbus is available both online as well as from independent agents in Columbus, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers do not offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller companies provide coverage only through independent agencies.
When trying to cut insurance costs, never buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
To read more, feel free to browse the following helpful articles:
- Car Insurance for Teen Drivers with Divorced Parents (Allstate)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Teenagers in Columbus? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Columbus Auto Insurance for Drivers with Accidents? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for 4×4 Vehicles in Columbus? (FAQ)
- Alcohol Impaired Driving FAQ (iihs.org)
- Your Car has been Stolen: Now What? (Allstate)
- Reducing Your Risks in a Car Crash Video (iihs.org)
- Dangers of fake or stolen airbags (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)