Unbelievably, over 70% of drivers have been with the same company for at least four years, and about 40% of consumers have never compared rate quotes at all. With the average insurance premium being $1,300, Ohio drivers could pocket $730 a year by just comparing quotes, but most just don’t grasp the actual amount they would save if they moved their coverage to a different company.
Truthfully, the best way to get more affordable auto insurance rates in Columbus is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from companies in Ohio.
First, get a basic knowledge of coverages and the things you can change to lower rates. Many policy risk factors that cause rate increases such as traffic violations and a not-so-good credit score can be eliminated by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
Second, obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can give quotes from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can quote rates from multiple sources.
Third, compare the price quotes to your existing coverage to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a better price, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
One thing to remember is that you’ll want to compare identical deductibles and limits on every price quote and and to compare as many companies as you can. This helps ensure an accurate price comparison and maximum price selection.
The purpose of this post is to help educate you on how to effectively get price quotes and also pocket some savings If you currently have insurance, you will definitely be able to shop for the lowest rates using this information. Smart buyers just need to use the most time-saving way to shop their coverage around from multiple carriers.
Free Columbus Toyota Rav4 Hybrid insurance price quotes
Getting a cheaper price on insurance isn’t really that difficult. The only thing you need to do is spend a few minutes comparing rates from online providers.
The auto insurance companies shown below can provide price quotes in Ohio. If the list has multiple companies, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get a more complete price comparison.
Why insurance is not optional
Despite the fact that insurance is not cheap in Columbus, buying insurance is required in Ohio but it also protects you in many ways.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to carry specific limits of liability insurance in order to drive the car. 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 you took out a loan on your Toyota, almost every bank will make it a condition of the loan that you have full coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you let the policy lapse, the bank may buy a policy for your Toyota at a more expensive rate and force you to pay the higher premium.
- Insurance preserves not only your vehicle but also your assets. It will also reimburse you for hospital and medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance will also pay attorney fees if you are sued as the result of your driving. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, your policy will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance definitely exceed the price paid, particularly if you ever have a claim. The average driver in America is currently overpaying as much as $850 per year so you should quote rates every year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Six Tips to Get More Affordable Columbus Insurance Rates
Many things are used in the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some factors are common sense such as your driving history, but other factors are less apparent such as your marital status or your vehicle rating.
- Add-on coverages push up premiums – There are many extra add-on coverages that sound like a good idea at the time if you don’t pay attention. Things like replacement cost coverage, death and dismemberment, and extra life insurance coverage are examples of these. You may think they are a good idea when deciding what coverages you need, but your money might be better spent on other coverage so consider taking them off your policy.
- How many miles do you drive? – The higher the mileage driven every year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies calculate prices determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting receive better premium rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Rav4 Hybrid can cost quite a bit. It’s always a good idea to double check that your insurance coverage correctly shows the correct usage for each vehicle.
- Get a ticket, pay higher rates – Whether or not you get tickets impacts premiums far more than you think. Just one chargeable violation can boost insurance rates substantially. Good drivers pay less for auto insurance than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who have gotten multiple violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to prove financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
- Certain occupations pay higher rates – Did you know your career choice can influence rates? Careers such as lawyers, airline pilots, and emergency personnel generally have higher rates than the rest of us in part from stressful work requirements and long work hours. On the other hand, occupations such as scientists, engineers and the unemployed pay lower than average rates.
- Get hitched and pay lower rates – Walking down the aisle actually saves money compared to being single. Having a spouse may mean you are more financially stable and statistics show married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
- Where you live plays a part – Living in areas with lower population has it’s advantages when insuring your vehicles. Less people living in that area means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft. People in densely populated areas regularly have much more traffic and more severe claims. More time behind the wheel means higher likelihood of an accident.
Check for these price cutting discounts
Car insurance can cost a lot, but you might find some hidden discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain credits will be shown at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about before you get the savings.
- Multiple Cars – Purchasing coverage when you have multiple cars or trucks on one policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Distant Student – Kids who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from Columbus and do not take a car to college could qualify for this discount.
- Early Payment Discounts – By paying your policy upfront instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
- Drive Less and Save – Driving fewer miles could earn discounted prices on garaged vehicles.
- Senior Citizens – Mature drivers may be able to get reduced rates.
- Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy on their website.
- Claim Free – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims have much lower rates when compared to policyholders that have many claims.
- Bundled Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies and insure them with the same company you could save up to 20% off your total Rav4 Hybrid insurance premium.
Discounts save money, but please remember that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
The best insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts can be read below.
- Progressive offers discounts including multi-vehicle, multi-policy, continuous coverage, homeowner, online quote discount, online signing, and good student.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include bundle discounts, alternative fuel, youthful driver, switch companies, and electronic funds transfer.
- Farm Bureau may have discounts that include safe driver, 55 and retired, multi-vehicle, driver training, renewal discount, youthful driver, and good student.
- State Farm has savings for defensive driving training, Drive Safe & Save, Steer Clear safe driver discount, anti-theft, passive restraint, and driver’s education.
- GEICO has discounts for five-year accident-free, air bags, membership and employees, anti-theft, anti-lock brakes, and emergency military deployment.
- SAFECO offers discounts for drive less, homeowner, safe driver, teen safety rewards, and anti-lock brakes.
- Liberty Mutual may include discounts for new graduate, preferred payment discount, teen driver discount, newly retired, and new move discount.
If you are trying to find affordable Toyota Rav4 Hybrid insurance quotes, ask each company to apply every possible discount. Some discounts may not apply to policies in your area.
When should I discuss my situation with an agent?
When it comes to the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s needs are different.
For example, these questions might point out if your situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Does my Toyota Rav4 Hybrid need full coverage?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- What if a claim settlement is too low?
- Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
- Do I need replacement cost coverage?
- Should I rate my Toyota Rav4 Hybrid as pleasure use or commute?
- Why do I have to buy liability insurance?
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.
Can’t I compare prices from local Columbus insurance agents?
A lot of people would rather get professional advice from a licensed agent and that is a smart decision Experienced insurance agents are trained risk managers and help submit paperwork. One of the best bonuses of comparing rate quotes online is you may find the best rates and still have an agent to talk to. And supporting neighborhood insurance agencies is especially important in Columbus.
After completing this simple form, the quote information gets sent to agents in your area who want to provide quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to search for an agent since price quotes are sent directly to you. If for some reason you want to compare prices from a specific company, just navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.
If you are searching for local Columbus agents, it helps to know the two different types of agents and how they function. Agencies in Columbus are classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents. Either can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know the difference in how they write coverage because it can factor into buying decisions.
Independent Agents
These type of agents are not employed by any specific company so they can quote policies amongst many companies and find the cheapest insurance rates. If your premiums go up, the agent simply finds a different carrier which is easy for the insured. If you are trying to find cheaper rates, we recommend you get insurance quotes from several independent agencies to maximize your price options. Most independent agents also contract with lesser-known insurance companies that many times have cheaper rates.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Columbus that may be able to provide rate quotes.
- Soller Insurance Agency
891 S James Rd – Columbus, OH 43227 – (614) 235-2815 – View Map - Guy P Williams Insurance Agency
1335 Dublin Rd #110d – Columbus, OH 43215 – (614) 488-1101 – View Map - Wolfe Insurance Group
630 E Broad St – Columbus, OH 43215 – (614) 418-5710 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be exclusive 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 they really need to provide good service. Exclusive insurance agents are usually quite knowledgeable on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Many people use the same exclusive agent mainly due to the prominent brand name instead of buying on price only.
The following are Columbus exclusive agents willing to provide comparison quotes.
- Bruce Rothermund – State Farm Insurance Agent
50 Northwoods Blvd – Columbus, OH 43235 – (614) 888-5830 – View Map - Danny Hilton – State Farm Insurance Agent
3276 Morse Rd b – Columbus, OH 43231 – (614) 475-8808 – View Map - State Farm: Matt Simonds
2986 N High St – Columbus, OH 43202 – (614) 262-6700 – View Map
Finding the right insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price quote. These questions are important to ask:
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- Will they give you a referral list?
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
- Will the quote change when the policy is issued?
- How is replacement cost determined on your vehicle?
- How long has their agency been open in Columbus?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
If you get good responses as well as an affordable premium quote, it’s possible that you found a car insurance agent that is professional and can properly insure your vehicles.
Cheap car insurance premiums are out there
Throughout this article, we presented a lot of ways to shop for Toyota Rav4 Hybrid insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get premium rates for, the higher your chance of finding low cost Columbus car insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from an unexpected company.
Drivers who switch companies do it for many reasons like poor customer service, unfair underwriting practices, questionable increases in premium or policy cancellation. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company can be easy and end up saving you some money.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, don’t be tempted to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to regret they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.
For more information, feel free to visit the resources below:
- Determining Auto Insurance Rates (GEICO)
- Who Has Affordable Columbus Car Insurance Quotes for Low Mileage Drivers? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Chevrolet Silverado in Columbus? (FAQ)
- How Much are Columbus Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Camry? (FAQ)
- How Much is Columbus Auto Insurance for Drivers with a DUI? (FAQ)
- A Tree Fell on Your Car: Now What? (Allstate)
- Teen Driving and Texting (State Farm)
- Auto Crash Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Rental Car Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Institute)