Insurance Prices Decline for Toyota Tundra Owners

Searching for low-cost insurance for a new or used Toyota Tundra could be a painful process, but you can learn a few tricks and make it easy.

There are both good and bad ways to find car insurance online so we’re going to tell you the best way to compare rates for a new or used Toyota and locate the cheapest rates either online or from local insurance agents.

It’s smart to compare prices occasionally because rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the best rates on Tundra insurance on your last policy there is a good chance you can find better rates now. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about car insurance on the web, but I’m going to show you some guaranteed methods to reduce your car insurance bill.

Locating affordable car insurance coverage can be fairly easy. If you have insurance now or need a new policy, you can follow these tips to reduce the price you pay while maintaining coverages. Drivers just need to know the most efficient way to compare prices online.

Do you qualify for a discount?

Car insurance is not cheap, but companies offer discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but less common discounts must be specifically requested before you will receive the discount. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

Discount for Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give better rates if you take out life insurance.
Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies with one company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
Anti-lock Brake Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
Discount for Good Grades – Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts until age 25.
E-sign – A few companies give back up to $50 for buying your policy digitally online.
Accident Waiver – A few companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don’t have any claims prior to the accident.
Sign Early and Save – Some companies give discounts for switching policies before your current policy expires. It can save you around 10%.
Senior Discount – Mature drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10% on Tundra insurance.
Driver’s Ed – Require your teen driver to take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.

Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, companies don’t profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your overall premium however.

Toyota Tundra insurance rates have many determining factors

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Rates may be lower depending on your job – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Occupations like lawyers, social workers and dentists have the highest average rates in part from stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. Other jobs such as farmers, historians and performers get better rates on Tundra insurance.
Bad driving skills means higher rates – Drivers with clean records get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Even one moving violation may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers with dangerous tickets like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions are required to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent a license revocation.
Marriage pays dividends – Having a spouse helps lower the price when buying car insurance. It translates into being more mature it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
No coverage gaps is important – Driving with no insurance is a misdemeanor and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a steep fine or even jail time.
Equipment add-ons that lower car insurance rates – Driving a car with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft devices such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all hinder car theft.
Men fork out a little more – The statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. That doesn’t necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but men cause more damage. Men also receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
Drive less and save money – The more you drive each year the higher your rate. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based on their usage. Autos that are left in the garage get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. Verify your car insurance policy is rated on the correct driver usage. If your policy improperly rates your Tundra may be wasting your money.
High credit ratings translate to low rates – Your credit history is a huge factor in determining your rates. If your credit rating is not that good, you could pay less to insure your Toyota Tundra by spending a little time repairing your credit. People with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than drivers with lower credit scores.

When might I need help?

When it comes to choosing coverage, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique.

For instance, these questions could help you determine if your situation might need an agent’s assistance.

I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
Is my Toyota Tundra covered for flood damage?
Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
What are the best liability limits?
Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my Toyota Tundra is totaled?
Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in my state?
Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.

But don’t I need an insurance agent?

Some people prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is just fine! Agents can help determine the best coverages and give you peace of mind. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find lower rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local insurance agencies is especially important in smaller rural communities.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, the coverage information is emailed to participating agents who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. There is no need to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. It doesn’t get any easier!

Two types of car insurance agents

When searching for a good insurance agency, there are a couple of different agency structures from which to choose. Insurance agencies are classified as either captive or independent. Either one can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning how they are different since it may influence your selection of an agent.

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agencies do not work for one specific company but rather can write business with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house and you won’t have to switch agencies. When searching for an agent, we recommend you include multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection. They often place coverage with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.

Captive Agents

Captive agents can only place business with one company and examples are AAA, Allstate and State Farm. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captives receive extensive training on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers often purchase coverage from captives primarily because of the brand legacy and solid financial strength.

To view a full list of insurance agents, click here.

Selecting an insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Here are some questions to ask:

How are claims handled?
Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
Do they make recommendations based only on price?

After getting reasonable responses for all questions you ask and a good coverage price, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that is a good match to adequately provide car insurance.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Drivers can’t ignore all the ads that promise big savings by companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. All the companies make the same claim that you’ll save big if you switch to them.

But how can every company say the same thing?

Different companies can use profiling for the right customer they prefer to insure. For example, a profitable customer might be profiled as over the age of 40, is a homeowner, and chooses high deductibles. Any new insured who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Drivers who do not match these standards will have to pay higher prices and ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings.

Because of the profiling, it’s extremely important to quote coverage with many companies. It’s just too difficult to predict which car insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

A little work can save a LOT of money

As you restructure your insurance plan, do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to regret that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.

Insureds who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including being labeled a high risk driver, extreme rates for teen drivers, delays in paying claims and even denial of a claim. Whatever your reason, switching companies is not as hard as you think.

Low-cost Toyota Tundra insurance is possible on the web as well as from independent agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some car insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.