Find Cheaper Kia Optima Insurance in Durham

If you want to save the most money, the best way to find discount Kia Optima insurance is to start comparing prices yearly from companies who provide auto insurance in Durham.

1. Spend some time learning about the different coverages in a policy and the things you can change to prevent rate increases. Many policy risk factors that cause rate increases like accidents, traffic tickets, and an unacceptable credit history can be amended by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
2. Obtain price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can only give rate quotes from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can quote prices from multiple sources. View prices
3. Compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find better rates and switch companies, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
4. Notify your agent or company of your decision to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit the completed application along with a down payment to the new insurer. Immediately put the certificate of insurance in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.

A good tip to remember is to use the same amount of coverage on every price quote and and to get rates from as many companies as feasibly possible. This provides a level playing field and a complete rate analysis.

It’s safe to assume that auto insurance companies want to keep you from shopping around. Consumers who shop rates annually will, in all likelihood, switch insurance companies because they have a good chance of finding a lower-priced company. Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that consumers who make a habit of shopping around saved on average $3,400 over four years compared to policyholders who never compared prices.

If finding low prices for Kia Optima insurance in Durham is your target objective, then understanding how to get price quotes and compare insurance premiums can help make the process easier.

You Can Change Your Insurance Premiums

One of the most helpful ways to save on insurance is to to have a grasp of a few of the rating criteria that help determine insurance rates. When consumers understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make good choices that can help you get lower rates.

• Get a ticket, pay higher premiums – Having a single ticket may increase your cost by as much as twenty percent. Careful drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers with license-revoking citations like reckless driving or DUI may find that they have to to complete a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.

  The chart below demonstrates how citations and at-fault accidents can raise Kia Optima premium costs for each age group. The rate quotes are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

• Gender and auto insurance costs – Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. This data doesn’t prove that men are worse drivers. Males and females are in accidents in similar numbers, but males tend to have higher claims. Not only that, but men also get ticketed for serious violations like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving. Young men ages 16 to 20 are the most expensive to insure so they pay the highest premiums.

  The illustration below shows the difference between Kia Optima insurance costs for male and female drivers. The data assumes no claims or violations, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no policy discounts are applied.

• Little extras can really add up – There are many additional extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying but may not be useful. Add-on coverages like replacement cost coverage, accidental death, and membership fees may not be needed and are just wasting money. They may sound like good ideas when you first buy your policy, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
• Discounts for alarms and GPS tracking – Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can earn a premium discount. Anti-theft features such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder car theft.
• Save money by having multiple policies – Most major insurance companies allow better rates to clients who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Even if you’re getting this discount consumers should still compare Kia Optima rates in Durham to ensure the best deal. It’s possible to still find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
• Low mileage costs less – The more you drive your Kia in a year the higher the price you pay to insure it. Most companies charge rates based on their usage. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage receive better premium rates than those used for commuting. Improper usage on your Optima may be wasting your money. Double check that your policy is rated on the correct usage for each vehicle.
• Liability protection safeguards assets – Liability insurance is the protection if you are found to be at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court which can be incredibly expensive. Liability is cheap compared to comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.

• Kia Optima insurance loss probability – Companies analyze claim trends for every vehicle when determining insurance prices. Vehicles that the data determines to have higher losses will cost more for specific coverages. The table below demonstrates the insurance loss data used by companies for Kia Optima vehicles.

  For each coverage type, the loss probability for all vehicles, as an average, is considered to be 100. Values below 100 represent a good loss history, while values that are above 100 point to more claims or an increased chance of a larger loss.

  
  

  Kia Optima Insurance Claim Statistics

  Vehicle Make and Model	Collision	Property Damage	Comp	Personal Injury	Medical Payment	Bodily Injury
  Kia Optima	115	101	107	133	142	120
  Kia Optima Hybrid	143	115	116	139	158	151

  BETTER

  AVERAGE

  WORSE

  Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years

The method we recommend to compare car insurance company rates for Kia Optima insurance in Durham is to realize all the major auto insurance companies participate in a system to provide you with a free rate quote. The one thing you need to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information like if you have an active license, whether you are married, what your job is, and how many miles driven. Your rating data is submitted instantly to multiple companies and they provide comparison quotes within a short period of time.

If you wish to get multiple quotes for your Kia Optima now, click here and complete the quick form.

The companies shown below offer quotes in North Carolina. If you want the best auto insurance in Durham, NC, it’s highly recommended you visit several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.

Kia Optima coverage statistics

The rate table shown next showcases different coverage costs for Kia Optima models. Having a good understanding how insurance prices are formulated can aid in making smart choices when comparing insurance rates.

Table data assumes married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Premium costs do not factor in your specific Durham location which can lower or raise coverage rates considerably.

Higher deductibles lower rates

When shopping for car insurance, a common question is how high should the deductibles for physical damage be. The rates shown below approximate the premium difference when you choose different insurance deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $250 physical damage coverage deductible and the second price table uses a $1,000 deductible.

Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Premium costs do not factor in garaging location in Durham which can raise or lower premium rates noticeably.

Based on this data, we can arrive at the conclusion that using a $250 deductible would cost the average driver about $20 more each month or $240 every year than choosing the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $750 more out of your own pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to have more than 38 months between claim filings, you would probably be better off if you choose the higher deductible.

The example below illustrates how your deductible choice and can impact Kia Optima annual premium costs for different insured age categories. The premiums assume a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

Cost comparison with and without full coverage

The chart below illustrates the difference between Kia Optima yearly insurance costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. The information is based on no violations or accidents, $500 deductibles, drivers are single, and no other discounts are factored in.

Are you wasting money on full coverage?

There isn’t a steadfast formula to eliminate physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of coverage is 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

For example, let’s assume your Kia Optima replacement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would get paid by your company is $5,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying more than $500 annually for your policy with full coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.

There are a few cases where removing full coverage is not recommended. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should keep full coverage on your policy.

Insurance does more than just repair your car

Despite the high insurance cost for a Kia Optima in Durham, insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.

• The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a minimum amount of liability protection if you want to drive legally. In North Carolina these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
• If you have a lien on your Kia Optima, almost all lenders will require you to buy insurance to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you default on your policy, the bank will be required to insure your Kia at a much higher rate and make you pay for the much more expensive policy.
• Insurance preserves not only your car but also your financial assets. It will also reimburse you for medical bills for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.

The benefits of buying enough insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially when you need to use it. But the average driver in North Carolina is overpaying more than $700 annually so it’s very important to do a rate comparison each time the policy renews to save money.

Durham insurance discounts for a Kia Optima

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize all possible discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find a few of the more well known and the harder-to-find credits that may apply to you.

• Seat Belt Usage – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to fasten their seat belts can save 10% or more off the PIP or medical payment premium.
• Club Memberships – Having an affiliation with certain professional organizations may earn a discount on car insurance.
• Defensive Driver – Taking part in a safe driver course could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.
• Telematics Devices – Drivers who elect to allow driving data collection to study their driving habits remotely like Drivewise from Allstate or In-Drive from State Farm may get a rate reduction if they have good driving habits.
• Mature Driver Discount – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens may qualify for a discount up to 10%.

It’s important to understand that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.

The information below shows the comparison of Kia Optima insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. The prices are based on a female driver, a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, North Carolina state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, multi-policy, marriage, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-car discounts applied.

Popular car insurance companies and the discounts they provide are outlined below.

• State Farm offers discounts for multiple autos, safe vehicle, driver’s education, Steer Clear safe driver discount, defensive driving training, passive restraint, and Drive Safe & Save.
• Progressive includes discounts for online signing, multi-policy, online quote discount, good student, and continuous coverage.
• Progressive has discounts for online signing, good student, continuous coverage, multi-policy, and homeowner.
• MetLife policyholders can earn discounts including good driver, accident-free, multi-policy, claim-free, good student, defensive driver
• Farm Bureau has savings for good student, driver training, renewal discount, 55 and retired, and multi-policy.
• GEICO offers discounts including daytime running lights, driver training, anti-lock brakes, federal employee, seat belt use, multi-policy, and emergency military deployment.
• SAFECO may have discounts that include teen safety rewards, anti-theft, anti-lock brakes, safe driver, teen safe driver, and multi-car.

If you want affordable Durham auto insurance quotes, ask every insurance company to apply every possible discount. Some credits might not be offered in Durham. To find companies that offer some of these discounts in North Carolina, click this link.

Get rate quotes but work with a neighborhood Durham auto insurance agent

A lot of people still like to buy from a local agent and we recommend doing that Experienced insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and help file insurance claims. One of the benefits of comparing rate quotes online is you can get cheap car insurance rates and still have a local agent.

Once you complete this quick form, your coverage information gets sent to participating agents in Durham who will give you quotes to get your business. You won’t even need to find an agent since rate quotes are delivered to you. If for some reason you want to quote rates from a specific company, don’t hesitate to search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.

Finding a good company is decision based upon more than just a cheap quote. These are valid questions to ask:

• Who are their largest clients?
• Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents in Durham?
• Is assistance available after office hours?
• Are they able to provide referrals?
• Do they offer accident forgiveness?
• What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
• How long has their agency been open in Durham?

If you’re trying to find a local agent, there are a couple of types of insurance agents and how they are distinctly different. Agents are either exclusive agents or independent agents. Either type can insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know the difference in how they write coverage because it can factor into the selection process.

Exclusive Insurance Agents

These agents can only write with one company and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They are unable to give you multiple price quotes so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive agents receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.

Shown below is a short list of exclusive agencies in Durham willing to provide comparison quotes.

View more Durham agents

Independent Car Insurance Agents

Independent agencies are not locked into one company so they can quote policies through many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If they find a cheaper price, the business is moved internally which requires no work on your part.

When comparing car insurance prices, you should always include price quotes from independent agents in order to compare the most rates.

Listed below is a list of independent agents in Durham who can help you get price quotes.

View more Durham agents

After you get positive feedback to your questions as well as an affordable premium quote, you have narrowed it down to an auto insurance agent that meets the criteria to adequately provide car insurance.

Which auto insurance company is best in Durham?

Finding the best auto insurance company is hard considering how many companies sell insurance in North Carolina. The ranking information in the next section could help you analyze which car insurance providers you want to consider purchasing from.

Cheaper car insurance premiums are out there

As you prepare to switch companies, don’t be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where an insured dropped full coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best possible price, but do not skimp to save money.

We just showed you a lot of ways to save on Kia Optima insurance in Durham. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the better likelihood of getting the cheapest Kia Optima rate quotes. You may even find the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies. They can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or GEICO.

More detailed car insurance information is available in the articles below:

• Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• Who Has Affordable Durham Car Insurance Rates for a Ford F-150? (FAQ)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for Veterans in Durham? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Durham Car Insurance Quotes for Homeowners? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Durham Auto Insurance Rates for a Chevrolet Silverado? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Durham Auto Insurance Quotes for Infrequent Drivers? (FAQ)
• Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)
• What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Older Drivers FAQ (iihs.org)
• Distracted Driving (Insurance Information Institute)