Save Money on Nissan Altima Insurance in Dallas

Wish you could get out of an expensive car insurance policy? It’s quite common and there are lots of Dallas residents who feel the same.

Astonishing but true according to a recent study, over 70% of Texas drivers kept their coverage with the same car insurance company for more than four years, and almost 40% of drivers have never quoted car insurance rates at all. With the average premium in America being $1,847, drivers could save about $850 a year, but they just don’t understand how easy it is to do a rate comparison.

Steps to quoting cheaper Nissan Altima insurance in Dallas

The easiest way to save on car insurance rates is to regularly compare quotes from companies who sell auto insurance in Dallas. Rates can be compared by completing these steps.

• Step 1: Read and learn about what is in your policy and the things you can change to drop your rates. Many things that are responsible for high rates such as traffic citations, accidents, and an imperfect credit score can be controlled by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
• Step 2: Quote rates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can provide prices from multiple sources. Get quotes now
• Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if cheaper Altima coverage is available in Dallas. If you can save some money and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
• Step 4: Provide written notification to your current company of your intent to cancel your current policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application for your new policy. Once the paperwork is finalized, place your new proof of insurance certificate in an accessible location in your vehicle.

The key aspect of shopping around is that you use the same level of coverage on each quote request and and to get price estimates from every company you can. Doing this provides a fair price comparison and a complete price analysis.

Popular companies such as State Farm, Farmers Insurance, GEICO and Allstate continually hit you with advertising and it is challenging if not impossible to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and find the best price available.

Lowering your insurance rates is actually quite simple. Drivers just need to take a few minutes comparing rates online with multiple companies.

Online shopping is fast and free, and it makes it obsolete to spend your day driving to each insurance agency near you. Comparing Nissan Altima insurance rate quotes online reduces the need to sit down with an agent unless you want the professional abilities that can only be provided by a licensed insurance agent. Drivers can compare the best prices online and have a local agent actually service the policy.

The providers in the list below are our best choices to provide price comparisons in Texas. If more than one company is shown, it’s highly recommended you visit as many as you can to get the lowest price.

Rates and other information

The premium table shown next showcases a range of insurance costs for Nissan Altima models. Having insight into how insurance policy premiums are formulated can assist in making smart choices when choosing a car insurance company.

Data rating is based on single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Information does not factor in specific location which can modify prices noticeably.

Higher deductibles save money

One of the more difficult decisions when buying auto insurance is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The data tables below show the rate fluctuation between low and high physical damage deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $250 physical damage coverage deductible and the second rate chart uses a $1,000 deductible.

Data based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and safe-driver. Table data does not factor in specific zip code location which can influence coverage prices greatly.

We can derive from the above data that using a $250 deductible costs about $30 more each month or $360 annually across all Nissan Altima models than requesting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $750 more out-of-pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to have at a minimum 25 months between claims, you would more than likely save some money going with the higher deductible.

The diagram below shows how choosing a deductible and can change Nissan Altima insurance costs for different age groups. The premium estimates are based on a single female driver, full coverage, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Impact of speeding/accidents on auto insurance rates

The example below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault accidents raise Nissan Altima insurance premiums for different age groups of insureds. The prices are based on a married male driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

Price comparison of only insuring for liability

The diagram below visualizes the comparison of Nissan Altima insurance prices when comparing full coverage to liability only. The data assumes a clean driving record, no claims, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Are you wasting money on full coverage?

There is no written rule that works best for making the decision to drop comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of coverage is more than around 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

For example, let’s assume your Nissan Altima replacement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would receive is $5,000 after paying your policy deductible. If you are currently paying more than $500 annually for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

There are some cases where dropping physical damage coverage is not recommended. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not opt for liability only.

Car insurance does more than just repair your car

Even though Dallas Altima insurance rates can get expensive, buying car insurance is required by state law in Texas and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.

First, just about all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to buy a specific level of liability coverage if you want to drive legally. In Texas 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.

Second, if you have a lien on your vehicle, almost every bank will require you to have full coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Nissan for a lot more money and make you pay the higher premium.

Third, car insurance preserves both your Nissan Altima and your assets. Insurance will also pay for many types of medical costs incurred in an accident. Liability coverage also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If you have damage to your Nissan as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.

The benefits of having insurance more than cancel out the cost, especially for larger claims. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver overpays more than $865 each year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison at every renewal to ensure rates are competitive.

Nissan Altima Insurance Costs Can Be More Affordable

Part of the car insurance buying process is learning some of the elements that help determine your premiums. If you understand what impacts premium levels, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to cheaper rates.

• Low comp and collision deductibles mean high prices – Insurance for physical damage to your car, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, covers damage that occurs to your Nissan. Examples of covered claims would be a broken windshield, damage from fire, and burglary. Deductibles for physical damage define the amount you are required to pay if you file a covered claim. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
• Single drivers take more risk – Walking down the aisle can get you a discount when buying car insurance. Having a spouse is viewed as being more responsible and insurance companies reward insureds because drivers who are married file infrequent claims.

• Rates for males may be higher – Over the last 30 years, statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. The data does not necessarily mean that males are worse at driving than females. Females and males tend to get into fender benders at a similar rate, but the men tend to have higher claims. In addition to higher claims, males also have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI.

  The information below shows the comparison of Nissan Altima premium costs for male and female drivers. The rates are based on no claims or driving citations, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied.

• Teenagers vs. mature drivers – Inexperience drivers have been known to be inattentive and easily distracted when driving with friends therefore car insurance rates are much higher. Mature drivers tend to be more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents, and are safer drivers.

  The data below uses these assumptions: single driver, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

• File a policy claims and pay more – Car insurance companies in Texas give cheaper rates to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
• Poor credit can mean higher prices – Having a good credit score is likely to be a major factor in calculating your premium rate. Insureds that have excellent credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have bad credit. Therefore, if your credit rating can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your Nissan Altima by spending a little time repairing your credit.
• Cheaper rates for prior coverage – Allowing your coverage to lapse will be a quick way to increase your renewal premiums. And not only will your rates increase, failure to provide proof of insurance may earn you a steep fine or even jail time.
• Liability protection is cheap – Your policy’s liability coverage provides coverage in the event that you are ruled to be at fault for an accident. Your policy’s liability insurance provides for a legal defense starting from day one. It is affordable coverage compared to comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.

• Insurance loss data for Nissan Altima vehicles – Insurance companies use past insurance losses to help set a rate to offset losses. Vehicles that statistically have higher losses will have higher premium rates. The table below demonstrates the actual insurance loss data for Nissan Altima vehicles.

  For each coverage type, the loss probability for all vehicles averaged together is considered to be 100. Values under 100 indicate better than average losses, while values that are 100 or greater indicate higher probability of having a loss or tendency to have higher losses.

  
  

  Nissan Altima Insurance Claim Statistics

  Vehicle Model	Collision	Property Damage	Comp	Personal Injury	Medical Payment	Bodily Injury
  Nissan Altima	110	97	119	144	147	114

  BETTER

  AVERAGE

  WORSE

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

Don’t give up on cheaper coverage

When shopping online for auto insurance, it’s very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best possible price.

We just covered many tips how you can shop for Nissan Altima insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting cheaper Dallas auto insurance quotes. You may even find the lowest rates are with a lesser-known regional company. Regional companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like Allstate and Progressive.

How to find low-cost Nissan Altima insurance in Dallas

The recommended way to get cheaper car insurance rates is to compare prices once a year from different companies in Dallas.

First, take a few minutes and learn about how insurance works and the factors you can control to lower rates. Many risk factors that cause rate increases such as inattentive driving and an unacceptable credit rating can be controlled by making minor changes to your lifestyle.

Second, compare rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can provide price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.

Third, compare the new rate quotes to the price on your current policy to determine if you can save on Altima insurance. If you find better rates and switch companies, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.

Fourth, tell your current company of your intent to cancel your current coverage and submit the required down payment along with the signed application to your new company or agent. When you receive it, put the certificate verifying coverage along with your vehicle registration.

An important bit of advice to remember is to try to compare the same amount of coverage on every quote and and to get price estimates from as many companies as you can. This guarantees an apples-to-apples comparison and a complete selection of prices.

Much more information about auto insurance in Texas is available below:

• Cellphones, Texting and Driving (iihs.org)
• Who Has the Cheapest Dallas Auto Insurance for Drivers with Accidents? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Postal Workers in Dallas? (FAQ)
• Neck Injury FAQ (iihs.org)
• Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
• Honda warning system reduces insurance claims (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)