It’s safe to assume that auto insurance companies don’t want you to look for a cheaper policy. Insureds who perform rate comparisons will most likely move their business because there is a great chance of finding a more affordable policy premium. Remarkably, a study showed that people who shopped around annually saved about $865 a year compared to drivers who never shopped around for lower prices.
If finding low prices for car insurance in Madison is your goal, knowing how to get free comparison quotes and analyze insurance can save time and money.
If you want to save money, the best way to get low-cost Nissan Xterra insurance in Madison is to compare prices regularly from different companies who provide car insurance in Wisconsin.
- Get an understanding of how your policy works and the factors you can control to lower rates. Many rating factors that cause high rates like at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and an imperfect credit history can be improved by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Compare rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can provide prices for many different companies.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy and see if there is a cheaper rate in Madison. If you can save some money and decide to switch, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
- Provide adequate notice to your current company to cancel your current coverage. Submit the signed application along with the required initial payment to the new insurer. Don’t forget to keep your new certificate verifying coverage in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
A good tip to remember is to use the same deductibles and limits on every price quote and and to get rate quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this ensures an apples-to-apples comparison and the best price selection.
If you are insured now, you should be able to shop for the lowest rates using these tips. Locating the best rates in Madison can initially seem challenging. Nevertheless, Wisconsin vehicle owners do need to learn the way companies determine what you pay because it can help you find the best coverage.
Learn How to Get Insurance at a Discount
Lots of factors are taken into consideration when premium rates are determined. Some factors are common sense such as your driving record, but other criteria are less apparent like your continuous coverage or your commute time.
The following are some of the things used by insurance companies to determine your premiums.
Too many policy claims drive up rates – Auto insurance companies in Wisconsin provide cheaper rates to policyholders who are not frequent claim filers. If you file a lot of claims you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your car insurance is designed for the large, substantial claims.
Extra policy coverages you don’t use – There are a ton of extra coverages that can waste your money on your Xterra policy. Coverages like rental car coverage, high-cost glass coverage, and membership fees may be wasting your money. The coverages may be enticing when you first buy your policy, but if they’re wasting money think about removing them and cutting costs.
Gender and insurance costs – Over time, data shows women tend to be less risk to insure than men. This data doesn’t prove that men are worse drivers. They both get in auto accidents in similar numbers, but guys cause more damage. Men also get higher numbers of serious violations like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving.
The chart below shows the difference between Nissan Xterra insurance costs for male and female drivers. The rates are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, comprehensive and collision coverage, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Alarm systems save money – Selecting a car model with a theft deterrent system can help lower your premiums. Advanced theft deterrents like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all help prevent auto theft and help lower rates.
More stress means more cost – Did you know your career choice can influence rates? Careers such as doctors, social workers, and accountants tend to have higher premiums than the average policyholder attributed to stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. Conversely, occupations such as actors, students and performers receive lower rates.
You might pay higher costs if you are single – Having a significant other helps lower the price on your insurance bill. It is viewed as being more financially stable and insurance companies like that married couples file fewer claims.
Pay more by driving carelessly – How you drive has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. Even a single speeding ticket can increase the cost of insurance by twenty percent. People who have serious violations like DUI or willful reckless driving are required to maintain a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.
The diagram below shows how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders influence Nissan Xterra premium costs for different ages of insureds. The premiums are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
Nissan Xterra claim probability – Companies analyze the history of losses when they file their rates in each state. Models that are shown to have a trend towards higher claim severity or frequency will have higher premium rates. The data below shows the collected loss data for Nissan Xterra vehicles.
For each coverage type, the claim amount for all vehicles as a whole is represented as 100. Values below 100 suggest losses that are better than average, while numbers shown that are more than 100 point to more frequent losses or an increased probability of a larger loss.
Make and Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nissan Xterra 4dr 2WD | 57 | 95 | 45 | |||
Nissan Xterra 4dr 4WD | 62 | 100 | 63 | 59 | 77 | 86 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Facts and figures for Nissan Xterra insurance
The coverage information displayed next highlights a range of insurance rates for Nissan Xterra models. Being aware of how auto insurance policy rates are formulated can aid in making informed decisions when comparing rate quotes.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Xterra X 2WD | $156 | $212 | $236 | $14 | $70 | $688 | $57 |
Xterra S 2WD | $156 | $212 | $236 | $14 | $70 | $688 | $57 |
Xterra S 4WD | $156 | $212 | $236 | $14 | $70 | $688 | $57 |
Xterra X 4WD | $156 | $212 | $236 | $14 | $70 | $688 | $57 |
Xterra Off Road 4WD | $180 | $270 | $236 | $14 | $70 | $770 | $64 |
Xterra SE 2WD | $180 | $270 | $236 | $14 | $70 | $770 | $64 |
Xterra SE 4WD | $180 | $270 | $236 | $14 | $70 | $770 | $64 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Above prices assume married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Wisconsin minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and safe-driver. Price information does not factor in specific location information which can influence insurance rates considerably.
Can higher deductibles save money?
When buying auto insurance, a common question is how high should the physical damage coverage deductibles be. The rates below can help illustrate the rate fluctuation when you select higher and lower coverage deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $100 deductible for comp and collision and the second price grid uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Xterra X 2WD | $172 | $230 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $739 | $62 |
Xterra S 2WD | $172 | $230 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $739 | $62 |
Xterra S 4WD | $172 | $230 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $739 | $62 |
Xterra X 4WD | $172 | $230 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $739 | $62 |
Xterra Off Road 4WD | $198 | $294 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $829 | $69 |
Xterra SE 2WD | $198 | $294 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $829 | $69 |
Xterra SE 4WD | $198 | $294 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $829 | $69 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Xterra X 2WD | $96 | $122 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $530 | $44 |
Xterra S 2WD | $96 | $122 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $530 | $44 |
Xterra S 4WD | $96 | $122 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $530 | $44 |
Xterra X 4WD | $96 | $122 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $530 | $44 |
Xterra Off Road 4WD | $110 | $154 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $576 | $48 |
Xterra SE 2WD | $110 | $154 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $576 | $48 |
Xterra SE 4WD | $110 | $154 | $230 | $14 | $68 | $576 | $48 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Above prices assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Wisconsin minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in specific location which can raise or lower rates considerably.
Based on the above data, using a $100 deductible will cost you about $19 more each month or $228 annually across all Nissan Xterra models than opting for the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $900 more out-of-pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you average at a minimum 47 months between claims, you would most likely save money if you decide on a higher deductible.
How to determine if a higher deductible is a good idea
Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $65 |
Average monthly premium for $1,000 deductibles (subtract): | – $46 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $19 |
Difference between deductibles ($1,000 – $100): | $900 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $900 / $19 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 47 months |
One thing to be aware of is that a higher deductible results in a higher out-of-pocket expense at claim time. You will want to have some non-essential savings in the event you need to pay the deductible.
Should you buy full coverage?
The illustration below illustrates the comparison of Nissan Xterra car insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The costs are based on no violations or accidents, $500 deductibles, drivers are single, and no additional discounts are factored in.
When to drop full coverage
There is no set rule to delete physical damage insurance, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Nissan Xterra replacement cost is $8,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most you would get paid by your company is $7,000 after paying your deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $700 a year for your policy with full coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
There are some scenarios where dropping physical damage coverage is not advised. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you must maintain physical damage coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Discounts for cheaper auto insurance rates
Companies offering auto insurance don’t necessarily list the entire discount list very clearly, so the list below contains a few of the more well known as well as the least known discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Madison auto insurance online.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Driving less could be rewarded with slightly better prices than normal.
- Payment Discounts – By making one initial payment rather than paying in monthly installments you can avoid monthly service charges.
- Paper-free Discount – A handful of auto insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing online.
- Multiple Cars – Purchasing coverage when you have multiple vehicles with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Options like air bags or automatic seat belts may qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though the math looks like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
The diagram below illustrates the difference between Nissan Xterra annual premium costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. The price estimates are based on a female driver, no violations or claims, Wisconsin state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, multi-policy, claim-free, safe-driver, homeowner, and multi-car discounts applied.
To choose auto insurance companies that offer discounts in Wisconsin, click here.
Cheaper auto insurance is a realistic goal
You just read a lot of information how to save on Nissan Xterra insurance in Madison. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding affordable Madison auto insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the lesser-known companies.
Cheaper auto insurance in Madison can be sourced online and from local agencies, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and many times these smaller companies sell through independent agents.
When buying insurance coverage, it’s not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Additional auto insurance information can be found at the links below
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for a 20 Year Old Male in Madison? (FAQ)
- How Much are Madison Auto Insurance Rates for a Toyota Camry? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Teenage Males in Madison? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Company Car in Madison? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Chevrolet Traverse in Madison? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for Drivers Over Age 70 in Madison? (FAQ)
- Get the Right Protection (InsureUonline.org)
- What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Speed and Speed Limit FAQ (iihs.org)
- When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)