Remarkably, a study showed that the vast majority of insurance customers kept buying from the same company for at least the last four years, and approximately 40% of consumers have never compared rates with other companies. Drivers in Madison could save themselves as much as 30% a year just by comparing rates, but they don’t invest the time required to go online and compare rates.
It takes a little time, but the best way to get more affordable Pontiac G8 insurance is to do an annual price comparison from insurance carriers who can sell car insurance in Madison. Prices can be compared by following these steps.
First, get an understanding of how auto insurance works and the modifications you can make to prevent rate increases. Many rating factors that result in higher rates like traffic citations, accidents, and a bad credit rating can be controlled by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. Later in this article we will cover more information to prevent rate hikes and find discounts that you may qualify for.
Second, obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes from multiple insurance companies.
Third, compare the quotes to your existing rates and see if there is a cheaper rate. If you find a lower rate quote and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
Fourth, notify your current company to cancel your existing policy and submit payment and a signed application for the new coverage. As soon as you receive it, safely store the certificate verifying coverage in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
The most important part of this process is to compare the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote and and to get price quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. This provides an apples-to-apples comparison and many rates to choose from.
Car insurance policy discounts for Pontiac G8 insurance in Madison
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not even be aware of. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically at quote time, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for prior to getting the savings.
- College Student Discount – Kids who live away from home to go to college and do not take a car to college may qualify for this discount.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save a little on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Sign Online – Certain companies will give you a small discount shop Madison auto insurance on the internet.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying coverage for multiple cars on the same car insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
- Senior Discount – Older drivers could receive a small discount on rates.
- Student Discounts – Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
- Theft Deterrent Discount – Cars equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems have a lower chance of being stolen and will save you 10% or more on G8 insurance in Madison.
As a footnote on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Despite the fact that it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
Popular car insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are shown below.
- 21st Century may offer discounts for good student, early bird, automatic seat belts, 55 and older, and driver training.
- Progressive may include discounts for continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, online signing, multi-policy, good student, and homeowner.
- State Farm offers discounts including passive restraint, multiple policy, Steer Clear safe driver discount, safe vehicle, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, and driver’s education.
- Nationwide policyholders can earn discounts including defensive driving, family plan, Farm Bureau membership, anti-theft, accident-free, easy pay, and good student.
- Esurance offers discounts for homeowner, online shopper, renters, safety device, multi-policy, and Switch & Save.
- The Hartford offers premium reductions for anti-theft, bundle, vehicle fuel type, air bag, good student, and driver training.
Before purchasing a policy, check with each insurance company how you can save money. All car insurance discounts may not apply in every state. To find car insurance companies that offer discounts in Madison, click here to view.
The providers in the list below can provide quotes in Madison, WI. If you want to find the cheapest auto insurance in Madison, WI, we recommend you click on several of them to get the best price comparison.
Different people need different auto insurance coverages
When quoting and choosing a policy for your vehicles, there really isn’t a single plan that fits everyone. Your situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions may help highlight whether you could use an agent’s help.
- Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
- Are combined or split liability limits better?
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Am I covered when driving a rental car?
- What is the premium to book value ratio for dropping full coverage?
- Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
- What does roadside assistance cover?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in Wisconsin?
- Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
- If my pet gets injured in an accident are they covered?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, free and can provide invaluable advice.
Get rate quotes but work with a local Madison insurance agent
A lot of people would rather go talk to an agent and that is a smart decision Professional agents can point out coverage gaps and will help you if you have claims. A nice benefit of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find cheap rate quotes and also buy local.
After completing this short form, your coverage information is sent to local insurance agents that can provide free Madison auto insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no need to even leave your home as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. In the event you want to compare rates from a specific insurance provider, you just need to search and find their rate quote page and complete a quote there.
Deciding on an insurer is decision based upon more than just the quoted price. The following questions are important to ask.
- If your car is totaled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in Madison?
- Do they see any coverage gaps in your plan?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
The different types of auto insurance agents
If you are wanting to purchase insurance from a good Madison insurance agent, it’s important to understand the different agency structures and how they work. Insurance agencies in Madison can either be independent or exclusive. Both types can sell and service insurance coverage, but we need to point out the subtle differences since it can affect the type of agent you choose.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
These agents can usually just insure with one company such as Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. These agents are not able to provide other company’s prices so keep that in mind. Exclusive insurance agents are usually well trained in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents. A lot of people buy from exclusive agents primarily because of the brand legacy rather than low rates.
Listed below is a list of exclusive agents in Madison that are able to give comparison quotes.
- American Family Insurance – Daniel Piazza
2601 Crossroads Dr Ste 100 – Madison, WI 53718 – (608) 241-9000 – View Map - American Family Insurance – Brian Uelmen
4222 Milwaukee St Ste 81 – Madison, WI 53714 – (608) 241-8688 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – The Arttus Agency
624A Struck St – Madison, WI 53719 – (608) 271-9395 – View Map
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agents are not restricted to one company so they can quote policies with an assortment of companies and potentially find a lower price. If they quote lower rates, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent.
When comparing insurance prices, we highly recommend that you check rates from multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection. Most can insure with mutual insurance companies that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
The following is a short list of independent agencies in Madison that can give you rate quotes.
- Gehrke Insurance
1310 Mendota St # 108 – Madison, WI 53714 – (608) 241-4136 – View Map - Homewood Insurance Agency
583 D’onofrio Dr Ste. 1012 – Madison, WI 53719 – (608) 442-6666 – View Map - Universal Insurance Agency Corporation
6709 Raymond Rd – Madison, WI 53719 – (608) 216-7060 – View Map
Three good reasons to insure your G8
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Pontiac in Madison, paying for car insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
- Almost all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific level of liability if you want to drive legally. In Wisconsin these limits are 25/50/10 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you bought your G8 with a loan, it’s most likely the lender will have a requirement that you buy full coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If the policy lapses, the bank may insure your Pontiac at a much higher rate and require you to fork over much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects not only your Pontiac G8 but also your assets. It will also pay for hospital and medical expenses incurred in an accident. Liability coverage also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you cause an accident and are sued. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. But the average driver in Wisconsin is wasting up to $800 each year so compare rate quotes at least once a year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Insurance coverage options for a Pontiac G8
Having a good grasp of insurance can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are the normal coverages found on the average insurance policy.
Comprehensive insurance – This coverage will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as fire damage, damage from a tornado or hurricane and damage from getting keyed. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Pontiac G8.
Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (which is 25/50/10), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Liability – This protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see limits of 25/50/10 which stand for $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $10,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability insurance covers things like structural damage, bail bonds, attorney fees, medical expenses and medical services. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Wisconsin requires minimum liability limits of 25/50/10 but drivers should carry better liability coverage.
The illustration below shows why buying low liability limits may not be enough.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision can pay for claims such as crashing into a ditch, scraping a guard rail and sideswiping another vehicle. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible on your G8 to get cheaper collision coverage.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for expenses for surgery, nursing services, EMT expenses, ambulance fees and chiropractic care. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
How to find a good Wisconsin auto insurance company
Picking the highest-rated car insurance provider can be difficult considering how many different companies sell coverage in Madison. The company ratings displayed below may help you pick which coverage providers to look at to insure your vehicles.
Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USAA | 99 | 100 | 90 | 92% | A++ | 97.4 |
21st Century | 89 | 86 | 100 | 88% | A | 92.7 |
GEICO | 97 | 91 | 88 | 85% | A++ | 92.5 |
Nationwide | 88 | 94 | 91 | 88% | A+ | 91.3 |
AAA Insurance | 93 | 87 | 88 | 87% | A | 90.8 |
Liberty Mutual | 91 | 91 | 92 | 87% | A | 90.7 |
Safeco Insurance | 90 | 93 | 88 | 86% | A | 90.2 |
State Farm | 91 | 94 | 80 | 88% | A++ | 90.2 |
Travelers | 89 | 91 | 94 | 79% | A++ | 90.1 |
American Family | 88 | 92 | 83 | 88% | A | 89.4 |
Allstate | 90 | 90 | 84 | 85% | A+ | 89.1 |
Progressive | 83 | 85 | 99 | 87% | A+ | 88.7 |
Erie Insurance | 92 | 90 | 82 | 88% | A+ | 88.5 |
The Hartford | 87 | 89 | 84 | 87% | A+ | 88 |
Esurance | 84 | 88 | 85 | 83% | A+ | 86 |
Farmers Insurance | 79 | 88 | 84 | 87% | A | 84.7 |
The General | 88 | 80 | 85 | 80% | A- | 84.5 |
Compare Rates Now Go |
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Compare rates regularly to save
While you’re price shopping online, you should never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. Too many times, drivers have reduced liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.
We just showed you quite a bit of information on how to shop for Pontiac G8 insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote Madison auto insurance, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the lowest car insurance rates are with a lesser-known regional company. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like Allstate and Progressive.
Additional insurance information is located below:
- Where can I buy Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Chevrolet Traverse in Madison? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Madison Auto Insurance for Drivers with Bad Credit? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with Good Credit in Madison? (FAQ)
- Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)
- Self-driving cars won’t replace humans (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Help Your Teen Be a Better Driver (State Farm)