Lower Your 2001 Nissan Sentra Insurance Rates

Trying to find cheaper car insurance rates for your Nissan Sentra? Searching for cheaper insurance for a new or used Nissan Sentra can turn out to be difficult, but you can learn the following methods to save time.

There are more efficient ways to shop for car insurance so we’re going to tell you the best way to quote coverages on a Nissan and locate the best price possible from both online companies and local agents.

If you are insured now or are looking for a new policy, you can use these tips to find the best rates while maximizing coverage. Buying the lowest cost protection is easy if you know what you’re doing. Drivers just need to understand the most effective way to get comparison quotes online.

These factors can influence Nissan Sentra insurance rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower car insurance prices.

  • Better credit means lower rates – A driver’s credit score is a huge factor in determining your rates. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with poor credit. So if your credit rating is low, you could be paying less to insure your 2001 Nissan Sentra by improving your credit score.
  • Being married can save on car insurance – Getting married can actually save you money on car insurance. Marriage is viewed as being more mature and it’s statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • A lapse in coverage is a bad thing – Not having insurance can get your license suspended and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage can result in a license revocation or jail time.You may need to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with your state department of motor vehicles.
  • High numbers of claims are not good – Insurance companies provide lower rates to policyholders who are claim-free. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can pretty much guarantee higher rates. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment – Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.
  • The more you drive the more you pay – Driving more miles each year the more you will pay for car insurance. Most insurance companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles not used for work or commuting receive lower rates than those used for commuting. If your policy improperly rates your Sentra can result in significantly higher rates. Ask your agent if your car insurance coverage is showing the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
  • Older drivers pay less – More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers. Teenage drivers have a tendency to be careless and easily distracted when driving and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.

How to Compare Car Insurance Costs

Finding lower car insurance rates can be quick and easy. All you need to do is spend a few minutes on the computer comparing price quotes online with multiple companies. This can be accomplished in several different ways.

  • One of the simplest ways to get the best comparison quotes is a comparison rater form click to view form in new window. This type of form eliminates the need for separate quotes for each company. In just a few minutes this one form will get you price quotes from several companies. Just one form and you’re done.
  • A different way to get comparison quotes is to take the time to go to the website for every company you want to comare and complete a new quote form. For examples sake, we’ll assume you want comparison quotes from USAA, 21st Century and American Family. To get each rate you have to spend time on each company’s site to enter your coverage information, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a list of links to insurance companies in your area, click here.

Whichever method you choose, double check that you are using apples-to-apples deductibles and coverage limits with every price quote. If the quotes have different deductibles it will be very difficult to decipher which rate is best.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there are discounts available to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at quote time, but some may not be applied and must be specifically requested in order for you to get them. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.

  • Accident Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less when compared with frequent claim filers.
  • Passive Restraints – Factory air bags may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
  • Federal Government Employee – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% on Sentra insurance with select insurance companies.
  • Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
  • Homeowners Pay Less – Being a homeowner can save you money because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Life Insurance Discount – Some companies give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
  • Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
  • Driver’s Ed – Have your child take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
  • Discount for New Cars – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.

Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any amount of discount will help reduce the cost of coverage.

For a list of providers offering auto insurance discounts, click this link.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When buying the right insurance coverage, there really is not a single plan that fits everyone. Each situation is unique.

Here are some questions about coverages that might point out whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.

  • Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
  • How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in my state?
  • If my 2001 Nissan Sentra is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
  • Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.

Detailed coverages of your auto insurance policy

Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages for your vehicles. Auto insurance terms can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement.

Liability car insurance – This coverage provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property in an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see values of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL which limits claims to one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage pays for things such as emergency aid, pain and suffering, legal defense fees and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Medical payments coverage and PIP – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for bills for things like funeral costs, EMT expenses, nursing services and hospital visits. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Collision – Collision coverage pays for damage to your Sentra resulting from a collision with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as backing into a parked car, sustaining damage from a pot hole, colliding with another moving vehicle and crashing into a ditch. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. Another option is to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Most of the time these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Comprehensive coverage – This coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like rock chips in glass, hail damage, fire damage, hitting a bird and hitting a deer. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Summing up your auto insurance search

Affordable 2001 Nissan Sentra insurance is definitely available on the web as well as from independent agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

People who switch companies do it for many reasons like policy non-renewal, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy cancellation or denial of a claim. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching companies can be pretty painless.

As you shop your coverage around, you should never buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many cases, an insured cut full coverage to discover at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

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