No matter where you are in life, it’s never a bad idea to cut expenses where you can, and that includes auto insurance. If you’re looking to cut your Utah car insurance premiums a little -- or if you’ve just moved there and plan to change your policy -- there are some key things to look for when it comes to finding the best cheap car insurance in Utah.
Which Companies Offer the Cheapest Car Insurance?
If you’re shopping around for a better car insurance premium in Utah, there’s some good news right out of the gate -- the average motorist pays $1,386 per year for their car insurance -- which is 9% less than the national average, as calculated by Ross Martin at The Zebra.
There’s even better news: depending on the company and coverage you decide to go with, your rates could be much cheaper than that. The Zebra has data on this as well: the cheapest company to buy car insurance from in Utah is Nationwide, at an average of $90 a month (or $1080 a year). GEICO came in second at $94 a month, and Progressive third at $104 a month.
Of course, which insurance company you choose isn’t the only factor that determines your premiums. Some companies rate better than others when it comes to having full coverage (liability and collision). While the three companies listed above still rank as the cheapest for ful coverage in Utah, other companies have low rates, too -- State Farm comes in at $115 a month, while USAA clocks in at $112.
The not-so-good news is that these rates will almost certainly go up if you have less than stellar credit. Insurance companies in Utah factor credit rating into their risk assessments, so the worse your credit, the higher your premiums. If you have very poor credit (579 or less), your average monthly premium will be around $237. If your credit is fair, that drops to $188 a month, and at good credit, you’ll pay about $155.
Utah Auto Insurance and Traffic Violations
When it comes to traffic violations, especially DUI violations, Utah’s laws are stricter than they are in most other states. It’s already common knowledge that a traffic accident or violation will almost always raise your premiums, but a getting a DUI in Utah is considerably more serious -- you can expect your premiums to go up by $3,305 a year for an average DUI conviction, not to mention the added consequences of possible jail time or suspension of your license. While there may be no such thing as cheap car insurance in Utah for you after such a conviction, you can help mitigate the damage by choosing USAA or Geico as your carrier, as they typically offer the cheapest insurance for drivers with a DUI on their records.
Bare Minimum Car Insurance Policies in Utah
One common strategy motorists use to bring down their premiums is to lower the coverage on their car. For example, if you have an older car with a low market value, the cost of insuring it may be more than the car would be worth in case of an accident -- meaning it would be financially smarter to drop collision and comprehensive coverage and just carry the minimum requirement (i.e. liability). If this is something you’re looking to do, look no further than USAA, which offers a $331 annual premium for bare minimum coverage. The next cheapest is GEICO at $435. Of course, cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean better, so when shopping around and comparing quotes, make sure you look at some of the other factors as well.
Don’t Forget the Perks
Is price the only thing you should look at when choosing a car insurance policy? Definitely not! Here are some other things you should consider when weighing your choices:
- Roadside assistance. Roadside assistance can help with changing flats, towing your vehicle, jump-starting a dead battery, and more. It can be extremely handy to have if it’s available from your insurer, but it will likely add to how much you pay in premiums.
- Gap coverage. Gap coverage is an add-on to your insurance policy that will provide additional coverage in case your car is totaled, stolen, or otherwise a complete loss.
- Accident forgiveness. Utah is one state that offers accident forgiveness, meaning an accident doesn’t have to wreck your clean driving record and drive your premiums up!
- The company’s reputation. When shopping around for auto insurance, it always pays to see what people in your area are saying about the company. Do they have a good record of customer satisfaction? Is help easily available and accessible?
- Available discounts. Finally, take a look at what discounts your insurance company may have to offer, such as good student discounts, safe driving discounts, etc. Your average carrier has dozens of discounts available!
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/5jusrbt
إرسال تعليق