Cheaper 2010 Volvo S40 Insurance Quotes

Searching for the cheapest insurance coverage rates for your Volvo S40? Tired of being strong-armed each month for car insurance? You are no different than millions of other consumers. Many car insurance companies vie for your hard-earned dollar, so it’s not easy to compare every provider to find the absolute best price available.

If you have insurance now or are shopping for new coverage, you will benefit by learning to reduce the price you pay while maximizing coverage. Finding the best rates is not rocket science. Drivers just need to learn the tricks to get comparison quotes over the internet.

Volvo S40 rate determination is complex

It’s important that you understand the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

  • Traffic citations inflate rates – Your driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even a single citation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who get flagrant violations like DUI or reckless driving may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
  • Battle of the sexes – Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Women and men tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically get cited for more serious violations such as reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are most likely to cause an accident and thus pay the highest rates.
  • Don’t skimp on liability – Liability coverage is the protection if a jury decides you are liable for damages from an accident. It provides you with a defense in court which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
  • Your occupation can affect rates – Occupations like doctors, architects and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates attributed to high stress levels and lengthy work days. Other jobs such as farmers, historians and the unemployed have the lowest average rates for S40 insurance.
  • Credit scores impact auto insurance rates – A driver’s credit rating is a large factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. Drivers who have good credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have poor credit. If your credit rating can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your 2010 Volvo S40 by spending a little time repairing your credit.
  • Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars reduce injuries and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates. If your Volvo S40 scored better than four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you are probably receiving a discount.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies don’t always advertise all available discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and the more hidden ways to save on insurance. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Bundle and Save – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you will save approximately 10% to 15%.
  • Homeowners Savings – Owning a home can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
  • College Student – Kids in college who attend school more than 100 miles from home and don’t have a car can receive lower rates.
  • Air Bag Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts up to 30%.
  • Federal Employees – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off for S40 insurance with certain companies.
  • Early Switch Discount – Some companies give discounts for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. It’s a savings of about 10%.
  • Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
  • Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can avoid accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.

Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, insurance companies aren’t that generous.

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

Don’t be fooled by advertising claims

Consumers constantly see and hear ads for car insurance savings from companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. They all seem to have a common claim about savings if you switch your policy.

How does each company make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, a clean driving record, and has excellent credit. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential customers who fall outside the requirements will be charged higher rates and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads say “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much. This is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. That is why you should get as many comparisons as possible. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest Volvo S40 insurance rates.

Different people need different coverages

When it comes to choosing the best car insurance coverage, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining if you may require specific advice.

  • Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
  • Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
  • When would I need additional glass coverage?
  • What discounts do I qualify for?
  • How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
  • Will my rates increase for filing one claim?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.

Specific coverage details

Knowing the specifics of your car insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are typical coverages found on the average car insurance policy.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Volvo S40.

Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Collision protection

This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision insurance covers claims such as damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a ditch, scraping a guard rail and hitting a mailbox. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Medical expense insurance

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for things like pain medications, dental work, prosthetic devices, nursing services and funeral costs. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Liability car insurance

Liability coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property by causing an accident. It protects YOU from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability insurance covers claims like pain and suffering, legal defense fees and structural damage. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

Comprehensive insurance covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as damage from flooding, fire damage and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The most a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Power to the consumer

In this article, we covered some good ideas how you can save on 2010 Volvo S40 insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from the smaller companies. Smaller companies often have lower prices on specific markets than their larger competitors like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

Discount insurance is possible online and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies may not provide online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. In too many instances, an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to find out that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford.

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