Connecticut Auto Insurance Quotes
Automobile insurance is required to legally drive a vehicle under Connecticut law. The following minimal limits are required:
- $20,000 for one person per accident for bodily injury liability – this provides for your legal liability should you be involved in an accident where you are judged at fault for injury to another person
- $40,000 total per accident for bodily injury liability – the total amount that your insurance company would be expected to pay for bodily injury in an accident where you are at fault. Bodily injury includes medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and even funeral expenses.
- $10,000 for property damage liability – the amount that you may be assessed for damage to property such as vehicles, fences, road equipment, or even dwellings caused by an at-fault accident
- $20,000 per person/40,000 per accident uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in an accident.
A number of individuals break the law and do not have insurance covering injury to others in an accident for which they are responsible.
Statistics from the Insurance Information Institute indicate that an estimated eight per-cent of Connecticut drivers do not have insurance. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage protects you and your passengers.
Be sure to always compare quotes from various companies before deciding on your policy. Using a FREE comparison tool, such as the one above, will allow you to compare multiple rates at once. Simply enter your ZIP code to get started!
If you examine the recommended limits of liability, you will realize that the required limits of liability are inadequate. Severe injury in a car accident will cost considerably more in pain, suffering, loss of income, medical bills, and emergency treatment than $20,000. It is recommended that, depending upon advice from your financial advisor, you carry the following minimal limits of liability:
- Bodily injury liability - $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident
- Property damage liability - $50,000 per accident
- Underinsured/uninsured motorists coverage - $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident
Property Damage – the Other Type of Auto Insurance
Not many individuals are able to purchase a car without incurring a loan, and property damage covers the physical damage to your own vehicle. There are two types of property damage coverage:
- Comprehensive Coverage – pays for damage to your car from most causes except collision. Things such as severe weather, fire, vandalism, flood, and theft are covered under comprehensive coverage. Even though this coverage is not required by law, it adds to your financial security.
- Collision Coverage – pays for damage to your car from colliding with another object – such as another car or a light pole.
Ordinarily a deductible is applied to comprehensive and collision coverage. This reduces the premium somewhat. A deductible is that amount for which you as the owner of the vehicle are responsible for in the event of an occurrence.
Your lender will often have recommended amounts for deductibles, but you need to assess your financial situation and determine what deductible is appropriate for your budget.
Insurance Rates in Connecticut
Insurance rates in Connecticut, as with most other states, are determined by a number of factors. These factors are:
- The particular insurance company's experience in the area in which you live. If that company has had a great many losses, their rates may be higher.
- Your location – extreme weather, heavy traffic, high incidences of theft and vandalism can affect your insurance premiums
- Your parking location – street, garage, monitored parking – the safety of the area in which you park is important
- Gender and age of drivers – very young drivers and very old drivers pay more for car insurance. Women tend to pay about $15,000 less over their lifetime for automobile insurance.
- Type of vehicle you purchase – high performance and luxury vehicles usually cost more to insure because of the costs of repair
Choosing the Right Insurance Company
It is relatively easy to get automobile insurance quotations either on-line or through local independent agents. Ask the advice of your friends, neighbors, and relatives about insurance companies.
Be sure to ask about their experience regarding claims with individual companies. Prices are important, but the true test of an insurance company is the way they settle claims.
Use the information you acquire to get quotations from at least three insurance companies. Then, before deciding, examine the financial ratings and stability of each of the companies. Here are some web sites that can help you with this:
Saving Money on Car Insurance
It is best to plan carefully to save money on car insurance, and there are a number of ways to do this:
- Shop for car insurance – rates vary considerably among companies
- Accidents and violations increase rates – drive safely and keep your driving record clear
- If you're tempted to purchase a high performance vehicle, a luxury car, or an SUV, consider how much more you will pay for insurance premiums
- Boost your deductibles – but consider if you can afford to pay the deductible in the case of a loss
- Anti-lock brakes and passive restraint systems can reduce your insurance premiums as well as protect you and your family
- Drop comprehensive and collision if you can afford to replace the vehicle or can do without it. Older vehicles can cost more to insure than to replace.
- Older drivers need to take an accident prevention course – they often qualify them for a discount
- Encourage your teenagers to get a B or above and take driver training to take advantage of any credits
- Consider putting your automobile and homeowner insurance with the same insurance company – this can reduce premiums on both. Note: homeowners insurance can be written for renters as well as homeowners.
Information You Will Need to Obtain an Automobile Insurance Quotation
- Full names, addresses, dates of birth, driver license numbers of all drivers
- Driving records for all drivers
- Verify GPA for students and get the certificates of completion for drivers training courses
- Make, model, and VIN # for all owned vehicles
- Limits of liability you intend to carry
- Physical damage desired – comprehensive and collision - deductibles
Sample Quotation for Connecticut Automobile Insurance
It is difficult to obtain exact quotations for car insurance without exact information, but here is an estimated quote:
Family details:
- Lives in the city of Hartford – metro area
- Husband – 40 years old, clear record, executive; wife – 37 years old-clear record, attorney; son-19- B average; son- 15 – non-driving
- Owns home
- Bodily Injury: $100,000/300,000
- Property Damage: $50,000
- Medical Payments: $5,000
- $500 deductible Comprehensive
- $500 deductible Collision
- Two vehicles
Monthly, this family would pay $348.07 for automobile insurance. Remember, Hartford is a large city and, because of lack of exact information, many of the normal discounts were not applied.
Suggestions about Insurance
Once a year, preferably upon the anniversary of your insurance policies, it is wise to look at your insurance portfolio. Get additional quotes, seek areas to save money, and determine rationally if you're happy with the insurance company you have.
Rates change from year to year with insurance companies and an informed consumer will recognize that. Look at all your insurance policies, not just your automobile insurance policy with an eye toward saving money and improving satisfaction with the products you purchase.
Be sure to enter your ZIP code into the FREE search tool located below to start your search for the best quotes!