Are you kicking yourself for buying an underperforming, overpriced insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you many Milwaukee drivers feel the same as you.
A recent survey discovered that most insurance policyholders have purchased from the same company for more than four years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never compared rate quotes at all. With the average premium in Wisconsin being $1,300, drivers could cut their rates by as much as $400 a year just by shopping around, but they underestimate the amount of savings they would get if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one.
Consumers have many car insurance companies to pick from, and although it’s a good thing to have a choice, it can be more difficult to find the lowest rates for Toyota Prius insurance in Milwaukee.
It’s a good idea to get comparison quotes before your next renewal because rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the lowest rate on Toyota Prius insurance in Milwaukee a few years ago there may be better deals available now. Block out anything you think you know about insurance because you’re going to learn how to quote online to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.
To get inexpensive Milwaukee car insurance quotes, there a variety of ways of comparing price quotes from lots of Wisconsin auto insurance companies. The fastest way to find competitive Toyota Prius insurance rates consists of shopping online.
Getting rates online is very simple and it makes it obsolete to spend your day driving to insurance agents’ offices. Doing it all online has made agencies unnecessary unless you have a need for the professional guidance of a local agent. Some companies do allow you to comparison shop your insurance online but still have the advice of a local agent.
When comparison shopping, comparing more prices will increase your chances of finding a lower rate. Some regional insurers cannot provide price estimates online, so it’s important to also get quotes on coverage from those companies, too.
The auto insurance companies shown below provide quotes in Wisconsin. If multiple companies are shown, we suggest you get rate quotes from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prius | $140 | $236 | $206 | $12 | $62 | $656 | $55 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data rating is based on married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Wisconsin minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle. Table data does not factor in specific zip code location which can alter auto insurance rates greatly.
Deductible analysis
The diagram below shows how choosing a deductible and can influence Toyota Prius yearly insurance costs for different age groups of insureds. The premiums assume a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
Don’t overlook these Toyota Prius insurance discounts
Car insurance is not inexpensive, but you might find some hidden discounts to help bring down the price. Some trigger automatically when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for before being credited.
- Professional Organizations – Affiliation with specific professional or occupational memberships or organizations is a simple method to lower premiums when getting a Milwaukee car insurance quote.
- New Car Discount – Putting coverage on a new Prius may earn a small discount since newer models have better safety ratings.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle up before driving could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Safe Drivers – Insureds who avoid accidents can save as much as half off their rates than drivers with accident claims.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Require your teen driver to successfully take a driver’s education course if it’s offered in school.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Buying insurance for all your vehicles on the same car insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories are rewarded with significantly better rates on Milwaukee car insurance quote compared to policyholders that have many claims.
Remember that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Despite the appearance that all those discounts means the company will pay you, you’re out of luck.
Car insurance companies that may offer quotes with these money-saving discounts are:
Before you buy a policy, ask each company or agent how many discounts you can get. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered everywhere. To choose car insurance companies with significant discounts in Wisconsin, click here to view.
Auto insurance is available from local insurance agents
A lot of people still like to buy from a licensed agent and often times that is recommended An additional benefit of getting online price quotes is that you can find better rates and still choose a local agent. Buying from local insurance agents is especially important in Milwaukee.
After filling out this quick form, your insurance coverage information is sent to agents in your area who will give you bids to get your business. You don’t have to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. You can find lower rates and work with a local agent. If for some reason you want to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance company, you would need to jump over to their website and complete a quote there.
If you’re trying to find a local Milwaukee insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the types of insurance agents and how they are distinctly different. Auto insurance agencies can be classified as either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).
Independent Auto Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that elect to be independent can quote rates with many companies and that enables them to quote your coverage through many different auto insurance companies and get the cheapest rates. If prices rise, your policy is moved internally which is easy for the insured. If you need cheaper auto insurance rates, you should always contact a couple of independent agencies for maximum quote selection.
Shown below is a small list of independent agents in Milwaukee that may be able to give you free auto insurance rate quotes.
Dale G Latus Insurance
5232 W Oklahoma Ave # 215 – Milwaukee, WI 53219 – (414) 352-1118 – View Map
Wesley Insurance
5600 W Center St – Milwaukee, WI 53210 – (414) 873-4500 – View Map
See Insurance
4680 W Bradley Rd #203 – Milwaukee, WI 53223 – (414) 355-5433 – View Map
Exclusive Agencies
Agents of this type can only place business with one company like Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. These agents are not able to compare rates from other companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are trained well on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage.
Below is a list of exclusive agencies in Milwaukee who can help you get price quotes.
American Family Insurance – Baiio Marchan
3647 S Chase Ave – Milwaukee, WI 53207 – (414) 744-2192 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Mark Stanley
3525 S 68th St – Milwaukee, WI 53220 – (414) 321-3700 – View Map
State Farm Insurance
2121 S Kinnickinnic Ave #7 – Milwaukee, WI 53207 – (414) 483-3300 – View Map
Deciding on an insurance agency shouldn’t rely on just the price. You should also get answers to these questions.
- Will one accident increase rates?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
Insurance can be complex
When quoting and choosing insurance from an agent or online for your personal vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Your needs are unique to you.
For instance, these questions may help you determine if your insurance needs will benefit from professional help.
- Should I buy only the required Wisconsin minimum liability coverage?
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- Should I pay a claim out-of-pocket?
- Should I bundle my homeowners policy with my auto?
- Does every company file a SR-22 automatically?
- Am I getting all the discounts available?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- If I drive on a suspended license am I covered?
If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form.
The Toyota Prius Insurance Price Equation
One of the most helpful ways to save on insurance is to to have a grasp of the factors that help determine insurance rates. If you know what determines premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in better insurance rates.
- Bundle policies with the same company – Most insurers afford discounts to buyers who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount applied, it’s always a smart idea to shop around to ensure the best deal.
- Gender and insurance prices – Statistics demonstrate that females tend to be a little less risky than males. That doesn’t necessarily mean that males are worse at driving than females. Both sexes tend to get into at-fault accidents in similar percentages, but guys have costlier accidents. Men also tend to receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving. Young males are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive insurance rates.
- Extra coverages you don’t need – There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t careful. Coverages like replacement cost coverage, towing coverage, and term life insurance may not be needed and are just wasting money. You may think they are a good idea when buying your policy, but if you have no use for them consider taking them off your policy.
- Poor driving habits leads to higher costs – Good drivers pay lower auto insurance prices than their less careful counterparts. Only having one citation can increase the cost of insurance by twenty percent. People who have severe tickets like DUI or willful reckless driving might be required by their state to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to legally drive.
- Physical damage deductibles – Insurance for physical damage, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, covers damage that occurs to your Toyota. Some instances where coverage would apply are collision with another vehicle, damage caused by hail, or theft. Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles are how much you are required to spend if the claim is covered. The more money you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
- Toyota Prius insurance loss data – Insurers factor in insurance loss information to help determine the rate you pay. Vehicles that historically have higher prevalence or dollar amount of losses will have higher rates.
The table below illustrates the loss history for Toyota Prius vehicles. For each policy coverage, the claim probability for all vehicles, regardless of make or model, is equal to 100. Numbers that are below 100 imply a favorable loss record, while percentage values above 100 indicate more frequent claims or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.
Car Insurance Loss Data for Toyota Prius Models
Specific Toyota Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Toyota Prius C Hybrid 113 100 87 120 121 113 Toyota Prius Hybrid 101 97 98 103 118 103 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid 98 89 87 106 114 93 Toyota Prius V Hybrid 94 86 88 88 94 97 Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Insurance just makes sense
Despite the fact that insurance is not cheap in Milwaukee, maintaining insurance is required for several reasons.
First, the majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific limits of liability in order to drive the car. 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.
Second, if your Toyota Prius has a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it mandatory that you carry insurance to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender may insure your Toyota at an extremely high rate and require you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
Third, insurance preserves both your Toyota and your assets. It will also pay for many types of medical costs incurred in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers legal expenses if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, your insurance policy will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of buying insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially if you ever need it. According to a 2015 survey, the average American driver is wasting up to $855 a year so smart consumers compare quotes each time the policy renews to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Cheap car insurance rates are out there
Insureds switch companies for many reasons like unfair underwriting practices, delays in responding to claim requests, poor customer service or even denial of a claim. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new car insurance company can be less work than you think.
When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many cases, drivers have reduced collision coverage only to find out that it was a big mistake. The goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost, but do not skimp to save money.
We just presented a lot of techniques to find affordable Toyota Prius insurance in Milwaukee. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding affordable Toyota Prius insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the best price on car insurance is with the least-expected company.
Additional information can be read at the links below
- Vehicle Insurance in the U.S. (Wikipedia)
- Who Has Affordable Milwaukee Auto Insurance Rates for Inexperienced Drivers? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Good Students in Milwaukee? (FAQ)
- Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Institute)
- Booster Seat Ratings (iihs.org)