Save on 2012 MINI Cooper Car Insurance Rates

Trying to find cheaper car insurance rates? Buyers have many options when searching for low-cost MINI Cooper insurance. They can either waste time calling around to compare prices or utilize the internet to compare rates. There is a right way and a wrong way to shop for car insurance so we’re going to tell you the proper way to quote coverages on a MINI and obtain the best price possible.

If you have insurance now or need new coverage, you can use these techniques to find the best rates and still get good coverage. The purpose of this post is to let you in on how to get online quotes and some tricks to saving. Vehicle owners just need to know the best way to get comparison quotes over the internet.

How to Compare Auto Insurance

Lowering your 2012 MINI Cooper auto insurance rates doesn’t have to be difficult. Drivers just need to invest a few minutes getting comparison quotes from different insurance companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

  1. Probably the best way to get quotes for comparison would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form prevents you from having to do separate forms for each company. Just one form will get you price quotes from several companies. It’s the fastest way to compare.
  2. A slightly less efficient method to obtain and compare quotes online consists of going to each company website and request a quote. For example, let’s assume you want to compare Nationwide, Esurance and Allstate. To find out each rate you need to visit each site and enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker.

    For a list of links to companies insuring cars in your area, click here.

Whichever method you choose, make darn sure you compare exactly the same quote information on every quote you get. If you use unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be impossible to decipher which rate is best.

Do drivers who switch really save?

Drivers constantly see and hear ads for car insurance savings by companies like Allstate, Geico and Progressive. They all have a common claim of big savings if you move to them.

But how can every company say the same thing?

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver they prefer to insure. A good example of a desirable insured could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, insures multiple vehicles, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save when switching.

Consumers who fall outside the requirements will have to pay a higher premium and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can make the claims of big savings. Because of the profiling, it is so important to get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict the company that will give you the biggest savings on MINI Cooper insurance.

You probably qualify for some discounts

Companies don’t necessarily list every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of some of the best known as well as the least known insurance savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you’re paying more than you need to.

  • Braking Control Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and will save you 10% or more.
  • Driver’s Ed – Have your child take driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
  • Accident Forgiveness – A handful of insurance companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
  • Auto/Life Discount – Some companies give lower rates if you buy life insurance.
  • Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

For a list of companies with the best insurance discounts, click this link.

There’s no such thing as the perfect policy

When buying adequate coverage, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

For instance, these questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.

  • Who is covered by my policy?
  • Do I need higher collision deductibles?
  • What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
  • How high should my medical payments coverage be?
  • Why do I need rental car insurance?
  • What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
  • Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
  • Which is better, split liability limits or combined limits?
  • How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in my state?
  • What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?

If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.

Specific coverages for a 2012 MINI Cooper

Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Collision coverage – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a building, rolling your car, scraping a guard rail and colliding with another moving vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Coverage for medical payments – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills such as rehabilitation expenses, ambulance fees, EMT expenses and hospital visits. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Liability coverage – This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property by causing an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see liability limits of 25/50/25 which stand for a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability insurance covers claims such as pain and suffering, medical services, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, attorney fees and structural damage. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as large an amount as possible.

Comprehensive coverages – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as hail damage, vandalism, a broken windshield and hitting a deer. The maximum amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This provides protection when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your 2012 MINI Cooper.

Since many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Don’t throw your cash in the trash

We covered a lot of ways to get a better price on 2012 MINI Cooper insurance. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premiums are with an unexpected company.

The cheapest insurance is definitely available online and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s very important that you do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits to discover at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

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