Cheapest Mazda 3 Insurance in Columbus

Mazda 3 insurance cost image courtesy of QuoteInspector.com

If you want to save money, the best way to get discount Mazda 3 insurance in Columbus is to do an annual price comparison from companies who sell auto insurance in Ohio.

1. Spend a few minutes and learn about the different coverages in a policy and the steps you can take to keep rates low. Many policy risk factors that are responsible for high rates like accidents, traffic tickets, and an imperfect credit score can be controlled by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Continue reading for more details to get low prices and get bigger discounts that may have been overlooked.
2. Quote rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can quote prices for many different companies. View insurance agents
3. Compare the quotes to your current policy premium and determine if cheaper 3 coverage is available in Columbus. If you can save money, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
4. Provide written notification to your current company of your intent to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit a down payment along with a completed application for the new coverage. Don't forget to place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance in an accessible location in your vehicle.

One thing to point out is to try to compare identical coverages on every price quote and to quote with as many companies as feasibly possible. Doing this enables a level playing field and the best rate selection.

It's a known fact that insurance companies want to keep your business as long as possible. Insureds who shop around will, in all likelihood, switch car insurance companies because there is a high probability of finding a lower-cost company. Remarkably, a study showed that people who shopped around every year saved about $860 a year compared to people who never compared prices.

If finding budget-friendly rates on insurance in Columbus is why you're here, then having an understanding of how to find and compare cheaper coverage can make it simple to find affordable coverage.

Locating the best rates in Columbus can initially seem challenging. If you currently have insurance, you will surely be able to save money using the ideas you're about to read. Although Ohio car owners need to learn how the larger insurance companies price insurance differently and take advantage of how the system works.

The majority of larger companies allow you to get prices for coverage on the web. Doing online price comparisons for Mazda 3 insurance in Columbus is possible for anyone because you just enter your personal and coverage information as requested by the quote form. After you submit the form their rating system will order reports for credit and driving violations and gives you a price quote based on these and other factors. This makes it easy to compare insurance prices and it's absolutely necessary to compare as many rates as possible in order to get the most affordable possible premiums on car insurance.

If you want to find out what other companies charge, compare quotes from the companies shown below. To compare your current rates, we recommend you type in the coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will be getting rate quotes for similar coverage.

The companies shown below are ready to provide price quotes in Ohio. If multiple companies are shown, we suggest you get rate quotes from several of them to get the cheapest price.

Rates and detailed analysis

The premium table displayed next highlights estimates of insurance costs for Mazda 3 models. Having a better idea how insurance prices are calculated is important to be able to make decisions on the best policy coverages.

Table data assumes married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, safe-driver, and homeowner. Premium amounts do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can influence coverage prices greatly.

Car insurance deductibles

When buying car insurance, a common question is which deductible level should you buy. The rates below can help illustrate the differences in premium rates when you choose different deductibles. The first table uses a $250 deductible for comp and collision and the second set of prices uses a $500 deductible.

Prices above based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Rate quotes do not factor in specific garaging location which can alter premium rates noticeably.

We can estimate from the data above that using a $250 deductible costs approximately $11 more each month or $132 every year than choosing the higher $500 deductible. Since you would pay $250 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you normally go at a minimum 23 months between claims, you would save money if you elect the higher deductible.

The information below demonstrates how deductibles and can increase or decrease Mazda 3 insurance prices for each different age group. The information is based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, and no policy discounts are applied.

Impact of citations and accidents on insurance rates

The illustration below highlights how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders impact Mazda 3 insurance costs for different age groups. The data is based on a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Mazda 3 full coverage rates compared to liability only

The diagram below shows the difference between Mazda 3 insurance prices with and without full coverage. The costs are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

When to stop buying physical damage coverage

There is no set rule to stop paying for full coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

For example, let's say your Mazda 3 settlement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, you would only receive $6,000 after paying your policy deductible. If you are currently paying more than $600 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.

There are a few cases where buying only liability insurance is not financially feasible. If you haven't satisfied your loan, you have to carry full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not buy liability only.

Why you need car insurance

Despite the potentially high cost of Mazda 3 insurance, car insurance serves an important purpose.

• Most states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability coverage in order to get the vehicle licensed. In Ohio these limits are 25/50/25 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
• If you have a loan on your vehicle, almost all lenders will require you to have insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the bank will be required to insure your Mazda at a significantly higher premium and force you to pay the higher premium.
• Insurance safeguards both your assets and your Mazda. It will also reimburse you for many types of medical costs for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage will also pay to defend you if you are sued as the result of your driving. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.

The benefits of buying car insurance more than cancel out the cost, especially for larger claims. The average driver in America overpays more than $869 every year so it's very important to do a rate comparison every year to ensure rates are competitive.

Check for these nine discounts

Some insurers do not list every policy discount very well, so the following list contains some of the best known and also the lesser-known discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Columbus auto insurance online. If you're not getting every credit possible, you're paying more than you need to.

• Include Life Insurance and Save - Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn a small discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
• Early Switch Discount - Some insurance companies give discounts for switching to them before your current 3 insurance policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
• Accident-Free Discounts - Claim-free drivers have much lower rates in comparison with insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
• Seat Belts Save - Forcing all vehicle occupants to buckle up could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
• Membership in Organizations - Being in a professional or civic organization is a simple method to lower premiums on your policy.
• Accident Waiver - This isn't a discount exactly, but certain companies will let one accident slide before they charge you more for coverage as long as you don't have any claims for a set time period.
• Student in College - Children who live away from home to go to college and leave their car at home can receive lower rates.
• Onboard Data Collection - People who choose to allow their auto insurance company to track their driving habits through the use of a telematics system such as Progressive's Snapshot and State Farm's In-Drive may see discounts if their driving habits are good.
• Senior Discount - Mature drivers may be able to get better auto insurance rates.

Discounts reduce rates, but you should keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don't profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down the premium cost.

The chart below shows the comparison of Mazda 3 insurance costs with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The data is based on a female driver, no claims or driving violations, Ohio state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, multi-policy, marriage, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-car discounts applied.

A few of the larger companies and a partial list of their discounts are shown below.

• GEICO offers premium reductions for seat belt use, daytime running lights, good student, anti-lock brakes, five-year accident-free, and air bags.
• MetLife may include discounts for good driver, accident-free, multi-policy, good student, and defensive driver.
• Progressive offers discounts for online signing, good student, homeowner, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle.
• Travelers discounts include continuous insurance, save driver, student away at school, driver training, and payment discounts.
• SAFECO offers discounts including bundle discounts, homeowner, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, drive less, safe driver, and teen safety rewards.
• AAA may have discounts that include pay-in-full, multi-car, good driver, AAA membership discount, and education and occupation.

Before you buy a policy, ask all the companies what discounts are available to you. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be available to policyholders in your area.

When to get advice from a local insurance agent

Many drivers just want to talk to an insurance agent and there is nothing wrong with that. A nice benefit of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain cheap auto insurance rates and still have a local agent.

After completing this quick form, the quote information is sent to local insurance agents that provide free Columbus auto insurance quotes to get your business. You don't have to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go to you directly. You can get cheaper auto insurance rates and a licensed agent to work with. If you wish to get a rate quote from one company in particular, don't hesitate to go to their quote page and submit a quote form there.

Finding a good insurer shouldn't rely on just a cheap price quote. Any agent in Columbus should be willing to answer these questions.

• Are they actively involved in the community?
• What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
• Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
• Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
• Is the quote a firm price?
• Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
• Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?

Columbus car insurance agents come in two flavors

When looking for a good insurance agency, there are two different types of agents and how they function. Auto insurance agencies can be described as either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.

Exclusive Insurance Agencies

Agents that elect to be exclusive can only quote rates from one company and examples are American Family, State Farm, and AAA. They are unable to place coverage with different providers so they really need to provide good service. They are well trained on their company's products which helps them sell on service rather than price.

Listed below are exclusive agencies in Columbus who may provide you with rate quotes.

More Columbus agents

Independent Auto Insurance Agents

Independent agents are not employed by any specific company and that enables them to quote your coverage through many different auto insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If they find a cheaper price, your agent can just switch to a different company and that require little work on your part.

If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you absolutely need to include several independent insurance agents in order to have the best price comparison.

The following is a short list of independent agencies in Columbus willing to provide price quote information.

More Columbus agents

Learn about insurance coverages for a Mazda 3

Understanding the coverages of your insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the normal coverages available from insurance companies.

Liability

This coverage will cover damage that occurs to a person or their property. This coverage protects you from claims by other people. Liability doesn't cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see liability limits of 25/50/25 which means a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability can pay for claims like attorney fees, structural damage and bail bonds. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford. Ohio state minimum liability requirements are 25/50/25 but you should consider buying more coverage.

The next chart shows why minimum state limits may not provide you with enough coverage.

Collision insurance

Collision insurance pays for damage to your 3 resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision can pay for claims like hitting a parking meter, crashing into a ditch and driving through your garage door. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. It's also possible to increase the deductible on your 3 to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive insurance

Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as falling objects, damage from a tornado or hurricane, damage from flooding, a broken windshield and vandalism. The maximum payout you'll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it's not worth carrying full coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

This gives you protection when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Mazda 3.

Due to the fact that many Ohio drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (25/50/25 in Ohio), it doesn't take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for immediate expenses for dental work, surgery, EMT expenses and rehabilitation expenses. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover you and your occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Affordable car insurance rates are possible

When getting Columbus auto insurance quotes online, it's not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, someone dropped liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time they didn't purchase enough coverage. The aim is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best cost.

The cheapest Mazda 3 insurance in Columbus is attainable on the web and from local insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies may not have online price quotes and usually these smaller providers only sell through local independent agencies.

You just read a lot of tips how to reduce Mazda 3 insurance auto insurance rates online in Columbus. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote Columbus auto insurance, the higher your chance of finding low cost Columbus auto insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from a small local company. Some small companies may only write in your state and offer lower premium rates compared to the large companies like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

Additional resources

• Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
• Who Has the Cheapest Columbus Car Insurance for a Subaru Outback? (FAQ)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for a Ford Escape in Columbus? (FAQ)
• What are my Rights when Filing a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Institute)
• Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)
• Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)