Save Money on Toyota FJ Cruiser Insurance in Chicago

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced insurance policy? Believe me, there are many Chicago consumers feeling the pinch from expensive insurance.

A recent survey discovered that the vast majority of insurance customers kept their coverage with the same insurance company for well over three years, and 38% of drivers have never shopped around. Consumers in Chicago could save 40% a year by just comparing quotes, but they don't invest the time required to find cheap rates by getting comparison quotes.

Big companies like State Farm, Progressive and GEICO all claim big savings with fancy advertisements and consumers find it hard to avoid their marketing magic and find the best price available.

It's smart to get comparison quotes every six months since insurance prices are usually higher with each renewal. If you had the lowest rates on Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance in Chicago six months ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about insurance because I'm going to let you in on the secrets to how to use the internet to find great coverage at a great price.

Best Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance prices in Illinois

The auto insurance companies shown below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in Chicago, IL. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you get prices from several of them to find the lowest auto insurance rates.

Cost estimates assume married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Illinois minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Premium costs do not factor in specific location which can impact prices substantially.

Liability only or full coverage

The chart below illustrates the comparison of Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The rates are based on no claims or driving violations, $500 deductibles, married female driver, and no other discounts are factored in.

When to switch to liability coverage only

There is no set guideline to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of coverage is 10% or more of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.

For example, let's pretend your Toyota FJ Cruiser replacement cost is $3,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most your company would pay you is $2,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying over $200 a year to have full coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.

There are some conditions where only buying liability is not a good plan. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if you can't afford to buy a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not consider dropping full coverage.

Annual premiums comparing men and women

The information below illustrates the comparison of Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance premiums for male and female drivers. The data assumes no violations or accidents, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no policy discounts are applied.

Six factors that influence insurance rates

Multiple criteria are used in the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are obvious such as your driving record, but others are not as apparent such as whether you are married and annual miles driven.

• Rental and towing coverage may not be needed - There are many optional add-on coverages that may not really be needed if you aren't diligent. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, death and dismemberment, and term life insurance could be just wasting money. These coverages may sound good when buying your policy, but if you've never needed them in the past eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
• Marriage can save you money - Being married helps lower the price on your auto insurance policy. Having a significant other usually means you are more mature it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
• Lower premiums for cars with good safety ratings - Vehicles with good safety scores cost less to insure. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company and cheaper rates on your policy. If your Toyota FJ Cruiser is rated at least an "acceptable" rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website you may pay a lower rate.
• Liability protection limits should be high - The liability coverage on your policy is the coverage that protects you when a court rules you are at fault for physical damage or personal injury to other. Your policy's liability insurance provides legal defense coverage to attempt to prove you were not liable. It is affordable coverage as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not skimp.
• How many coverages with the same company - The majority of auto insurance companies will award discounts to customers who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount drivers will still want to compare other company rates to guarantee you are still saving the most. It's possible to still save money by insuring with multiple companies.
• Claim-free discounts can add up - If you tend to file frequent claims, don't be surprised to see increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Auto insurance companies in Illinois generally give cheaper rates to people who are claim-free. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.

Affordable rates with discounts

Car insurance companies don't always advertise every policy discount in an easy-to-find place, so the list below gives a summary of some of the more common and the more hidden credits available to bring down your rates.

• Save with More Vehicles Insured - Purchasing coverage when you have several vehicles with one company qualifies for this discount.
• Anti-lock Brakes - Vehicles that have anti-lock braking systems can stop better under adverse conditions and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Telematics Devices - Insureds who allow driving data submission to look at driving habits by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as State Farm's In-Drive could possibly reduce rates if they have good driving habits.
• Own a Home - Simply owning a home can earn you a little savings because it is proof of financial responsibility.
• Payment Method - By paying your entire bill at once rather than paying in monthly installments you could save 5% or more.

Remember that some credits don't apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it's just not the way it works. Any qualifying discounts will help lower your premiums.

If you would like to choose from a list of insurers with discount rates in Illinois, click this link.

Buying from car insurance agents

Some people would rather go talk to an agent and that is a smart decision The best thing about comparing rate quotes online is you can get lower auto insurance rates and also buy local.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, the coverage information gets sent to insurance agents in Chicago that give free quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent instantly to you. You can find the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with. If you want to compare rates from a specific car insurance provider, feel free to jump over to their website and fill out their quote form.

Deciding on a insurer is decision based upon more than just the premium amount. These are some questions your agent should answer.

• Is there any savings for paying the full premium?
• Will the quote change when the policy is issued?
• Are they in the agency full-time?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
• What company do they have the most business with?

Types of car insurance agents

If you are searching for an insurance agent, you need to know there are two different types of agencies from which to choose. Agents can either be exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).

Exclusive Insurance Agencies

Exclusive agencies can only provide one company's prices and some examples include Allstate, State Farm and Farm Bureau. They usually cannot give you multiple price quotes so always compare other rates. Exclusive agencies are very knowledgeable on sales techniques and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.

Below is a list of exclusive insurance agents in Chicago that can give you price quote information.

View more Chicago agents

Independent Car Insurance Agencies

These type of agents often have affiliation with several companies and that enables them to quote your coverage with an assortment of companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. To move your coverage to a new company, an independent agent can move your coverage which makes it simple for you.

When shopping rates, you absolutely need to get several quotes from multiple independent agents to have the best price comparison.

Listed below are Chicago independent agents willing to provide price quote information.

View more Chicago agents

Do you really save 40% when you switch?

Auto insurance companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive endlessly run ads on TV and radio. They all convey the message that you'll save big just by switching your policy. How does each company charge you less for car insurance? Here is the trick they use.

Insurance providers quote the lowest rates for the type of driver that will be a good risk. A good example of a preferred risk may need to be a married male, owns a home, and has excellent credit. A driver who meets those qualifications will probably get the lowest prices and most likely will save quite a bit of money when switching.

Drivers who do not match those criteria will probably be forced to pay higher prices which translates to the customer not purchasing. If you listen to the ad wording, they say "people who switch" but not "all drivers who get quotes" save that much. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. This really emphasizes why drivers must compare many company's car insurance rates. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Don't give up on affordable rates

We covered a lot of ways to save on Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance in Chicago. It's most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better chance you'll have of finding affordable Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance quotes. You may even find the best price on car insurance is with a small local company. Smaller companies may have significantly lower prices on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or GEICO.

When trying to cut insurance costs, do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage to discover at claim time they didn't purchase enough coverage. The goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price and still be able to protect your assets.

Budget-friendly car insurance in Chicago is definitely available from both online companies and with local Chicago insurance agents, so get free Chicago car insurance quotes from both of them to have the best selection. Some companies may not offer price quotes online and many times these small insurance companies provide coverage only through independent insurance agents.

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