If you want to save money, the best way to find cheaper quotes for auto insurance rates in Minneapolis is to begin comparing prices regularly from providers who sell auto insurance in Minnesota. Rate comparisons can be done by completing these steps.
First, try to learn a little about the coverage provided by your policy and the factors you can control to prevent high rates. Many risk factors that cause rate increases such as high-risk driving behaviors and an imperfect credit score can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Keep reading for more information to help find cheaper rates and earn larger discounts.
Second, obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates from multiple insurance companies.
Third, compare the new quotes to your existing rates to see if cheaper FJ Cruiser coverage is available in Minneapolis. If you find a better price and decide to switch, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
Fourth, notify your current company of your decision to cancel your existing policy. Submit a completed application and payment to your new company or agent. As soon as you receive it, keep your new proof of insurance certificate with the vehicle registration.
An important part of this process is to use similar limits and deductibles on every quote and and to get rate quotes from as many different companies as possible. This provides a fair price comparison and many rates to choose from.
Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that over 70% of consumers have been with the same company for well over three years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never taken the time to shop around. Many drivers in Minneapolis could save almost 50% a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they don’t want to spend time to compare rate quotes.
What Determines Toyota FJ Cruiser Insurance Costs?
It’s important that you understand a few of the rating criteria that aid in calculating auto insurance rates. If you have a feel for what determines base rates, this helps enable you to make changes that can help you get big savings. Lots of factors are considered when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable like an MVR report, but others are more obscure such as whether you are married and annual miles driven.
The list below includes some of the most common factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set rates.
Don’t abuse policy claims – If you frequently file small claims, you should expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Companies in Minnesota provide discounts to policyholders that do not abuse their auto insurance. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for more catastrophic claims.
Mileage impacts costs – The more you drive your Toyota annually the more it will cost to insure it. The majority of insurers price each vehicle’s coverage based upon how much you drive. Autos used primarily for pleasure use receive better premium rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. Ask your agent if your policy properly reflects the right rating data, because improper ratings can cost you money. Having the wrong rating on your FJ Cruiser may be costing you.
Lower deductibles cost more – Physical damage deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. Insurance for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be collision with another vehicle, damage from fire, and damage caused by road hazards. The more expense you have to pay, the lower your rates will be.
Marriage can lower prices – Your spouse may earn you lower rates when buying auto insurance. Having a spouse demonstrates that you tend to be less irresponsible and statistics prove married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
Higher premiums for stressful vocations – Occupations such as fire fighters, executives, and dentists have higher rates than the rest of us attributed to intense work situations and lots of time spent away from family. Other careers like professors, athletes and performers pay lower than average rates.
Rates may be higher where you live – Choosing to live in areas with lower population has definite advantages when it comes to auto insurance. Fewer people corresponds to lower accident rates in addition to lower liability claims. Drivers in populated Minnesota areas have much more traffic and a longer drive to work. More time commuting means more chances of being involved in an auto accident.
Premiums drop with age – Drivers with little experience tend to get distracted easily when driving therefore auto insurance rates are much higher. Parents adding a teen driver to your auto insurance policy can break the bank. Mature drivers are shown to be more cautious, cost insurance companies less in claims, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets.
The chart below uses these variables: single driver, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
Traffic violations can be expensive – Having a clean driving record influences premium rates substantially. Having just one moving violation can bump up the cost to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers who don’t get tickets have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who have license-revoking violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to maintain a SR-22 with their state’s licensing department in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
The example below demonstrates how traffic citations and accidents can impact Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance premiums for different age categories. The information is based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
Just keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes provides better odds of finding a lower rate than you’re paying now. Not every company provides Minneapolis FJ Cruiser insurance quotes online, so you need to compare price estimates from them, too.
The car insurance companies shown below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in Minneapolis, MN. If you want the best car insurance in Minneapolis, we recommend you visit two to three different companies to get the cheapest price.
Rates and information analytics
The table shown next showcases estimates of insurance premium costs for Toyota FJ Cruiser models. Having a good understanding how insurance quotes are calculated can aid in making informed coverage decisions.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FJ Cruiser 2WD | $176 | $232 | $304 | $18 | $92 | $822 | $69 |
| FJ Cruiser 4WD | $196 | $232 | $304 | $18 | $92 | $842 | $70 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data variables include married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Minnesota minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Rates do not factor in specific garaging location which can increase or decrease coverage prices noticeably.
Premiums by gender and age
The diagram below compares Toyota FJ Cruiser auto insurance rates for male and female drivers. The premiums are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Rate difference between full and liability-only coverage
The example below illustrates the difference between Toyota FJ Cruiser yearly insurance costs with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The rate quotes are based on a clean driving record, no claims, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are factored in.
Guidelines for eliminating full coverage
There is no set rule to eliminate comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than around 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s assume your Toyota FJ Cruiser replacement cost is $7,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most you would receive is $6,000 after you pay the deductible. If it’s costing you more than $600 a year for physical damage coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
There are a few situations where dropping physical damage coverage is not recommended. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should keep full coverage in place.
Why you need car insurance
Despite the high cost, insuring your vehicle serves a purpose in several ways.
- The majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific limits of liability coverage if you want to drive legally. In Minnesota these limits are 30/60/10 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you bought your FJ Cruiser with a loan, almost all lenders will force you to carry insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Toyota for a much higher rate and force you to pay the higher premium.
- Insurance safeguards both your assets and your Toyota FJ Cruiser. Insurance will pay for many types of medical costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit in the event you are sued. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of buying car insurance are definitely more than the cost, especially if you ever need it. But the average American driver is overpaying over $750 every year so we recommend shopping around every year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Check for these discounts on Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance in Minneapolis
Auto insurance companies don’t always list all possible discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the best known and also the more inconspicuous savings tricks you should be using when you buy Minneapolis auto insurance online.
- Student Discount for Driver Training – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them successfully complete driver’s ed class in high school.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts may get savings of 20 to 30 percent.
- Pay Early and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you can combine your home and auto policy and insure them both with the same insurance company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
- E-sign – A few larger online companies will give a small break simply for signing digitally online.
- Minneapolis Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home can help you save on car insurance because it means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
You can save money using discounts, but most credits do not apply to the whole policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way. But all discounts should help reduce your overall bill.
The chart below shows the comparison of Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The information is based on a female driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, Minnesota state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, marriage, multi-car, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-policy discounts applied.
If you would like to view providers that have a full spectrum of discounts in Minneapolis, click here to view.
Compare rate quotes but work with a local Minneapolis insurance agency
Certain consumers just prefer to sit down with an agent and we recommend doing that One of the benefits of comparing rates online is you can get better rates and also buy local.
To find an agent, once you fill out this simple form, the quote information gets sent to insurance agents in Minneapolis that can give you free Minneapolis auto insurance quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to do any legwork since rate quotes are delivered to your email. It’s the lowest rates without requiring a lot of work. If you need to get a comparison quote from a specific auto insurance provider, don’t hesitate to go to their quote page and fill out their quote form.
Picking an insurance company needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. These are valid questions to ask:
- Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in Minneapolis?
- Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Do they prorate repair cost based on vehicle mileage?
Different types of auto insurance agents in Minneapolis
When finding a good insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the different agency structures and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Minneapolis agents can either be independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be exclusive can only write with one company and examples are American Family, State Farm, and AAA. Exclusive agents are unable to provide other company’s prices so keep that in mind. Exclusive insurance agents are usually well trained on sales techniques which helps offset the inability to provide other markets. Many people buy from the same agent for years mainly due to the brand name and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Listed below is a list of exclusive insurance agents in Minneapolis who can help you get price quote information.
- State Farm: Brandon Walter
222 S 9th St #270 – Minneapolis, MN 55402 – (612) 843-8444 – View Map - Tom Kilton – State Farm Insurance Agent
3430 Nicollet Ave – Minneapolis, MN 55408 – (612) 827-3655 – View Map - Mary Trondson – State Farm Insurance Agent
1215 Lagoon Ave – Minneapolis, MN 55408 – (612) 823-4111 – View Map
Independent Agents
These agents can quote rates with many companies and that enables them to quote your coverage with a variety of different insurance companies and find the cheapest rate. If they find a lower price, your policy is moved internally and you stay with the same agent.
When searching for an agent, we recommend you compare quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison. Most have the option of insuring with companies that do not advertise much that many times have cheaper rates.
Listed below is a list of independent agencies in Minneapolis that are able to give price quote information.
- Insurance Advantage Agency LLC
7600 Parklawn Ave #350 – Minneapolis, MN 55435 – (952) 746-5770 – View Map - Abbco Insurance Agency Co.
6227 University Ave NE – Minneapolis, MN 55632 – (763) 571-2880 – View Map - Criterion Insurance Agency
3300 Fernbrook Ln N #170 – Minneapolis, MN 55447 – (800) 701-5909 – View Map
Car insurance savings summarized
Throughout this article, we presented many tips how you can lower your Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance prices in Minneapolis. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the higher your chance of finding inexpensive Minneapolis auto insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the most savings is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.
When getting Minneapolis auto insurance quotes online, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, an accident victim reduced collision coverage only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Some companies may not provide online rate quotes and most of the time these smaller providers only sell coverage through independent agents. Cheaper Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance in Minneapolis is definitely available on the web and from local insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection.
More information is located at these links:
- Car Insurance for Teen Drivers with Divorced Parents (Allstate)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for a Ford F-150 in Minneapolis? (FAQ)
- How to Avoid Buying a Flooded Car (Insurance Information Institute)
- Drunk Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driving Statistics (GEICO)