Best Rates for Kia Optima Insurance in Charlotte

The preferred way to get more affordable Kia Optima insurance in Charlotte is to start comparing prices yearly from providers who can sell car insurance in North Carolina. Drivers can shop around by following these steps.

• Step 1: Spend a few minutes and learn about how car insurance works and the things you can change to prevent rate increases. Many rating criteria that cause high rates like at-fault accidents and a low credit score can be improved by paying attention to minor details. Later in this article we will cover information to help keep rates affordable and earn a bigger discount.
• Step 2: Get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can give quotes from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agents can quote prices for many different companies.
• Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper price is available. If you find a lower rate and change companies, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.

An important part of this process is to make sure you enter identical limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get rate quotes from as many companies as you can. Doing this helps ensure a level playing field and a thorough price selection.

Statistics show that a large majority of consumers kept buying from the same company for four years or more, and nearly the majority have never compared rates to find cheaper insurance. Charlotte drivers could save an average of about $100 each year by just comparing rate quotes, but they just feel it’s too hard to compare other rate quotes.

Keep in mind that comparing more quotes helps increase your odds of locating the best price. Some regional insurers cannot provide Charlotte Optima insurance quotes online, so it’s recommended that you also compare price quotes from them as well.

The following companies have been selected to offer comparison quotes in Charlotte, NC. If multiple companies are listed, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them to find the lowest car insurance rates.

Insurance coverage details

The coverage information shown next highlights a range of coverage costs for Kia Optima models. Having knowledge of how insurance prices are established is important for making smart choices when purchasing an insurance policy.

Table data represents married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Price estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can decrease or increase price quotes considerably.

Deductible analysis

One of the most common insurance questions is how high or low should comp and collision deductibles be. The rates shown below outline the rate fluctuation between low and high deductibles. The first data table uses a $100 deductible for physical damage and the second set of rates uses a $1,000 deductible.

Table data represents married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and claim-free. Price information does not factor in Charlotte location which can decrease or increase insurance rates significantly.

We can derive from the above data that using a $100 deductible would cost the average driver about $27 more each month or $324 each year than selecting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would have to pay $900 more out of your own pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you average at least 33 months between claim filings, you would probably be better off by selecting a higher deductible.

The chart below illustrates how your choice of deductibles and can increase or decrease Kia Optima insurance rates for different ages of insureds. The price estimates are based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.

Poor driving habits will raise your insurance rates

The chart below demonstrates how speeding tickets and at-fault accidents can influence Kia Optima yearly insurance costs for different ages of insureds. Data assumes a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $250 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.

Kia Optima Insurance Premiums Can Be Cheaper

The best way to find cheaper car insurance is to take a look at some of the elements that go into determining your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what influences your rates, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you lower car insurance prices. Multiple criteria are used in the calculation when quoting car insurance. Some are obvious like your driving record, but other factors are not quite as obvious like your vehicle usage or how financially stable you are.

Listed below are some of the items used by your company to calculate your rate level.

How many miles do you drive? – Driving more miles each year the higher your rate. Most companies calculate prices based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Cars that have low annual miles receive better premium rates than those that get driven frequently. Improper usage on your Optima may be costing you. It’s a smart idea to ensure your declarations sheet is showing the correct driver usage.

The type of car you drive affects your prices – The type of car you need to insure makes a huge difference in how high your rates are. Lower cost passenger vehicles generally receive the lowest base rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.

The chart below is based on a married male driver age 40, full coverage with $1000 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. The chart compares Kia Optima car insurance rates compared to other makes and models that have different performance rating factors.

Increase physical damage deductibles and save – Insurance for physical damage to your car, also called ‘full coverage’, insures against damage to your Kia. Some examples of covered claims would be a dented fender, collision with an animal, and damage caused by flying debris. The deductibles state the amount of money you are required to pay in the event of a claim. The more the insured has to pay upfront, the better rate you will receive.

Insurance is expensive for teen drivers – Older insureds tend to be more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents, and are safer drivers. Young drivers are statistically shown to get distracted easily when driving so they pay higher car insurance rates.

The next chart is based on a single driver, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

Lower rates with a multi-policy discount – Most major companies give a discount to customers that buy multiple policies, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s always a smart idea to compare Kia Optima rates in Charlotte to verify if the discount is saving money.

How credit history affects car insurance premiums – An insured’s credit score can be an important factor in calculating your premium rate. So if your credit rating could use some work, you could pay less to insure your Kia Optima if you improve your credit rating. People with very good credit scores tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with lower credit scores.

Single drivers may pay higher rates – Having a wife or husband actually saves money when shopping for car insurance. It generally demonstrates drivers are more mature than a single person and it’s statistically proven that married couples file fewer claims.

Rates also based on gender – The statistics show that females tend to be a little less risky than males. However, don’t assume that females are better at driving than males. Males and females cause accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species tend to have higher claims. They also receive more major tickets like reckless driving and DUI.

The chart below illustrates the comparison of Kia Optima insurance rates for male and female drivers. The rate quotes are based on no violations or claims, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, drivers are single, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Kia Optima statistical loss data – Auto insurance companies factor in insurance loss information in order to profitably underwrite each model. Vehicles that have higher losses will have higher rates for specific coverages. The table below illustrates the historical insurance loss data for Kia Optima vehicles.

For each coverage category, the claim probability for all vehicles as a whole is equal to 100. Percentages below 100 indicate better than average losses, while numbers above 100 indicate a higher chance of having a claim or statistically larger claims.

Buying the right Optima insurance in North Carolina is an important decision

Despite the high insurance cost for a Kia Optima in Charlotte, insurance is mandatory in North Carolina but it also protects more than you think.

First, almost all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means the state requires specific limits of liability protection in order to drive the car. In North Carolina these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.

Second, if your Kia Optima has a loan, more than likely the lender will make it mandatory that you have physical damage coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If you let the policy lapse, the lender will be forced to insure your Kia at a significantly higher premium and make you pay for the much more expensive policy.

Third, car insurance preserves not only your car but also your assets. It will also cover many types of medical costs that are the result of an accident. Liability coverage will also pay to defend you if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to have it repaired.

The benefits of having car insurance definitely exceed the price paid, particularly if you ever have a claim. On average, a vehicle owner in Charlotte overpays more than $865 each year so compare rates once a year at a minimum to help ensure money is not being wasted.