Connecticut Auto Insurance Rates
In the state of Connecticut, automobile insurance rates can be affected by several different factors. The type of vehicle, use and age of the driver will influence the cost to insure that vehicle. Your geographic area, driving record, claims record, limits, deductibles and anti-theft devices also establish your automobile insurance rates.
Regardless of what your drive or where you live, you should also compare rates before making a choice. Use the FREE comparison tool above by entering your ZIP code to get started now!
There are two different types of private passenger automobile insurance: Automobile liability insurance and physical damage insurance.
There are three types of automobile liability insurance: bodily injury and property damage as well as uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
The bodily injury insurance protects the insured against claims made by another individual as the result of an accident. Property damage liability pays for the damage that the insured causes to the property of others.
Both bodily injury and property damage pay claims that are the result of negligence on the part of the insured. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is just what it sounds like. If someone who is uninsured or underinsured should hit you, your policy will pay up to your policy limits for bodily injury or property damage.
Connecticut, like most states, does have a required minimum policy limit that each insured vehicle must carry.
Learning About Policies in Connecticut
The minimum bodily injury limit in Connecticut is $20,000 per person per accident and $40,000 per accident. The minimum property damage limit is $10,000 per accident.
Uninsured/Underinsured minimum coverage is the same as the Bodily Injury Damage, $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident. Higher limits of liability are available and are highly recommended. Naturally, the higher the limit, the more the insurance will cost.
Physical damage, on the other hand, is not required by law. However, if the vehicle is leased or has an existing loan, the lending or leasing institution will usually require physical damage be purchased.
There are also two types of physical damage, comprehensive coverage and collision coverage. Collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle as a result of colliding with another object or vehicle, with the exception of collision with animals.
The comprehensive coverage covers losses from fire, vandalism, animal collision, theft and almost everything that is not covered by collision. Unlike liability insurance, physical damage will pay regardless of fault.
The rates for physical damage will vary depending on the value of the vehicle, the age and the amount of deductible that is chosen by the insured.
Additional information on automobile insurance can be found on the Connecticut Insurance Department website.
Choosing an Insurance Company
The first thing to take into consideration is whether the prospective insurer is licensed in the state of Connecticut. If there is some doubt whether the carrier is licensed in this state, it is best to check with your state’s insurance department.
The Connecticut Insurance Department website contains a list of licensed insurance companies found in Connecticut. This extensive list of insurance carriers contains a code that indicates the lines of insurance for each carrier.
As you will see, many companies sell automobile insurance. Pricing will be different from one carrier to another. Shopping around and getting several quotes is the best way to find the right policy and company for your individual needs.
Once licensing has been established, a company’s service history should also be considered. Low pricing may not mean that you will receive good service if you have a claim or need to make changes to your policy.
For comparison purposes, the following information was used to compare quotes from different carriers:
Married couple between 35-45 years old with one violation
Location was Norwalk, CT 06850
2013 Toyota Prius
Pleasure Use Only
Limits: $100,000/300,000 Bodily Injury, $50,000 Property Damage, $1,000 Medical
$500 Deductible for Comprehensive and Collision
- Company: The Hartford Premium: $113.00 per month
- Company: esurance Premium: $146.00 per month
- (An Allstate Co.)
- Company: Progressive Premium: $164.00 per month
- Company: good2go Premium: $281.00 per month
- Company: State Farm Mutual Premium: $125.00 per month
- Company: 21st Century Premium: $138.74 per month
Using the same conditions as above but with the locale of Hartford, CT 06120, the following quotes were received:
- Company: Hartford Premium: $140.00 per month
- Company: esurance Premium: $173.43 per month
- (An Allstate Co.)
- Company: Progressive Premium: $201.21 per month
- Company: good2go Premium: $329.00 per month
- Company: State Farm Mutual Premium: $280.83 per month
- Company: 21st Century Premium: $181.30 per month
As you can see, the premiums in the city of Hartford are considerably higher than Norwalk. It is not very practical to move to save money on automobile insurance. There are, however, many other things you can do to reduce your automobile premiums.
Methods to Lower Automobile Insurance Premiums
By using the following suggestions, you could save a considerable amount of money.
Of course, the only way that you can get an exact amount would be by getting actual quotes using the different scenarios.
Increase or Eliminate Deductibles
If you are currently carrying a low deductible, you may want to consider increasing to a higher deductible.
If your vehicle is older, you may consider eliminating the physical damage. You can see that there is a big savings when comprehensive and collision are taken off the policy.
If you prefer, you can keep the comprehensive and remove only the collision. Check the Kelly Blue Book and N.A.D.A. to find out what your vehicle is worth and whether it is worth keeping the coverage.
Check for Discounts
By taking advantage of various discounts, you can even save more money. The amount of discount will vary from carrier to carrier.
If you take a defensive driver course, you can save up to 10% of your liability and collision premium. Some carriers offer the course to their policyholders at a reduced rate.
If you insure your home and all vehicles you own with the same company, there is a sizable discount. Some carriers offer discounts as high as 20%.
If your vehicle has airbags, anti-theft devices or anti-lock brakes, make sure that your insurance policy includes the discounts for these devices.
Sometimes being a member or an employee of certain organizations may make you eligible for insurance discounts.
There is no doubt that automobile insurance rates are high in the state of Connecticut. Shopping around for different quotes and taking advantage of discounts can help you to reduce those costs.
Be sure to enter your ZIP code into the FREE comparison tool at the bottom of this page to get started!