Santa Fe Car Insurance
In Santa Fe, the state capital of New Mexico, where uninsured motorists run rampant, it is incredibly important to carry sufficient Santa Fe car insurance to protect yourself, your passengers and your vehicle.
Most people in the city have a commute of 10 to 20 minutes each way to and from work, which means there are two prime times of day when you are vulnerable to being involved in a car accident.
To complicate matters, this high-altitude city has snow and cold temperatures for a short period of the year, increasing the chances of inexperienced drivers having winter car accidents.
Knowing What You Need in Santa Fe Car Insurance Coverage
The state of New Mexico requires drivers to carry public liability coverage in the amounts of $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident and $10,000 property damage. Beyond these minimums, most insurance professionals will encourage drivers to carry limits that are more than 4 times as high, to ensure sufficient coverage in case of a bad accident.
In addition, the state has the highest percentage of uninsured drivers in the nation, with an average of 29% of drivers operating their vehicles uninsured. What this means for the person who gets into an accident with one of them is a whole lot of trouble getting any type of compensation for your damages and injuries. Therefore, it is very important to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in case you are involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist, and that possibility is high.
If you happen to have a late model car or one with a high value, you should carry collision and comprehensive coverage to take care of any property damage to your vehicle from an at-fault collision or from any of the covered perils of comprehensive coverage. Even though Santa Fe is not one of the cities in the nation with the highest car theft rates, its crime index is higher than the nationwide average, so comprehensive Santa Fe auto insurance to protect your vehicle from theft and vandalism is important. If your vehicle is financed, the finance company usually will require proof of this type of coverage.
Secrets to Saving Money on Santa Fe Car Insurance
Even though Santa Fe is not one of the costliest states for car insurance, it is also not one of the cheapest. People here are trying to keep the cost of insurance down like Americans countrywide. A little knowledge can go a long way in terms of saving you money on your Santa Fe car insurance.
- Put your car insurance and home insurance with the same company for a discount on each.
- Evaluate whether or not you have insurance that you don’t need, such as collision and comprehensive on an old car that is paid off and is worth barely more than the deductible.
- Consider raising deductibles on collision and comprehensive if you still need to carry them.
- Put as few miles as possible on your car annually, as this will lower your premium.
- If you have a new driver who is going to college out of state, make sure to inform your insurer as they will be able to remove coverage for that driver, saving you lots.
- When you are shopping for a car, make sure you opt for one that is less expensive to insure than other comparable ones, or at least invest in a car that has a number of safety features factory installed such as passive restraint seatbelts, air bags and anti-theft devices.
- Ask the insurer for discounts, as there are many different discounts that insurance companies offer that you may not be aware of.
Doing as many of the above things as possible will likely result in getting very cheap Santa Fe car insurance rates.
Getting the Ideal Santa Fe Car Insurance Policy
When you are ready to get the absolute best Santa Fe car insurance policy to fit your needs, you can shop around easily and conveniently by using a free online quote tool. You start with your zip code, answer a few relevant questions and in no time you will have multiple quotes from car insurance providers serving the Santa Fe area. It is advised to compare prices, coverage and limits in order to make sure you are getting the best policy possible.
You should also check out the company itself to make sure that it is a financially stable one that you can count on. You can do this by getting the company’s insurance rating from one of the independent insurance ratings companies like Moody’s, A.M. Best or Weiss Ratings. If you are confident that the company is economically stable and will be around for a while and they offer you the best price, you may just have found the ideal Santa Fe car insurance policy for you.
Free Santa Fe Car Insurance Quotes
Get started now shopping around with our free quote tool to help you. Simply enter your zip code above and start comparing free Santa Fe auto insurance quotes today!