How to Find the Most Affordable Car Insurance in Nebraska

In Nebraska, the average cost of car insurance is $1,184 per year, which is 17 percent less than the national average. Here is one instance where being below average is a nice place to be. But there is always room for improvement and even lower auto insurance rates. We’ll discuss tips and strategies for saving money on car insurance later, but first let’s take a closer look at car insurance in the Cornhusker State.

State Minimum Liability Requirements

If you ever cause an auto crash, liability insurance pays for the other people’s injuries and property damage, up to your liability limit. Each state has minimum liability requirements for the drivers in their state.

In Nebraska, the state minimum liability requirements are $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident and $25,000 property damage per accident.

The average annual cost of this minimum liability coverage costs $422 per year.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Nebraska law requires drivers to carry uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in the amounts of $25,000 bodily injury per person and $50,000 bodily injury per accident.

Uninsured motorist coverage helps pay for damages caused by a driver who doesn’t have insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage protects you in the event of an accident where the other party is at fault and doesn’t carry enough insurance.

Nebraska Is an At-fault State

When it comes to auto insurance, Nebraska is an at-fault state. This means Nebraska drivers are responsible for any damage they cause to another vehicle. It is an insurance adjuster who determines who is at fault in an accident. They are also required to carry PIP, Personal Injury Protection insurance.

Find an Affordable Car Insurance in Nebraska

A Fuller More Comprehensive Policy Costs More

In Nebraska, an auto insurance policy with collision coverage and comprehensive coverage and $1,000 deductibles costs an average of $998 per year.

Collision auto insurance is insurance coverage that helps to replace or repair your car if it is damaged in an at-fault accident with another vehicle or object such as a tree or a fence.

Comprehensive auto insurance covers events not covered by collision coverage. These events include vandalism, fire and theft and damages from weather such as a windstorm, a hailstorm, a tornado and a hurricane.

Both collision coverage and comprehensive coverage require deductibles. A deductible is the amount you need to pay before your auto insurance company begins to pay for damages to your car or losses. Choosing a high deductible is one way to save money on your car insurance premium. If you have a loan on your car, your lender may require that you carry both collision coverage and comprehensive coverage.

Cities with the Cheapest and the Most Expensive Car Insurance

In Nebraska, the city with the cheapest car insurance is Columbus. The most expensive car insurance is found in Scottsbluff.

Columbus is the most highly industrial city in the state of Nebraska, with manufacturing supplying many jobs. Scottsbluff is located in the western part of Nebraska and is the largest city in the Nebraska Panhandle.

How to Save Money on Car Insurance

There are all kinds of tips and strategies that can trim an auto insurance premium. Let’s get to them.

Be a married driver. If you are married, you will pay less for car insurance. There is a correlation between being married and exhibiting safe driving behavior. Because of this, married drivers pay less for car insurance than singles. In Nebraska, married drivers save $101 per year on their car insurance.

Build good credit. Looking for ways to lower your auto insurance premium? Increase your credit score. Insurance companies have been using consumer credit data to assign risk pools and set insurance rates since the mid-1990s. If you have good or excellent credit you’ll pay much less for your car insurance than someone with bad credit. In Nebraska, a driver with excellent credit saves an average of $1,014 per year on car insurance premiums compared with a driver with bad credit. Need to boost your credit? Get all past due accounts current, pay down debt and avoid taking on new debt. Also get in the habit of paying all your current credit bills on-time. This will help you to build a positive payment history, which is good for your credit score.

Be a responsible driver. Following the rules of the road and being a safe and responsible driver will save you money on your car insurance premium. In Nebraska, drivers without a recent traffic ticket save 14 percent on their car insurance premium. But if you break the rules things get real expensive real quick. In Nebraska, car insurance premiums increase by 39 percent after a DUI, 32 percent after an at-fault accident and 14 percent after a speeding ticket. So follow the rules of the road and save money. If you have been a good driver be sure to reach out to your auto insurance company and ask for a good driver discount. You’ve earned it with your safe driving behavior out on the road.

Try bundling. Bundle your auto insurance policy with another insurance policy such as a homeowners insurance and save money.

Snatch up a multi-car discount. Got more than one car to insure? Insure your cars with the same company and scoop up a multi-car discount.

Pay less often and save. Rather than paying monthly auto insurance bills, pay the entire annual amount or six-months amount. Your premium is lower when you pay just once or twice a year.

Insure less on that older car. The maximum payout for collision coverage and comprehensive coverage is limited by the value of the car. So if that older car has a low market value, it may not make financial sense to carry collision coverage and comprehensive coverage any longer.

Check out memberships. Members of some professional organizations and affiliate groups get discounts on car insurance. Do any of your memberships apply? Check them with your car insurance company. It could save you money.

Check safety features. Having certain anti-theft and safety features on a car will lower your car insurance premium. So check your car’s features with your car insurance company. You may be owed a discount.

Be a lady driver. Women make fewer accident claims than men and are rewarded with lower auto insurance rates. Men make more insurance claims and pay more.

Look for discounts. The good driver discount has already been mentioned. But there are discounts for veterans and students as well. So if you qualify be sure to reach out to your auto insurance company.

Opt for a high deductible. Choose a high deductible and you will save money on your auto insurance premium. Just be sure to put the deductible amount in a small emergency fund. This way the money will be there should you need it to make an insurance claim.

Maintain that coverage. You’ll pay higher insurance rates if you don’t maintain continuous coverage of your auto insurance. So stick with your auto insurance coverage and save money.

Be a low miles driver. Rather than being a heavy commuter and racking up the miles, drive less. Being a low-mileage driver will save you money on your car insurance.

Check your age. Drivers who are younger than 25 and older than 65 have more serious accidents and pay more for car insurance. Drivers of the ages in-between pay less.

Choose safety. If you live in a neighborhood with high accident claims and auto theft, you are going to pay more for car insurance. If you live in a neighborhood with few accident claims and low crime, you will pay less for car insurance. So choose a safe neighborhood and save money.

Own your own home. Statistics show that people who own homes drive more safely. So let your insurance company know that you own your home and enjoy the savings on your auto insurance premium.

Shop around. One of the best ways to save money on car insurance is to shop around. Don’t take the first quote, take many! You will want to round up several different insurance quotes from different companies.

SmartFinancial makes buying car insurance easy to do. Just enter your zip code below to get started. Next, answer a few, quick questions and you’ll be comparing car insurance rates in Nebraska in no time. SmartFinancial has access to more than 200 insurance companies so you are bound to find the insurance coverage and price that you want. So shop smart for insurance and drive safely in the Cornhusker State.