It takes a little time, but the best way to find more affordable auto insurance rates in Durham is to regularly compare quotes from different companies that insure vehicles in North Carolina. You can compare prices by following these guidelines.
First, gain an understanding of individual coverages and the modifications you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many things that result in higher rates like distracted driving and poor credit history can be eliminated by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Continue reading for additional ideas to find cheap prices and find additional discounts you may qualify for.
Second, quote rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can give quotes from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can quote rates for a wide range of insurance providers. View prices
Third, compare the price quotes to your existing coverage to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you can save money and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
The key thing to know about shopping around is to try to use the same amount of coverage on each price quote and and to get quotes from every insurance company. This ensures a fair price comparison and a better comparison of the market.
It’s safe to assume that auto insurance companies want to prevent you from shopping around. People who shop around for better prices are likely to move their business because of the high probability of finding a lower rate. A recent car insurance study revealed that consumers who routinely compared quotes saved as much as $850 each year compared to drivers who never shopped around for better prices.
If finding low prices for Nissan Murano insurance is your intention, then having a grasp of how to find companies and compare insurance rates can help you succeed in saving money.
Rates and detailed analysis
The price information displayed below covers a range of coverage costs for Nissan Murano models. Having a good understanding how insurance rates are established is important to be able to make decisions on which insurance to purchase.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murano S 2WD | $116 | $200 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $662 | $55 |
| Murano S AWD | $116 | $200 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $662 | $55 |
| Murano SL 2WD | $116 | $200 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $662 | $55 |
| Murano SL AWD | $116 | $200 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $662 | $55 |
| Murano LE 2WD | $130 | $236 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $712 | $59 |
| Murano LE AWD | $130 | $236 | $254 | $16 | $76 | $712 | $59 |
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Data variables include married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, and claim-free. Information does not factor in specific location which can raise or lower auto insurance rates greatly.
Policy deductibles
One of the more difficult decisions when buying insurance is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The rates below highlight the rate differences between high and low insurance deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $100 physical damage coverage deductible and the second data table uses a $500 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murano S 2WD | $214 | $386 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $963 | $80 |
| Murano S AWD | $214 | $386 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $963 | $80 |
| Murano SL 2WD | $214 | $386 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $963 | $80 |
| Murano SL AWD | $214 | $386 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $963 | $80 |
| Murano LE 2WD | $242 | $456 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $1,061 | $88 |
| Murano LE AWD | $242 | $456 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $1,061 | $88 |
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| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murano S 2WD | $156 | $262 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $756 | $63 |
| Murano S AWD | $156 | $262 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $756 | $63 |
| Murano SL 2WD | $156 | $262 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $756 | $63 |
| Murano SL AWD | $156 | $262 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $756 | $63 |
| Murano LE 2WD | $176 | $308 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $822 | $69 |
| Murano LE AWD | $176 | $308 | $250 | $14 | $74 | $822 | $69 |
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Premium data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and North Carolina minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Table data does not factor in zip code location which can raise or lower coverage rates significantly.
Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $100 deductible costs about $18 more each month or $216 for a full year averaged for all Murano models than buying the higher $500 deductible. Since you would pay $400 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you have more than 22 months between claim filings, you would probably be better off if you elect the higher deductible. The illustration below shows an example of how you can make this decision for your own policy.
| Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $83 |
| Average monthly premium for $500 deductibles (subtract): | – $65 |
| Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $18 |
| Difference between deductibles ($500 – $100): | $400 |
| Divide difference by monthly savings: | $400 / $18 |
| Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 22 months |
An important thing to remember is that a higher deductible level means you pay more out-of-pocket when you have a comprehensive or collision claim. That will require a higher level of savings in the event you need to pay the higher deductible.
The chart below demonstrates how deductible levels and can change Nissan Murano insurance rates for different ages of insureds. The costs are based on a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
Full coverage rates vs. liability-only
The example below illustrates the comparison of Nissan Murano car insurance costs with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The premiums are based on no claims or driving violations, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
When to stop buying full coverage
There is no specific rule of when to eliminate full coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
For example, let’s assume your Nissan Murano claim settlement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would receive is $2,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If premium cost is more than $200 a year for your policy with full coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
There are some conditions where dropping physical damage coverage is not advised. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to keep full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not consider dropping full coverage.
Smart Buyers Can Reduce Their Insurance Premiums
Lots of factors are considered when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable like an MVR report, although some other factors are not quite as obvious such as your credit history and annual miles driven. Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that come into play when calculating your policy premiums. If you know what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make good choices that may result in lower insurance prices.
Driving citations are costly – Whether or not you get tickets has a huge affect on how much you pay. Careful drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Getting just one moving violation can increase the cost of insurance by twenty percent. Drivers with severe violations like DUI or reckless driving may face state-mandated requirements to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.
The chart below shows how violations and accident claims can raise Nissan Murano car insurance costs for different insured age categories. The premiums are based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Liability protection is cheap – The liability section of your policy will provide protection if you are determined to be liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Your liability coverage provides you with a defense in court starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so insureds should have plenty of protection for their assets.
Safer the car lower the rate – Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. Safer cars help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your Nissan Murano is rated at least four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org it may cost less to insure.
Responsible credit saves on insurance – Credit score is a large factor in determining what you pay. Insureds that have excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with lower credit scores. If your credit history is not that good, you may save money insuring your Nissan Murano by spending a little time repairing your credit.
Nissan Murano claim probability – Companies factor in historical loss data to calculate a rate that will offset any claims. Models that have higher claim amounts or frequency will cost more for coverage. The next table illustrates the insurance loss data for Nissan Murano vehicles.
For each insurance policy coverage type, the claim amount for all vehicles, regardless of make, model or trim level, is considered to be 100. Numbers shown that are under 100 suggest losses that are better than average, while values over 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or statistically larger losses.
| Vehicle Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Murano 4dr 2WD | 79 | 105 | ||||
| Nissan Murano 4dr 4WD | 102 | 66 | 98 | 84 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Durham car insurance companies ranked
Picking the top insurer can be difficult considering how many choices there are in Durham. The company information shown next can help you decide which auto insurance companies you want to consider when comparing rate quotes.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travelers | 93 | 98 | 99 | 88% | A++ | 95.1 |
| USAA | 83 | 99 | 100 | 91% | A++ | 94.1 |
| AAA Insurance | 91 | 95 | 92 | 90% | A | 93.3 |
| Nationwide | 85 | 95 | 97 | 89% | A+ | 92.4 |
| Allstate | 77 | 100 | 97 | 88% | A+ | 90.7 |
| State Farm | 80 | 94 | 96 | 88% | A++ | 90.6 |
| The Hartford | 88 | 93 | 91 | 87% | A+ | 90.4 |
| Safeco Insurance | 91 | 95 | 85 | 88% | A | 90.2 |
| Progressive | 88 | 94 | 83 | 88% | A+ | 90.1 |
| American Family | 91 | 86 | 95 | 83% | A | 89.7 |
| Esurance | 86 | 90 | 94 | 90% | A+ | 89.5 |
| The General | 86 | 93 | 89 | 84% | A- | 88.2 |
| GEICO | 79 | 89 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 87.8 |
| Titan Insurance | 86 | 82 | 92 | 86% | A+ | 86.5 |
| 21st Century | 86 | 82 | 90 | 84% | A | 86.4 |
| Liberty Mutual | 79 | 87 | 95 | 78% | A | 85.3 |
| Farmers Insurance | 77 | 80 | 80 | 84% | A | 80.3 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
Cover all your bases
As you restructure your insurance plan, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where an insured dropped full coverage only to find out that the savings was not a smart move. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, but do not skimp to save money.
Some insurance providers may not provide the ability to get a quote online and these smaller companies only sell coverage through independent agents. Discount Nissan Murano insurance is possible from both online companies and from local insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection.
We covered a lot of ways to find cheap Nissan Murano insurance in Durham. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the better likelihood of getting inexpensive Durham auto insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from an unexpected company.
For more information, take a look at these articles:
- Young Drivers: The High Risk Years Video (iihs.org)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for Safe Drivers in Durham? (FAQ)
- Eight Auto Insurance Myths (Insurance Information Institute)
- Collision Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Older Drivers FAQ (iihs.org)