It’s an obvious conclusion that auto insurance companies don’t want their policyholders to compare prices. Drivers who compare rates once a year will presumably buy a new policy because there is a significant possibility of finding a cheaper policy. A recent survey discovered that consumers who shopped around annually saved over $70 a month compared to drivers who never shopped for cheaper rates.
If finding low prices for auto insurance is why you’re here, learning how to shop and compare car insurance can help make the process easier and more efficient.
If you want to save money, the best way to find the cheapest price for Cadillac CTS insurance in New Orleans is to compare quotes annually from insurance carriers who sell auto insurance in Louisiana. Rates can be compared by following these steps.
First, read and learn about the coverage provided by your policy and the measures you can control to keep rates low. Many rating factors that result in higher rates like at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and a less-than-favorable credit score can be remedied by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
Second, request price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide prices from multiple sources. Start a quote
Third, compare the quotes to the price on your current policy to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you find a lower rate and buy the policy, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
Fourth, give notification to your current company to cancel the current policy and submit the application along with any required down payment for the new policy. Once coverage is bound, keep your new proof of insurance certificate with your registration paperwork.
A tip to remember is to use the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote and and to get rate quotes from every company you can. This helps ensure an apples-to-apples comparison and a complete rate analysis.
Just remember that getting more free quotes increases the chance that you will find the best rates. Some companies don’t provide price estimates online, so you need to compare prices from them, too.
The following companies offer price quotes in New Orleans, LA. To find cheap auto insurance in New Orleans, it’s highly recommended you visit several of them to get the most competitive price.
Car insurance statistics for a Cadillac CTS
The premium table displayed next outlines estimates of insurance premium costs for Cadillac CTS models. Having a good understanding how insurance policy rates are formulated can be valuable when making smart choices when comparing insurance rates.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CTS AWD | $316 | $650 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,786 | $149 |
CTS | $316 | $650 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,786 | $149 |
CTS Luxury AWD | $316 | $748 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,884 | $157 |
CTS Performance AWD | $316 | $748 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,884 | $157 |
CTS Luxury | $316 | $748 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,884 | $157 |
CTS Performance | $316 | $748 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,884 | $157 |
CTS Sport | $316 | $748 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,884 | $157 |
CTS Premium | $352 | $748 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,920 | $160 |
CTS Premium AWD | $352 | $748 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,920 | $160 |
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Data variables include single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Louisiana minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, claim-free, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Table data does not factor in vehicle location which can influence price quotes substantially.
Comparison of policy deductibles
One of the hardest decisions when shopping for car insurance is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The comparison tables below can help you understand the rate fluctuation when you select higher and lower comp and collision deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $100 deductible for comp and collision and the second price grid uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
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CTS AWD | $452 | $850 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $1,959 | $163 |
CTS | $452 | $850 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $1,959 | $163 |
CTS Luxury AWD | $452 | $980 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $2,089 | $174 |
CTS Performance AWD | $452 | $980 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $2,089 | $174 |
CTS Luxury | $452 | $980 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $2,089 | $174 |
CTS Performance | $452 | $980 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $2,089 | $174 |
CTS Sport | $452 | $980 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $2,089 | $174 |
CTS Premium | $502 | $980 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $2,139 | $178 |
CTS Premium AWD | $502 | $980 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $2,139 | $178 |
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Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CTS AWD | $250 | $448 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $1,330 | $111 |
CTS | $250 | $448 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $1,330 | $111 |
CTS Luxury AWD | $250 | $516 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $1,398 | $117 |
CTS Performance AWD | $250 | $516 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $1,398 | $117 |
CTS Luxury | $250 | $516 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $1,398 | $117 |
CTS Performance | $250 | $516 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $1,398 | $117 |
CTS Sport | $250 | $516 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $1,398 | $117 |
CTS Premium | $278 | $516 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $1,426 | $119 |
CTS Premium AWD | $278 | $516 | $464 | $28 | $140 | $1,426 | $119 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Louisiana minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, multi-policy, and homeowner. Rate quotes do not factor in specific location which can revise premiums noticeably.
Based on the data above, we can derive that using a $100 deductible would cost the average driver about $56 more each month or $672 a year averaged for all CTS models than requesting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $900 more to settle a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to average at least 16 months between claims, you would probably be better off if you choose the higher deductible.
Responsible drivers pay cheaper New Orleans car insurance rates
The diagram below highlights how speeding tickets and at-fault collisions can drive up Cadillac CTS car insurance costs for different age groups. The rates are based on a married male driver, full coverage, $250 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Cost of full coverage
The diagram below shows the comparison of Cadillac CTS insurance premiums with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The data assumes no violations or claims, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are applied.
Guidelines for dropping full coverage
There is no definitive formula to eliminate physical damage insurance, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is about 10% or more of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s say your Cadillac CTS claim settlement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, you would only receive $8,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are paying in excess of $800 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
There are some cases where dropping full coverage is not advised. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to maintain full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest in the vehicle. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not opt for liability only.
Three reasons to insure your Cadillac CTS
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Cadillac CTS in New Orleans, buying insurance serves several important purposes.
- Almost all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific minimum amount of liability insurance coverage if you don’t want to risk a ticket. In Louisiana these limits are 15/30/25 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your Cadillac has a loan, almost all lenders will require you to have insurance to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Cadillac at a much higher premium rate and force you to pay for the expensive policy.
- Insurance protects your vehicle and your assets. It will also pay for medical bills for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers legal expenses if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your Cadillac gets damaged, your insurance policy will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of having insurance more than cancel out the cost, particularly for liability claims. The average driver in Louisiana is wasting up to $855 a year so you should quote your policy with other companies once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are inline.
Cadillac CTS Insurance Price Factors
Multiple criteria are used when quoting car insurance. Some are pretty understandable like a motor vehicle report, but other criteria are more transparent such as whether you are married or how safe your car is. Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the factors that aid in calculating your car insurance rates. When consumers understand what impacts premium levels, this enables you to make decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” car insurance companies consider when setting your prices.
- High comp and collision deductibles equal low rates – Your deductibles are how much you are required to pay if a covered claim is submitted. Protection for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of some claims that would be covered are colliding with a stationary object, fire damage, and damage from wind. The more damage repair cost you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the less your company will charge you for insurance.
- Drive less and get lower premiums – The more you drive in a year the more it will cost to insure it. The majority of insurers charge rates determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage receive lower rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Having the wrong rating on your CTS may be wasting your money. Verify your policy properly reflects the correct usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Car plus home equals more savings – Most major insurers apply a discount for people who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Discounts can be as much as ten percent or more Even with this discount applied, you still need to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.There is a good possibility that you can save more without the discount even if you insure with multiple companies
- High credit rating translates to low prices – A driver’s credit rating factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Therefore, if your credit history could use some work, you could be paying less to insure your Cadillac CTS by repairing your credit. Insureds with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than drivers with poor credit.
- Having a spouse reduces risk – Walking down the aisle helps lower the price on your policy. It usually means you are more mature than a single person and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
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Which gender costs less? – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. They both cause accidents at about the same rate, but the men tend to have higher claims. In addition to higher claims, males also receive more major tickets like DUI and reckless driving.
The diagram below shows the difference between Cadillac CTS yearly insurance costs for male and female drivers. The costs are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
- Prevent coverage lapses – Not having insurance is a big no-no and companies may charge more for letting your coverage cancel without a new policy in place. In addition to paying higher premiums, the inability to provide proof of insurance can result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license. You will then be forced to file a SR-22 with the Louisiana motor vehicle department.
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Cadillac CTS claim statistics – Insurance companies take into consideration historical loss data for every vehicle to help calculate premium prices. Models that historically have high amounts or severity of claims will cost more to insure. The table below illustrates the insurance loss data used by companies for Cadillac CTS vehicles.
For each insurance policy coverage type, the claim amount for all vehicles, regardless of make or model, is represented as 100. Values that are under 100 represent a good loss history, while percentages above 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or a tendency for claims to be larger.
Cadillac CTS Insurance Claim Statistics Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Cadillac CTS 4dr 2WD 123 72 118 73 Cadillac CTS 4dr 4WD 127 75 98 75 Cadillac CTS-V 2dr 174 74 135 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Lower-cost New Orleans auto insurance rates with discounts
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there may be some discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of purchase, but some discounts are required to be asked about before you get the savings.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars with ABS braking systems or traction control can stop better under adverse conditions and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Discounts for Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government could provide a small rate reduction but check with your company.
- Low Mileage – Maintaining low annual mileage may allow you to get substantially lower rates.
- Senior Citizen Rates – If you’re over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
- Professional Memberships – Being in qualifying employment or professional organizations can get you a small discount when getting a New Orleans auto insurance quote.
- Theft Deterrent System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are less likely to be stolen and that can save you a little bit as well.
- First Accident Forgiveness – This one is not really a discount per se, but a few companies such as GEICO and Allstate permit an accident without getting socked with a rate hike if you are claim-free for a set time period.
- Active Military Service – Having a family member in the military could qualify you for better rates.
- College Student Discount – Older children who are attending college and do not take a car to college may be insured at a cheaper rate.
It’s important to note that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it’s just not the way it works. But any discount should definitely cut your policy premiums.
The diagram below illustrates the comparison of Cadillac CTS premium costs with and without some available policy discounts. The information is based on a female driver, a clean driving record, no claims, Louisiana state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, marriage, multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, and claim-free discounts applied.
The best auto insurance companies and the discounts they provide are detailed below.
- Farm Bureau may have discounts that include driver training, youthful driver, multi-vehicle, renewal discount, and multi-policy.
- State Farm offers discounts including good driver, passive restraint, Drive Safe & Save, accident-free, and defensive driving training.
- Progressive has discounts for multi-vehicle, good student, homeowner, continuous coverage, and multi-policy.
- Allstate policyholders can earn discounts including premier discount, resident student, utility vehicle, new car, and passive restraint.
- Nationwide offers premium reductions for Farm Bureau membership, accident-free, anti-theft, business or organization, and multi-policy.
- MetLife may include discounts for good driver, defensive driver, good student, accident-free, and claim-free.
When getting free New Orleans auto insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to every company what discounts are available to you. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered in New Orleans. If you would like to see a list of insurance companies who offer online Cadillac CTS insurance quotes in New Orleans, click here.
Everyone needs different auto insurance coverages
When it comes to buying your policy, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed.
For example, these questions can help discover whether you may require specific advice.
- How much liability do I need to cover my assets?
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- What is UM/UIM insurance?
- How much can I save by bundling my policies?
- When should I have rental car coverage?
- How can I get my company to pay me more for my totaled car?
- Do I pay less for low miles?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
Independent versus exclusive insurance agents
A small number of people just prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that can be a great decision One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is that you can find cheap rate quotes and also buy local.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to companies in New Orleans that can give you free New Orleans auto insurance quotes for your coverage. You never need to do any legwork because quoted prices will be sent to you instantly. You can find the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with. If you need to get a price quote from one company in particular, feel free to go to their quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding the right provider should depend on more than just a cheap price quote. Some important questions to ask are:
- Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?
- Can you use your own choice of collision repair facility?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- How much training do they have in personal risk management?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in New Orleans?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
Pick the best car insurance agent in New Orleans for you
When looking for a reliable insurance agency, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents and how they can service your needs differently. Agencies in New Orleans are considered either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies
Exclusive insurance agents can only place business with one company such as Allstate and State Farm. Exclusive agencies are unable to place coverage with different providers so they really need to provide good service. They are well schooled in insurance sales and that allows them to sell at a higher price point. Consumers often use the same exclusive agent partially due to the brand name rather than having the cheapest rates.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive agents in New Orleans willing to provide comparison quotes.
- Wayne Leone – State Farm Insurance Agent
1701 S Carrollton Ave – New Orleans, LA 70118 – (504) 865-1101 – View Map - Carl Mixon – State Farm Insurance Agent
4716 Canal St – New Orleans, LA 70119 – (504) 482-7897 – View Map - LeMoine Robinson – State Farm Insurance Agent
4747 Earhart Blvd a – New Orleans, LA 70125 – (504) 218-4420 – View Map
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These type of agents often have many company appointments and that gives them the ability to insure amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply move the coverage in-house which requires no work on your part. If you are comparing rate quotes, you need to get quotes from a couple of independent agencies to have the best price comparison. Most also write with small regional insurance companies which can be an advantage.
The following is a list of independent insurance agencies in New Orleans that can give you price quotes.
- First Insurance, Inc.
First Bank and Trust Building, 909 Poydras St #2260 – New Orleans, LA 70112 – (504) 322-4927 – View Map - Lovecchio Insurance
1510 Robert E Lee Blvd – New Orleans, LA 70122 – (504) 284-7778 – View Map - Pat Leboeuf Insurance
601 Seguin St – New Orleans, LA 70114 – (504) 361-4600 – View Map
Car insurance savings summarized
When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many instances, an insured cut physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest cost, not the least amount of coverage.
The cheapest Cadillac CTS insurance in New Orleans is attainable on the web in addition to many New Orleans insurance agents, so you need to quote New Orleans auto insurance with both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who do not offer internet price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.
More tips and info about car insurance is available in the articles below:
- Can I Drive Legally without Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for a Subaru Outback in New Orleans? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest New Orleans Auto Insurance for Postal Workers? (FAQ)
- Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Higher speed limits cause more fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Speed and Speed Limit FAQ (iihs.org)