According to AOL Autos data, the average market price for a new 2009 Nissan Altima costs an average US$21,513. Some Altima models are priced as high as $25,604 while others sell for as low as $17,421.
The AOL Autos website lists an average sticker price of $15,380 for a 2009 Nissan Sentra, ranging from $12,857 to $17,903.
These are U.S. national averages. Consumers can expect wide fluctuations in market prices depending on the state or province where a vehicle is sold. Of course, higher-end models with more sophisticated features will cost more than those with basic features.
This analysis focuses on the average annual auto insurance rates for the generally higher priced Nissan Altima versus its generally more economical cousin the Nissan Sentra.
The consumer education department at Insurance.com provided insurance quote data to the author for Nissan vehicles made in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The U.S. national average statistics presented below were calculated using single-driver quotes during the first 2 quarters of 2009.
Averages shown are based on the average low and high rates from over a dozen competitive auto insurers whose premiums consumers can compare via the Insurance.com website.
Nissan Auto Insurance Premiums
Even though the 4-door Nissan Sentra sedan carries an average sticker price 40% lower than the 5-passenger Nissan Altima, the average quoted premium for the Sentra during the first 2 quarters of 2009 was 21.8% higher than that for the more expensive Altima.
- Nissan Sentra … US$3,059 average annual premium (down 6.6% from 2008)
- Nissan Altima … $2,511 (down 7.1%).
Both the Nissan Sentra and Altima received 5 stars (out of 5) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on the NHTSA driver and passenger frontal crash tests.
Auto insurance companies base their car insurance rates on a complex array of accident statistics, claims histories as well as vehicle factors and driver profiles. For example, if the Sentra has an ongoing history of expensive claims from an above-average number of collisions then this could explain Sentra’s higher car insurance rates.
Potential Insurance Savings for Sentra and Altima
During 2009’s first 2 quarters, the highest average quote from participating insurance companies for a Nissan Sentra almost doubled the lowest average quote.
- Nissan Sentra … US$2,347 to $4,369 average annual premium (86.2% difference)
- Nissan Altima … $1,961 to $3,522 (79.6%).
Nissan Sentra drivers received premium quotes that varied by up to $2,022 per year – an amount equal to almost 13.1% of a Sentra’s $21,513 average sticker price.
Nissan Altima owners saw a range of quotes that differed by $1,561 annually – a variance that represents 7.3% of an Altima’s $15,380 average market price.
Shopping for Lowest Vehicle and Insurance Prices
Consumers are uncovering maximum savings by researching both the lowest possible prices for a Nissan vehicle bundled with a comparison of competitive auto insurance rates for their desired vehicles.
Saving as much as $8,000 on the purchase price of a Nissan vehicle plus another $1,500 by comparing competitive auto insurance quotes can amount to nearly $10,000 in savings.
In the current tough economic climate, shopping around for the best automobile and insurance prices can be among the most profitable investments of time that consumers can make.
Sources
This article presents copyrighted data provided to the author by Insurance.com , a leading provider of online comparative insurance quotes. Insurance.com is dedicated to educating consumers, with a website that showcases the latest business intelligence technology.
Daniel Workman - A senior business and finance writer who also does French translations, notably international trade and insurance materials.
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