Tired of paying out the nose to buy car insurance? You are no different than most other car owners.
Consumers have many insurers to pick from, and though it is a good thing to have a choice, it can be more challenging to compare rates.
Smart consumers take time to shop coverage around every six months because prices change regularly. Even if you got the best rates on Impala coverage six months ago other companies may now be cheaper. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding auto insurance on the web, but I’m going to show you the easiest ways to buy auto insurance cheaper.
Cheap Auto Insurance Comparisons
Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can take time and effort if you aren’t aware of the easiest way. You could spend the better part of a day talking to insurance agencies in your area, or you can utilize the web to maximize your effort.
Many of the larger companies enroll in a system that enables customers to enter their policy data once, and each company returns a competitive quote determined by their information. This eliminates the need for form submissions to each company.
To find out how much you can save on auto insurance click here to open in new window.
The one disadvantage to using this type of form is you cannot specify the insurers to get quotes from. If you prefer to choose from a list of companies to compare, we have a page of auto insurance companies in your area. View list of insurance companies.
However you get your quotes, ensure you’re using exactly the same deductibles and coverage limits for each price quote. If each company quotes different limits and deductibles on each one it will be next to impossible to truly determine the lowest rate. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits can result in a big premium difference. And when comparing auto insurance rates, know that comparing a large number of companies provides better odds of finding a lower rate.
Verify you’re getting all your discounts
Car insurance is not cheap, but you can get discounts that you may not even be aware of. Most are applied at the time you complete a quote, but some must be requested specifically in order for you to get them.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Good Students Pay Less – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- One Accident Forgiven – Certain companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims prior to the accident.
- Student Driver Training – Require your teen driver to successfully complete driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
- New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new car is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
- 55 and Retired – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive a discount up to 10% on Impala coverage.
- Defensive Driver – Taking part in a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Distant Student – Youth drivers who attend school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus can receive lower rates.
- Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles on your Chevy can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So when it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you’re out of luck. But any discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.
When should I talk to an agent?
When buying the right insurance coverage, there is no perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions may help you determine whether you may require specific advice.
- Is pleasure use cheaper than using my Chevy Impala to commute?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Does my Chevy Impala need full coverage?
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
- Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
Auto insurance coverages and their meanings
Understanding the coverages of a auto insurance policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find the normal coverages offered by auto insurance companies.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
This will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as fire damage, a broken windshield, falling objects and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Collision protection
Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision can pay for claims like colliding with a tree, sustaining damage from a pot hole, hitting a mailbox and colliding with another moving vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. It’s also possible to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.
Coverage for liability
Liability coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see policy limits of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability can pay for claims such as funeral expenses, emergency aid, repair costs for stationary objects, legal defense fees and bail bonds. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your Chevy Impala.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Normally the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Insurance for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for expenses for things like dental work, ambulance fees, pain medications and prosthetic devices. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Smart consumers save more
The cheapest Chevy Impala insurance can be purchased online as well as from independent agents, so compare prices from both to have the best selection. Some companies don’t offer online quoting and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
While you’re price shopping online, don’t be tempted to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, an insured dropped collision coverage and learned later that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.
You just read many ideas to save on Chevy Impala insurance. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest premiums are with some of the smallest insurance companies. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate or State Farm.