Are you a victim of an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me when I say you’re not alone. Lots of insurance companies contend for your business, and because of this it can be hard to compare auto insurance companies to discover the definitive best rates possible.
Consumers need to do rate comparisons occasionally because prices are usually higher with each renewal. Even if you got the best price on Silverado insurance a year ago other companies may now be cheaper. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to one of the quickest ways to find great coverage at a great price.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Auto insurance companies don’t necessarily list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down some of the best known and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.
- Clubs and Organizations – Belonging to a professional or civic organization may earn a discount when buying car insurance on Silverado insurance.
- Sign Online – A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing online.
- Distant Student – Kids in college who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being on active duty in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
- Own a Home – Owning a home may trigger a car insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
- Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates on Silverado insurance than their less cautious counterparts.
- Discount for Good Grades – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up to age 25.
Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To choose providers who offer car insurance discounts, click here to view.
Do I need special coverages?
When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions could help you determine if your situation could use an agent’s help.
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Are rental cars covered under my policy?
- Are my friends covered when driving my Chevy Silverado 1500?
- What is the minimum liability in my state?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- Am I covered when driving a rental car?
- What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.
Neighborhood agents for car insurance
Some people would prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is just fine! Insurance agents can answer important questions and give you peace of mind. The best thing about price shopping on the web is you may find better rates but also keep your business local.
For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is transmitted to local insurance agents who will compete for your coverage. There is no reason to even leave your home as quotes are delivered directly to your email. How’s that for easy!
Selecting an insurer should depend on more than just the price. Some important questions to ask are:
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Are they full-time agents?
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in your state?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
The type of insurance agent you choose is important
When looking for a good insurance agent, there are a couple of different agency structures to choose from. Agents are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive. While both can write coverage properly, but it’s important to know the difference between them since it may influence the type of agent you choose
Captive Insurance Agents
This type of agents can only write with one company such as AAA, Allstate and State Farm. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agencies receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents are not locked into one company but rather can write business with lots of companies depending on which coverage is best. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. When shopping rates, you should always include several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from.
For a complete listing of insurance agents, visit this page.
After receiving answers to your satisfaction to any questions you have and locked in a price quote, it’s possible that you found an auto insurance agent that can service your policy.
Car insurance coverages 101
Learning about specific coverages of car insurance helps when choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. These are the usual coverages available from car insurance companies.
Coverage for medical expenses
Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses for dental work, doctor visits and funeral costs. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to you and your occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive car insurance
This will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as vandalism, hitting a bird, a broken windshield and damage from flooding. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Coverage for liability
Liability coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property by causing an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show policy limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers claims such as loss of income, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, court costs, medical services and medical expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as much as you can afford.
Coverage for collisions
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a building, damaging your car on a curb and rolling your car. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. You can also bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Chevy Silverado 1500.
Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked.
Best coverage at the best price
Low-cost Chevy Silverado 1500 insurance is definitely available from both online companies and with local insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies do not offer online quoting and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
In this article, we presented some good ideas how you can lower your Chevy Silverado 1500 insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the lowest rates come from an unexpected company. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive.