8 Methods to Save on Chevy Silverado 1500 Insurance

Locating better insurance prices for a Chevy Silverado 1500 could be an all-consuming task, but you can use our car insurance buying tips to make it easier. There is a better way to find car insurance online so you’re going to learn the proper way to get price quotes for your Chevy and obtain the lowest possible price from local insurance agents and online providers.

It’s a good habit to check car insurance prices yearly due to the fact that insurance rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. If you had the best deal on Silverado insurance a few years ago a different company probably has better rates today. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re about to learn one of the best ways to find better coverage at a better price.

Choosing the best insurance company for you is easy if you know what you’re doing. Essentially everyone who buys car insurance most likely will be able to save money. Nevertheless, drivers must learn the way insurance companies market on the web.

Cheap Car Insurance Comparisons

The are a couple different ways of comparing rates from local car insurance companies. The best method to compare insurance prices consists of obtaining rate quotes online. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

The easiest and least time consuming way to get quotes for comparison would be an industry-wide quote request form (click to open form in new window). This easy form saves time by eliminating boring form submissions for each company you want a rate for. One form submission compares rates . Recommended for those who want to invest the least amount of time.
A more time consuming way to compare prices is spending the time to visit the website for every company you want to comare to complete a price quote. For examples sake, let’s assume you want rates from Allstate, Safeco and Progressive. To get each rate you have to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method.
For a list of links to insurance companies in your area, click here.
The least recommended way to compare rates is to spend time driving to different agent offices. The internet has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the personal advice only provided by licensed agents. You can, however, compare online quotes but still have the advice of a local agent. We’ll cover that shortly.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just make absolute certain that you use exactly the same coverages with every price quote. If you use unequal deductibles or liability limits then you won’t be able to make a fair comparison for your Chevy Silverado 1500. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits can make a big difference in price. And when price shopping your coverage, having more price comparisons will improve the odds of getting the best rates.

Do drivers who switch really save?

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO consistently run ads on television and other media. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you change to their company. But how can every company make almost identical claims?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a profitable customer might be profiled as between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has great credit. A driver who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Consumers who are not a match for these standards will be quoted higher premiums and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That is how companies can truthfully claim big savings. This emphasizes why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Discounts are great for lower rates

Car insurance companies don’t list all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the more common and the harder-to-find ways to save on car insurance.

Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house may trigger a car insurance policy discount because owning a home shows financial diligence.
Air Bag Discount – Cars that have air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts of up to 25% or more.
One Accident Forgiven – A few companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear for a particular time prior to the accident.
Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
Student Driver Training – Have your child enroll in driver’s education in high school.
Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.

Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.

Are insurance agents obsolete?

Certain consumers prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is you can get the best rates and still have an agent to talk to.

To find an agent, once you fill out this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is instantly submitted to companies who will return price quotes for your business. You don’t have to leave your house as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. You can find the lowest rates AND a local agent.

Deciding on a company shouldn’t rely on just the premium amount. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions: car insurance quote

Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
How are claims handled?
Do they make recommendations based only on price?
Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?

The difference between car insurance agents

When finding a local agent, you need to know there are two different types of agents from which to choose. Agents can either be independent (non-captive) or captive.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies can only write with one company such as State Farm, Allstate and AAA. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies are trained well in insurance sales which can be an advantage. Consumers often purchase coverage from captives mostly because of the brand legacy and solid financial strength.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company but instead can place your coverage with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you won’t have to switch agencies.

When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to include at least one independent agent for maximum quote selection. Many write coverage with different regional companies which can be an advantage.

To view a complete directory of agents, click here.

Upon receiving answers to your satisfaction to any questions you have in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that can insure your vehicles. Just keep in mind you can always cancel your coverage at any time so never assume that you’re stuck with any specific agency for the full term.

Educate yourself about car insurance coverages

Understanding the coverages of car insurance helps when choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Collision coverage

Collision coverage pays for damage to your Silverado 1500 caused by collision with another car or object. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as rolling your car, crashing into a ditch and colliding with a tree. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance

This coverage provides protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your Chevy Silverado 1500.

Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important.

Insurance for medical payments

Med pay and PIP coverage pay for expenses for things like prosthetic devices, ambulance fees, nursing services and chiropractic care. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as falling objects, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hail damage, hitting a bird and a broken windshield. The most your car insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Auto liability insurance

Liability coverage protects you from damage that occurs to a person or their property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see policy limits of 100/300/100 that means you have a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability coverage pays for things like emergency aid, pain and suffering, medical expenses, structural damage and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but buy higher limits if possible.

More quotes mean more savings

People leave their current company for a number of reasons such as questionable increases in premium, poor customer service, unfair underwriting practices and even policy cancellation. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company is not as difficult as it may seem.

When you buy insurance online, it’s not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Affordable Chevy Silverado 1500 insurance can be sourced both online and with local insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies do not offer online quoting and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.