Better Strategies to Lowering Your Chevy Volt Insurance Rates

Nobody I know cherishes buying car insurance, in particular when the price is too high. Big-name insurance companies like Progressive, GEICO and Farmers Insurance constantly bombard you with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

Save money by taking advantage of these discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t list every available discount very clearly, so we researched both the well known and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using. If you’re not getting every credit available, you are throwing money away.

• Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off for Volt insurance with a few car insurance companies.
• Defensive Driving Course – Taking part in a defensive driving course could save 5% or more depending on where you live.
• Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
• Military Discounts – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
• Sign Early and Save – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up prior to your current policy expiring. It can save you around 10%.
• Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates for Volt insurance than drivers with accidents.
• Braking Control Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.

It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck.

For a list of insurance companies with discount car insurance rates, click here to view.

Chevy Volt rate determination is complex

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with better car insurance rates.

• Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. Safer cars protect occupants better and fewer injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates. If your Chevy Volt earned at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website you are probably receiving a discount.
• Do you need those extra coverages? – There are a lot of extra coverages you can purchase on your car insurance policy. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage and membership fees are examples of these. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so eliminate them to save money.
• Special features that cut premiums – Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder car theft.
• Never let your coverage lapse – Driving your car without having proper coverage is a misdemeanor and your next policy will cost more because you let your insurance expire. Not only will rates go up, but not being able to provide proof of insurance may earn you a steep fine or even jail time.
• Pleasure use saves money – The more miles you rack up on your Chevy every year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on how the vehicle is used. Cars that are left in the garage get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. Verify your car insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven. Incorrect usage on your Volt can cost quite a bit.
• Sex matters – The statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women are in accidents in similar percentages, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI. Youthful male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive car insurance rates.
• Multi-policy discounts can save money – The majority of insurance companies will award you with lower prices to policyholders who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount you still need to shop around to ensure the best deal.
• A clean driving record saves money – A bad driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Even one citation may increase your cost by twenty percent. Drivers with clean records have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. If you have dangerous violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions might help in determining whether your personal situation may require specific advice.

• Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
• Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
• Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
• What is the minimum liability in my state?
• Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
• Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
• Will my rates increase for filing one claim?

If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.

Are insurance agents a thing of the past?

Some people prefer to talk to a local agent and that is just fine! Licensed agents can answer important questions and help submit paperwork. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you may find the best rates but also keep your business local.

After filling out this quick form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to participating agents who will return price quotes to get your business. There is no reason to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. Now that’s easy!

Selecting a company requires more thought than just the premium amount. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
• What insurance companies do they work with?
• How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
• Is working in the agency their full-time job?
• If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
• Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
• Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
• Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?

If you wish to contact a specific insurance agent in your state, visit this site.

After getting good answers for all questions you ask as well as a affordable price, you have narrowed it down to an insurer that can adequately provide car insurance.

Do drivers who switch really save?

Consumers can’t ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance by State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies say the same thing that you can save if you change to their company.

How do they all claim to save you money?

Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk could be over the age of 40, owns a home, and has a high credit rating. A driver that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential insureds who don’t measure up to this ideal profile will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently make those claims. Because of the profiling, you should get as many quotes as possible. Because you never know which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Smart consumers save more

We covered a lot of tips how to get a better price on Chevy Volt insurance. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from the least-expected company. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.

When buying insurance coverage, never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.