Have you had enough of being strong-armed each month for car insurance? You’re in the same situation as many other drivers. Lots of car insurance companies contend for your hard-earned dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to get the best price available.
It is always a good idea to do rate comparisons before your policy renews since insurance rates tend to go up over time. If you had the best deal for Cobalt coverage a year ago there may be better deals available now. So just ignore everything you know about insurance because we’re going to show you one of the easiest ways to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may find discounts that you may not even be aware of. Some discounts apply automatically when you get a quote, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about prior to getting the savings. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.
It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think you could get a free insurance coverage policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. But any discount will help reduce your overall premium however.
Companies that may have these discounts may include but are not limited to:
It’s a good idea to ask every prospective company which discounts they offer. Savings might not apply in your area.
Performing a rate comparison can be exhausting if you don’t utilize the most efficient way. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking to insurance companies in your area, or you can stay home and use the internet to maximize your effort.
Most car insurance companies belong to a marketplace where prospective buyers submit their information once, and every company returns a rated price determined by their information. This system prevents you from having to do quotation requests for each company you want a rate for. To get comparison pricing now click here (opens in new window).
One minor caviat to comparing rates this way is you can’t choose which insurance companies you want pricing from. So if you want to select individual companies to compare rates, we put together a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in your area. Click here to view list.
Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you’re using apples-to-apples coverage limits for each price quote. If you compare higher or lower deductibles then you won’t be able to find the best deal for your Chevy Cobalt.
Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether or not you will benefit from professional help.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.
Understanding the coverages of insurance aids in choosing which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find the normal coverages found on most insurance policies.
Comprehensive auto coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like hail damage, damage from getting keyed, fire damage, a broken windshield and falling objects. The maximum payout your insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Chevy Cobalt.
Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Most of the time these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for bills such as X-ray expenses, funeral costs, surgery, dental work and chiropractic care. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Collision protection
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against claims like hitting a mailbox, colliding with a tree and hitting a parking meter. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Liability car insurance
Liability insurance provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have limits of 100/300/100 that means you have a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL which limits claims to one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability can pay for things such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, medical services and structural damage. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.
You just read quite a bit of information on how to lower your 2010 Chevy Cobalt insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even discover the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like GEICO and State Farm.
Discount insurance is available from both online companies in addition to many insurance agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not provide online quoting and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.