A recent survey discovered that most insurance policyholders have remained with the same insurance company for well over three years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never compared insurance rates at all. Many consumers in Pennsylvania could cut their rates by up to $686 a year just by shopping around, but they just feel it’s too hard to compare rates.
Really, the only way to get affordable Chevy Volt insurance is to start doing a yearly price comparison from providers in Pittsburgh.
- Step 1: Try to learn a little about what coverages are included in your policy and the measures you can control to prevent high rates. Many things that cause rate increases like speeding and a low credit score can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Step 2: Obtain price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can only give rate quotes from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can quote prices for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper price is available. If you can save money, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Provide notification to your current agent or company of your decision to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit a down payment along with a completed application to your new company or agent. Immediately store the proof of insurance paperwork with your registration paperwork.
A tip to remember is to try to use the same liability limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get price quotes from as many companies as possible. Doing this guarantees a fair rate comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
If you’re already insured or need new coverage, follow these tips to get lower rates without sacrificing coverage. Locating the best rates in Pittsburgh is not rocket science. Drivers just have to understand the fastest way to quote multiple rates online from multiple companies.
Don’t overlook these Chevy Volt insurance discounts
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize every discount available in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below gives a summary of some of the best known as well as the least known credits available to you.
- Home Ownership Discount – Being a homeowner can save you money since home ownership requires personal responsibility.
- Professional Memberships – Affiliation with qualifying clubs or civic groups could trigger savings when shopping for insurance.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
- Active Service Discounts – Being on active deployment in the military could trigger a small discount.
- Early Switch Discount – A few companies give discounts for buying a new policy before your current Volt insurance policy expires. Ten percent is about the average savings.
As is typical with insurance, some credits don’t apply to the whole policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
To choose companies who offer discounts in Pittsburgh, click here to view.
The providers in the list below offer price quotes in Pennsylvania. To find cheap auto insurance in Pittsburgh, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get the cheapest price.
Smart Choices Result in Lower Insurance Costs
Many factors are part of the equation when you get a price on insurance. Some are obvious like an MVR report, but other criteria are not as apparent such as your credit history or your vehicle rating. A large part of saving on insurance is knowing the different types of things that go into determining the level of your policy premiums. When you understand what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make educated decisions that may result in lower rates.
- Higher prices for insurance lapses – Having an insurance coverage lapse can be a guaranteed way to pay more for insurance. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance may result in fines or a revoked license. You may then be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Pennsylvania motor vehicle department.
- Youthful drivers cost more – Inexperience drivers are statistically proven to be inattentive when at the wheel of a vehicle so they pay higher insurance rates. More mature drivers are more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents, and are generally more financially stable.
- Single drivers take more risk – Your spouse can actually save you money compared to being single. It means you’re more mature and responsible and it’s proven that married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
- Too many policy claims drive up prices – Car insurance companies in Pennsylvania award cheaper rates to insureds who file claims infrequently. If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Auto insurance is intended for claims that pose a financial burden.
- Alarm systems save money – Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help lower your premiums. Theft prevention features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent auto theft and help lower rates.
- Where you live plays a part – Choosing to live in less populated areas of the country has it’s advantages when it comes to insurance. Fewer drivers and short commutes translates into fewer accident claims and lower theft and vandalism rates. People in densely populated areas have to deal with congested traffic and more time behind the wheel. More time behind the wheel means more chance of being in an accident.
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Chevy Volt insurance loss statistics – Insurance companies include the past claim history for a vehicle to calculate a rate that will offset losses. Models that are shown to have higher prevalence or dollar amount of losses will have a higher premium rate.
The table below outlines the loss history for Chevy Volt vehicles. For each insurance policy coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles, regardless of make, model or trim level, is a value of 100. Numbers below 100 suggest a positive loss record, while values over 100 indicate more frequent claims or larger claims.
Insurance Loss Ratings for Chevrolet Volt Vehicles Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Chevrolet Volt Electric 89 83 81 71 73 90 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEData Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Special considerations
When choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Every insured’s situation is different.
These are some specific questions may help you determine whether or not you may require specific advice.
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- Where can I find DUI or SR-22 insurance?
- What is an adequate liability insurance limit?
- Does coverage extend to Mexico or Canada?
- Why do I need rental car insurance?
- Do I need to call my car insurance company before buying a new car?
- Is my Chevy Volt covered if I use it for business?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.
When should I contact an insurance agency?
Certain consumers still prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Good agents can make sure you are properly covered and help submit paperwork. One of the best bonuses of comparing car insurance online is that you can find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent. And buying from neighborhood insurance agencies is especially important in Pittsburgh.
By using this form (opens in new window), your information is immediately sent to local insurance agents that can provide free Pittsburgh car insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact an agency because prices are sent immediately to you. If for some reason you want to compare rates from a specific company, just visit that company’s website and submit a quote form there.
Picking a insurance company shouldn’t rely on just the bottom line cost. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- How long has their agency been open in Pittsburgh?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies in Pittsburgh?
- How many years of experience in personal auto insurance do they have?
- Is the coverage adequate for your vehicle?
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
Three main reasons to buy insurance
Despite the high cost, insurance is required in Pennsylvania but it also protects you in many ways.
First, the majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires a minimum amount of liability protection in order to drive the car. In Pennsylvania these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if you have a lien on your car, it’s most likely the lender will require you to have full coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the lender may insure your Chevy at a much higher rate and force you to pay the higher premium.
Third, insurance protects your vehicle and your assets. It will also cover all forms of medical expenses incurred in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers legal expenses in the event you are sued. If you have damage to your Chevy as the result of the weather or an accident, your insurance policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of insuring your car definitely exceed the cost, especially when you need to use it. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying over $820 a year so we recommend shopping around at every policy renewal to make sure the price is not too high.
Don’t give up on cheap rates
In this article, we presented some good ideas how to reduce Chevy Volt insurance premium rates online in Pittsburgh. The key thing to remember is the more you quote Pittsburgh car insurance, the better your chances of lowering your prices. You may even be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company.
People switch companies for a variety of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, denial of a claim, lack of trust in their agent and even not issuing a premium refund. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new company can be pretty painless.
When trying to cut insurance costs, do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage at the best possible price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
Even more information can be read in these articles:
- Protecting Teens from Drunk Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Pittsburgh Auto Insurance for Homeowners? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Honda Civic in Pittsburgh? (FAQ)
- Medical Payments Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Auto Insurance Learning Center (State Farm)
- Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Institute)