How Much Does 2008 Chevrolet HHR Insurance Cost?

Nobody that owns a car likes buying insurance, particularly when they are paying too much.

Since you have so many different company options, it can be diffult for drivers to find the best insurance company.

Compare quotes for insurance

To get affordable insurance coverage quotes, there a variety of ways to get quotes from companies that offer insurance in your state. The recommended way to find the cheapest 2008 Chevy HHR insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This can be done using a couple different methods.

  • If you don’t have a lot of time, the easiest way to find the lowest comparison rates would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This style of form saves time by eliminating separate forms to each individual insurance company. Taking the time to complete one form will return price quotes from many national carriers.
  • A different way to compare prices requires a trip to the website for every company you want to comare and fill out a new quote form. For examples sake, let’s say you want comparison quotes from USAA, 21st Century and Allstate. You would need to take the time to go to each site and repeatedly type in your coverage information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.

    For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.

  • The most difficult way to shop rates to different agent offices. Comparing rate quotes online has reduced the need for local agents unless you have a complicated situation and need the personal advice of an agent trained in personal lines coverage. Although, it is possible get the lowest quotes online and still use a local agent.

The approach you take is up to you, just be sure to compare exactly the same quote data with every price quote. If you enter different data it’s impossible to make an equal comparison. Just slight variations in limits can make a big difference in price. Keep in mind that more quotes gives you a better chance of getting the best offered rates.

Do drivers who switch really save?

Big name companies like Geico, State Farm and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all seem to convey the message that people will save just by switching your coverage to them. But how can every company charge you less for auto insurance?

Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a profitable customer could be over age 30, insures multiple vehicles, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured that fits those parameters will qualify for the lowest prices and have a good chance to save quite a bit of money when switching.

Insureds who do not fit the “perfect” profile may be forced to pay a higher premium and ends up with the prospect going elsewhere. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “people who switch” not “everyone who quotes” save that much when switching. This is how insurance companies can claim big savings. Because of these techniques, you need to get as many free insurance coverage quotes as possible. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will give you lower rates than your current company.

Why smart buyers pay less for Chevy HHR insurance

When buying insurance coverage it’s important to understand the rating factors that aid in calculating your policy premiums. When you understand what impacts premium levels, this enables you to make decisions that will entitle you to big savings.

Shown below are a few of the things used by companies to determine your rates.

  • Save money by eliminating add-on coverages – Insurance policies have a lot of add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you don’t pay attention. Insurance for personal injury protection, high-cost glass coverage, and motor club memberships could be just wasting money. They may sound like good ideas when deciding what coverages you need, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
  • Vehicles with better crash test results are cheaper to insure – Cars with five star safety ratings can get you lower premiums. These vehicles help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
  • Certain occupations raise premiums – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for insurance coverage? Careers such as doctors, architects and medical professionals tend to pay the highest rates due to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent away from family. On the flip side, jobs such as professors, students and retirees pay lower than average rates on HHR coverage.
  • File claims and pay more – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Companies generally give most affordable rates to people who are claim-free. Insurance coverage is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Teenagers vs. experienced drivers – Youthful drivers are statistically proven to be less responsible behind the wheel so they pay higher insurance coverage rates. Having to add a beginning driver onto your insurance coverage can be very expensive. Older people tend to be more responsible, are lower risk to insure and receive fewer citations.
  • Insurance coverage policy lapses increase insurance coverage rates – Having a gap between insurance policy dates is a sure-fire way to drive up your policy premiums. Not only will you pay more, failure to provide proof of insurance may result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license. You may then have to file a SR-22 with your state motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
  • Do females or males drive better? – Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. Now that doesn’t mean males are worse at driving than females. Males and females tend to get into auto accidents in similar numbers, but the men tend to have higher claims. They also get higher numbers of serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving. Male teenagers are the most expensive to insure so they pay the highest premiums.

Lower rate quotes by taking advantage of discounts

Some companies don’t necessarily list every disount available very well, so we researched some of the best known and also the more inconspicuous discounts that you can inquire about if you buy insurance coverage online.

  • Multiple Policy Discount – If you can bundle your home and auto insurance and insure them with the same company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
  • Savings for New Vehicles – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper because newer vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • Defensive Driving Course – Taking time to complete a course in safe driver could save 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
  • Accident Forgiveness – Not a discount per se, but some companies like Allstate, State Farm and Geico will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you have no claims prior to being involved in the accident.
  • Drivers Ed for Students – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers take driver’s ed class as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
  • Discount for Home Ownership – Just being a homeowner can get you a discount since home ownership requires personal responsibility.
  • Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
  • No Claim Discounts – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims can earn big discounts as opposed to drivers with a long claim history.
  • More Vehicles More Savings – Buying coverage for more than one vehicle on one policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
  • ABS Brakes – Cars and trucks with ABS braking systems or traction control have fewer accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.

A quick disclaimer, most credits do not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn’t quite work that way.

Insurance companies that have these discounts possibly include:

Before buying, ask each company or agent how many discounts you can get. Savings might not be offered in your area. To see a list of insurers that offer many of these discounts, click here.

How much car insurance do I need?

When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no best way to insure your cars. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions could help you determine if your situation could use an agent’s help.

  • Do I pay less for low miles?
  • Why am I required to buy liability insurance?
  • What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • Can my teen drive my company car?
  • Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
  • Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
  • Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
  • Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?

If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.

Auto insurance 101

Having a good grasp of auto insurance aids in choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are the usual coverages available from auto insurance companies.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision

This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things like damage from flooding, hitting a bird, theft and a broken windshield. The maximum amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Medical costs insurance

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for things like prosthetic devices, EMT expenses, pain medications and X-ray expenses. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover you and your occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

UM/UIM Coverage

This gives you protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked.

Auto liability

This can cover damage that occurs to other’s property or people that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability can pay for claims such as pain and suffering, repair costs for stationary objects, legal defense fees, court costs and bail bonds. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but you should buy higher limits if possible.

Collision coverage protection

Collision insurance covers damage to your HHR resulting from colliding with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for claims such as rolling your car, crashing into a ditch, scraping a guard rail and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Feed the piggy bank

We just showed you a lot of techniques to get a better price on 2008 Chevy HHR insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get prices for, the higher your chance of finding low cost insurance coverage. Consumers may even find the lowest premium rates are with some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as Geico and State Farm.

Budget-conscious 2008 Chevy HHR insurance is available online as well as from independent agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. A few companies may not have online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agencies.

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