Save on 2012 Chevrolet Colorado Insurance Quotes

Looking for better car insurance rates? Shoppers have lots of choices when shopping for the best price on Chevy Colorado insurance. They can either spend hours calling around to compare prices or save time using the internet to get rate quotes. There is a right way and a wrong way to shop for car insurance and we’ll show you the proper way to get price quotes for a Chevy and locate the lowest price.

How do insurance companies determine Chevy Colorado insurance premiums?

Multiple criteria are part of the equation when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable like an MVR report, although others are not quite as obvious such as whether you are married or your vehicle rating.An important part of buying insurance is that you know a few of the rating criteria that help determine your insurance coverage rates. If you have a feel for what determines premiums, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get big savings.

The items below are just a few of the factors insurance coverage companies consider when setting premiums.

  • Bad drivers pay high rates – Attentive drivers have lower premiums than people who have multiple driving citations. Even one speeding ticket could increase your next policy renewal to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers with dangerous violations such as DUI or reckless driving may need to file a SR-22 with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • Never go without insurance coverage – Going without insurance is a sure-fire way to increase your renewal premiums. Not only will rates go up, being ticketed for driving with no insurance could result in fines and jail time. You may then have to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with your state motor vehicle department.
  • Vehicles with better crash test results save money – Vehicles with high crash test scores cost less to insure. Vehicles engineered for safety reduce occupant injuries and fewer serious injuries translates directly to fewer claims and cheaper rates on your policy.
  • Liability coverage – Liability insurance will afford coverage in the event that you are found liable for an accident. It will provide legal defense which can cost a lot. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.

Discounts for affordable insurance coverage rates

Some insurers don’t always advertise all disounts very well, so below is a list a few of the more common and also the lesser-known discounts that you can inquire about if you buy insurance online.

  • Passive Restraint Discount – Factory options such as air bags or automatic seat belts may qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
  • Savings for New Vehicles – Buying a new car instead of a used car is cheaper because new model year vehicles keep occupants safer.
  • Discount for Swiching Early – Some companies give discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. Ten percent is about the average savings.
  • Discount for Good Grades – Being a good student can save 20 to 25%. Many companies even apply the discount to college students up until you turn 25.
  • Life Insurance Discount – If the company offers life insurance, you could get better insurance coveragerates if you take out some life insurance too.
  • Military Deployment Discount – Having a deployed family member could mean lower insurance coverage rates.

It’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Even though the math looks like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, insurance coverage companies aren’t that generous.

Auto insurance companies who might offer many of the previously listed discounts include:

When quoting, ask every insurance company which discounts you qualify for. All car insurance discounts might not apply everywhere.

The largest companies are not always cheapest

Consumers can’t escape the ads that claim the best car insurance rates by State Farm, Geico and Progressive. All the ads advertise the message about savings if you just switch your insurance policy to them.

How does every company charge you less for car insurance? This is how they do it.

All companies have an ideal profile for the type of driver that will not have excessive claims. For instance, this type of insured should be between 30 and 50, has no claims, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver that matches those criteria will get a cheap rate quote and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

People who are not a match for these stringent criteria will be charged higher prices which usually ends up with the customer not purchasing. Company advertisements say “drivers that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much money. That is how companies can lure you into getting a quote. Each company has different criteria, so you should do a rate comparison at every renewal. Because you never know the company that will have the lowest premium rates for your situation.

Tailor your insurance coverage to you

When choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For example, these questions may help highlight whether you might need professional guidance.

  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • What are the best liability limits?
  • When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
  • Am I covered if hit by an uninsured driver?
  • Will filing a claim cost me more?
  • Am I getting all the discounts available?
  • What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
  • Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
  • Where can I get insurance after a DUI in my state?
  • 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, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form. It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.

Insurance coverages and their meanings

Having a good grasp of insurance can be of help when determining the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Medical payments and PIP coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for expenses for EMT expenses, prosthetic devices, hospital visits, surgery and pain medications. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Collision coverage

This covers damage to your Colorado from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision insurance covers things like hitting a parking meter, rolling your car and sideswiping another vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Liability car insurance

Liability insurance can cover damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people in an accident. This coverage protects you from claims by other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 bodily injury coverage, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability coverage protects against things such as structural damage, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering and legal defense fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but buy higher limits if possible.

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle 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 and also any damage incurred to your Chevy Colorado.

Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.

Comprehensive auto coverage

Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as theft, hail damage, damage from a tornado or hurricane, damage from getting keyed and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Shop Smart and Save

When shopping online for auto insurance, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.

More affordable auto insurance is possible on the web and also from your neighborhood agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some auto insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and these regional carriers provide coverage only through independent agents.

People who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as not issuing a premium refund, extreme rates for teen drivers, high prices or unfair underwriting practices. Regardless of your reason, switching auto insurance companies is less work than it seems.

Even more information can be read by following these links: