Lower Your 1998 Chevrolet Prizm Insurance Rates

Buyers have many options when searching for the lowest priced Chevy Prizm insurance. They can either spend hours driving around getting price quotes or utilize the internet to find the lowest rates.

There is a better way to shop for auto insurance so we’re going to tell you the absolute fastest way to quote coverages for your Chevy and obtain the lowest price from local insurance agents and online providers.

You should make it a habit to shop coverage around occasionally because prices change regularly. Just because you found the lowest rates for Prizm insurance on your last policy a different company probably has better rate quotes today. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you’re about to find out the easiest way to buy cheaper auto insurance.

Insurance rate influencing factors

When buying car insurance it’s important to understand a few of the rating criteria that help calculate your car insurance rates. When consumers understand what impacts premium levels, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get lower premium levels. Lots of factors are used in the calculation when premium rates are determined. Some factors are common sense like an MVR report, although others are less obvious like your vehicle usage or your vehicle rating.

Shown below are a partial list of the pieces utilized by car insurance companies to help set your rates.

  • Reduce prices by staying claim free – If you file a lot of claims you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Companies provide cheaper rates to drivers who are not frequent claim filers. Your car insurance is intended for the large, substantial claims.
  • Safer cars save money – Cars with high safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. Highly rated vehicles reduce injuries and fewer serious injuries means less money paid by your insurance company and more competitive rates for policyholders.
  • Single drivers may have higher prices – Being married can get you a discount compared to being single. It generally demonstrates drivers are more mature than a single person and insurance companies like that married couples file fewer claims.
  • Premiums are lower the older you get – Teen drivers are statistically proven to be inattentive with other occupants in the car so car insurance rates are higher. More experienced drivers have been proven to be more responsible, cost insurance companies less in claims and get fewer tickets.
  • Traffic violations drive up prices – Good drivers receive lower rates as compared to careless drivers. Even a single chargable violation can bump up the cost by as much as twenty percent. Drivers who have gotten serious tickets such as DUI or willful reckless driving may face state-mandated requirements to submit a SR-22 form to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
  • Insure your auto and home with one company – Most larger insurers afford better rates for people who have multiple policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. The discount can be 10 percent or more. Even with this discount, it’s still a good idea to shop around to ensure the best deal. It’s possible to still save money by buying from different companies

Don’t overlook these insurance discounts

Some companies don’t always advertise every policy discount very clearly, so the list below contains some of the more common and the harder-to-find discounts that you can inquire about if you buy insurance online.

  • Driver Training Discounts – Taking part in a defensive driving course could earn you a small percentage discount depending on where you live.
  • Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to use their safety belts can save 10% or more off the PIP or medical payment premium.
  • Own a Home and Save – Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings since home ownership shows financial diligence.
  • Clubs and Organizations – Joining qualifying clubs or civic groups could qualify you for a break when getting a insurance quote.
  • Accident Free – Good drivers with no accidents can earn big discounts when compared with drivers with a long claim history.
  • 55 and Retired – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you could receive a small decrease in premiums for Prizm insurance.
  • Bundled Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company they may give you a discount of nearly 15% which can help you find inexpensive insurance.
  • Driver Education Discount – Teen drivers should complete a driver education course as it can save substantially.

Policy discounts save money, but some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. If you do the math and it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down your premiums.

A list of companies and their offered discounts are:

  • Progressive may include discounts for good student, continuous coverage, online quote discount, homeowner, online signing, and multi-policy.
  • AAA may offer discounts for education and occupation, good student, multi-policy, AAA membership discount, anti-theft, and pay-in-full.
  • Farmers Insurance discounts include bundle discounts, alternative fuel, mature driver, early shopping, multi-car, business and professional, and pay in full.
  • GEICO may have discounts that include defensive driver, five-year accident-free, multi-policy, daytime running lights, good student, and anti-theft.
  • Esurance has savings for good student, homeowner, safety device, online shopper, and defensive driver.
  • SAFECO offers premium reductions for multi-car, accident prevention training, teen safety rewards, anti-lock brakes, drive less, and anti-theft.
  • State Farm has discounts for good driver, Steer Clear safe driver discount, accident-free, Drive Safe & Save, anti-theft, defensive driving training, and multiple autos.

If you are trying to find the cheapest insurance quotes, ask each insurance company to apply every possible discount. Some credits might not be offered on policies everywhere. To locate companies that offer the discounts shown above, follow this link.

Insurance advertising tricks

Consumers can’t avoid all the ads for auto insurance savings from companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies state the claim that people will save if you move your auto insurance coverage to their company.

But how can every company give you a better price? This is the way they can do it.

Companies can use profiling for the type of driver that earns them a profit. A good example of this type of driver could possibly be married and over the age of 30, has never had a policy lapse, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. A propective insured that fits those parameters will get the preferred prices and will most likely save a lot if they switch.

Potential insureds who do not meet this stringent profile will be quoted higher prices and this results in the customer buying from someone else. The trick companies use is to say “customers that switch” not “everyone who quotes” save money. That is how companies can make the claims of big savings.

Because of this risk profiling, you absolutely need to compare price quotes frequently. Because you cannot predict which auto insurance company will be your best fit.

When to get professional advice

When it comes to choosing the best insurance coverage coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s needs are different.

For example, these questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.

  • Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
  • Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
  • When can I cancel my policy?
  • Is upholstery damage covered by car insurance?
  • What is the ISO rating for a 1998 Chevy Prizm?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in my state?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.

Car insurance coverage information

Knowing the specifics of your policy can be of help when determining the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Car insurance terms can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Comprehensive coverages

This coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as vandalism, damage from flooding, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and a broken windshield. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Uninsured and underinsured coverage

This coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries to you and your family and damage to your Chevy Prizm.

Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Collision coverage protection

Collision insurance pays for damage to your Prizm caused by collision with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage pays for things like sideswiping another vehicle, damaging your car on a curb, hitting a mailbox and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Coverage for medical payments

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for surgery, hospital visits, doctor visits, nursing services and chiropractic care. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Liability insurance

Liability coverage will cover damage that occurs to other people or property. It protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see policy limits of 100/300/100 that translate to a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Occasionally you may see one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage protects against claims like structural damage, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and funeral expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.

Find Good Coverage for Less

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.

We covered some good ideas how to shop for 1998 Chevy Prizm insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding inexpensive insurance. You may even discover the most savings is with a small local company.

People switch companies for any number of reasons including lack of trust in their agent, poor customer service, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and even denial of a claim. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding the right auto insurance provider is not as difficult as it may seem.

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