Cheaper 1997 Chevrolet Express Insurance Rates

Are you sick and tired of being strong-armed to insure your Chevy every month? You are in the same boat as many other drivers. Numerous insurers battle for your hard-earned dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates and get the definite lowest rate

Smart consumers take time to check insurance coverage prices once or twice a year due to the fact that insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you had the best deal on Express coverage a year ago you will most likely find a better rate today. There is a lot of bad information regarding insurance coverage online, so by reading this article, you’re going to learn some proven techniques to buy insurance coverage cheaper.

Factors that can influence Chevy Express insurance rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that go into determining insurance coverage rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with better insurance coverage rates.

Listed below are some of the factors that factor into rates.

  • Your job and insurance rates – Did you know your insurance coverage rates can be affected by your occupation? Careers like doctors, executives and dentists have the highest average rates because of high stress levels and lengthy work days. Other professions such as pilots, historians and homemakers get better rates on Express coverage.
  • Adjust deductibles and save – Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your Chevy from damage. A few examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more you have to pay, the bigger discount you will receive on Express coverage.
  • Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are a ton of add-on coverages you can purchase on your insurance coverage policy. Insurance for personal injury protection, better glass coverage and term life insurance may be wasting your money. They may seem good initially, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • Save money with special equipment – Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can get you a discount on your insurance coverage. Anti-theft features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart your car from being stolen.
  • Pay less if you’re married – Getting married helps lower the price when buying insurance coverage. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature and responsible and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
  • More claims means more premium – Auto insurance companies provide discounts to policyholders who file claims infrequently. If you frequently file small claims, you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
  • Younger drivers pay higher rates – Young drivers tend to get distracted easily when behind the wheel so they pay higher insurance coverage rates. Older insureds are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
  • Where you live can impact rates – Being located in a rural area is a positive aspect when talking about insurance coverage. City drivers have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Lower population means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.

How to Compare Insurance Rates

Getting a cheaper price on 1997 Chevy Express insurance is not a difficult process. All that’s required is to spend a little time to get quotes online from several insurance companies. This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

  1. The single most time-saving way to get quotes for comparison is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This easy form saves time by eliminating multiple quote forms for every insurance company. Filling out one form gets you price quotes direct from many companies.
  2. A slightly less efficient method to get comparison quotes consists of going to the website for each individual company to complete their respective quote request forms. For sake of this example, let’s say you want comparison quotes from Liberty Mutual, Progressive and Travelers. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.

    To view a list of companies in your area, click here.

  3. The most time-consuming way of getting rate comparisons is to drive around to insurance agents’ offices. The ability to buy insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the professional guidance of a licensed agent. It is possible to comparison shop online and still use a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.

It’s up to you which method you use, but be sure to compare exactly the same coverage limits and deductibles for every company. If you enter different limits and deductibles on each one it will be impossible to determine the lowest rate for your Chevy Express.

Don’t overlook these discounts

Companies don’t list all available discounts very well, so here is a list both well-publicized and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If you don’t get every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

  • Discount for Swiching Early – A few companies offer discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. The savings is around 10%.
  • Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
  • Student Driver Training – Require your teen driver to enroll in driver’s education in school.
  • Homeowners Savings – Owning a house may earn you a small savings because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Resident Student – Kids in college who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.

Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way.

Companies that may have these money-saving discounts include:

Double check with each insurance company how you can save money. Savings may not be available in your area.

Is my situation unique?

When it comes to choosing coverage, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

  • Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
  • What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
  • Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
  • When should I remove comp and collision on my 1997 Chevy Express?
  • Is my Chevy Express covered if I use it for business?
  • What discounts do I qualify for?
  • When should I buy a commercial auto policy?
  • How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
  • If I drive on a suspended license am I covered?
  • What if I total my 1997 Chevy Express and owe more than it’s worth?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

Insurance policy coverages for a 1997 Chevy Express

Having a good grasp of your insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Insurance terms can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are typical coverage types available from insurance companies.

UM/UIM Coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Chevy Express.

Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision

Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, damage from flooding, hail damage, a broken windshield and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Liability auto insurance

Liability coverage will cover damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability coverage pays for things such as funeral expenses, bail bonds and loss of income. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.

Medical costs insurance

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills like hospital visits, doctor visits and ambulance fees. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover both the driver and occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Collision protection

Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Express caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision coverage protects against claims like scraping a guard rail, rolling your car, hitting a mailbox and hitting a parking meter. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Shop smart and save

We just covered some good ideas how to compare 1997 Chevy Express insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may even discover the lowest premiums are with some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates as compared to the big name companies such as GEICO and State Farm.

As you restructure your insurance plan, never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In too many instances, someone sacrificed collision coverage only to find out that it was a big error on their part. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

Cost effective insurance can be found from both online companies in addition to many insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some auto insurance companies do not provide online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

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