Locating better insurance prices for a Chevy Volt in North Carolina can turn out to be an all-consuming task, but you can learn our car insurance buying tips to find lower rates. There are both good and bad ways to find car insurance online so you’re going to learn the absolute fastest way to get price quotes for your Chevy and obtain the best price possible either online or from Durham insurance agents.
You need to do rate comparisons once or twice a year because car insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best rate on Chevy Volt insurance in Durham a few years ago you will most likely find a better price today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding Volt insurance online, but I’m going to show you the best ways to find affordable car insurance in Durham.
Chevy Volt Insurance Prices Can Be Reduced
Part of the insurance buying process is learning the factors that aid in calculating your policy premiums. If you understand what controls the rates you pay, this enables informed choices that could result in cheaper rates.
Does your employer cost you more? – Did you know your job can affect your rates? Jobs such as lawyers, police officers, and financial analysts generally pay higher rates than average attributed to intense work requirements and long work days. On the flip side, careers such as actors, historians and retirees receive lower rates.
Safer the car lower the rate – Cars with five star safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Highly rated vehicles have better occupant injury protection and fewer serious injuries means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates. If your Chevy Volt scored better than four stars on Safercar.gov you may pay a lower rate.
Limits of liability – Liability insurance will afford coverage in the event that you are found liable for an accident. Your liability coverage provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
Cautious drivers pay the best premiums – Being a careful driver has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Only having one chargeable violation could increase your next policy renewal by twenty percent. Good drivers get better prices as compared to careless drivers. Drivers who get license-revoking violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions might be required by their state to prove financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
Premiums are impacted by vehicle performance – The make and model of the car you need to insure makes a significant difference in your car insurance bill. The lowest performance passenger cars usually have the lowest premiums, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
The more you drive the more you pay – The higher the miles on your Chevy annually the more you will pay for insurance. Most insurance companies charge rates partially by how you use the vehicle. Autos that are left in the garage cost less to insure than vehicles that have high annual mileage. A policy that improperly rates your Volt can cost quite a bit. Ask your agent if your insurance policy shows annual mileage.
Chevy Volt statistical loss data – Car insurance companies use statistical claims data to calculate a rate that will offset losses. Vehicles that statistically have a trend towards higher claim severity or frequency will have a higher cost to insure. The table shown below demonstrates the collected loss data for Chevy Volt vehicles.
For each policy coverage, the statistical loss for all vehicles, regardless of make, model or trim level, is considered to be 100. Numbers under 100 are indicative of better than average losses, while percentage numbers above 100 indicate more frequent losses or an increased likelihood of larger losses.
Make and Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Volt Electric | 89 | 83 | 81 | 71 | 73 | 90 |
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
How to compare Durham Chevy Volt insurance rate quotes
Reducing your insurance rates is pretty simple and can save money. All you need to do is take time to compare rates online with multiple companies.
The companies shown below have been selected to offer quotes in Durham, NC. To buy the cheapest auto insurance in North Carolina, we recommend you visit two to three different companies to get the best price comparison.
Protect your vehicle and other assets
Even though Durham Volt insurance rates can get expensive, insurance is required in North Carolina but also provides important benefits.
- Almost all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific minimum amount of liability protection in order to get the vehicle licensed. In North Carolina these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you bought your Volt with a loan, it’s most likely the lender will have a requirement that you carry insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank may insure your Chevy at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance protects your Chevy and your assets. It will also reimburse you for most medical and hospital costs for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance also pays for attorney fees and expenses if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of insuring your Volt are definitely more than the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is currently overpaying as much as $750 every year so shop around each time the policy renews to ensure rates are competitive.
These discounts can lower your car insurance rates
Car insurance companies don’t list every possible discount in an easy-to-find place, so the next list breaks down both well-publicized as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using when you buy Durham auto insurance online.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Keeping the miles down on your Chevy may allow you to get discounted premium rates on garaged vehicles.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Early Payment Discounts – By paying your policy upfront as opposed to paying monthly you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Bundle and Save – If you insure your home and vehicles and insure them both with the same insurance company you may save at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Defensive Driver Discount – Taking a course that instructs on driving safety may get you a small discount if you qualify.
- Renewal Discounts – Some companies give discounts for buying a policy before your current coverage expires. This can save 10% or more.
- Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military may lower your prices slightly.
- Student Discount for Driver Training – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll and complete driver’s education if it’s offered in school.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks on a single policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts could see savings up to 30%.
Remember that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think you could get a free car insurance policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Some of the insurance companies that may offer some of the above discounts may include but are not limited to:
Check with each insurance company to give you their best rates. Some credits may not apply in your area.
Insurance agencies are trained to help
Some people just prefer to talk to an insurance agent. Professional insurance agents are trained risk managers and help submit paperwork. A good thing about comparing rates online is you may find cheap rate quotes and still have an agent to talk to.
After filling out this quick form, your insurance coverage information is sent to local insurance agents that provide free Durham auto insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to search for any insurance agencies as quotes are delivered to your email. If for some reason you want to get a price quote from a specific insurance company, feel free to navigate to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding the right insurer needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Some important questions to ask are:
- Is there a local claims center in Durham?
- Will the company cover a rental car if your car is getting fixed?
- Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
- Does the agency have a current Errors and Omissions policy?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Durham?
- Are they able to provide referrals?
- Does their agency support local causes in Durham?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
Two different types of car insurance agents
If you’re trying to find a local Durham insurance agent, it can be helpful to understand the different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Durham are classified as either independent or exclusive. Either can sell and service auto insurance coverage, but it is important to understand the differences because it can impact the type of agent you choose.
Exclusive Agents
Exclusive agencies work for only one company like State Farm, Allstate and AAA. Exclusive agents are unable to provide rate quotes from other companies so keep that in mind. Exclusive insurance agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates. Consumers often choose to use a exclusive agent mostly because of the prominent brand name rather than having the cheapest rates.
The following are exclusive insurance agencies in Durham that can give you comparison quotes.
- Leslie Robinson State Farm Insurance
105 W North Carolina 54 #263 – Durham, NC 27713 – (919) 206-5096 – View Map - NC Farm Bureau Insurance
2902 S Miami Blvd Ste A – Durham, NC 27703 – (919) 544-4953 – View Map - Marty Lindsey – State Farm Insurance Agent
1852 Hillandale Rd – Durham, NC 27705 – (919) 479-9671 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents are not limited to a single company so as a result can place your coverage through many companies and get you the best rates possible. If prices rise, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. If you are comparing rate quotes, you absolutely need to get several quotes from several independent agencies to get the most accurate price comparison. Most also write with additional companies that you may not be familiar with that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
Below is a short list of independent agencies in Durham willing to provide price quote information.
- Insurance People-N Carolina
1920 Front St # 750 – Durham, NC 27705 – (919) 383-0442 – View Map - Hix Insurance Center
1533 Glenn School Road, Building C Unit A-14 – Durham, NC 27704 – (919) 220-3031 – View Map - Superior Insurance of Durham
3825 S Roxboro St #118 – Durham, NC 27713 – (919) 224-8034 – View Map
Once you have received acceptable answers to any questions you have and a low price estimate, you may have found an insurance agency that can be trusted to insure your vehicles. But remember, consumers can cancel a policy any time you want so never feel that you are obligated to any particular company with no way out.
Which is the best car insurance?
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of policy. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
These are some specific questions can help discover if your situation will benefit from professional help.
- Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
- Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
- Which is better, split liability limits or combined limits?
- What are good deductibles for a Chevy Volt?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
- Is coverage enough to protect my assets?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can provide invaluable advice.
Do the work, save more money
People switch companies for a number of reasons such as an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy non-renewal, extreme rates for teen drivers and unfair underwriting practices. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding the right car insurance provider can be less work than you think.
We just showed you a lot of ways to lower your Chevy Volt insurance rates in Durham. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get auto insurance rates for, the better your chances of lowering your auto insurance rates. You may even find the best rates are with the smaller companies.
Some car insurance companies do not provide online quoting and these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents. Low-cost Chevy Volt insurance in Durham can be sourced online as well as from independent agents in Durham, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from.
How to find more affordable Chevy Volt insurance in Durham
If saving money is your primary concern, then the best way to get more affordable car insurance rates in Durham is to do a yearly price comparison from insurers in North Carolina. You can compare rates by following these steps.
- First, spend some time learning about what is in your policy and the things you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating criteria that cause rate increases like accidents, careless driving, and a less-than-favorable credit rating can be amended by being financially responsible and driving safely.
- Second, compare rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like GEICO and Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide prices from multiple insurance companies.
- Third, compare the new rates to the price on your current policy and see if you can save money. If you find better rates and buy the policy, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Fourth, notify your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit a completed policy application and payment to your new insurance company. As soon as coverage is bound, safely store the certificate verifying coverage along with your vehicle registration.
The key thing to remember is to try to use the same liability limits and deductibles on each price quote and and to get rates from as many companies as possible. This ensures an accurate price comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
Additional information is located at the links below
- Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for 19 Year Olds in Durham? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Durham Car Insurance Rates for Felons? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Durham Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers Over Age 50? (FAQ)
- Side airbags reduce rollover fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Child Safety FAQ (iihs.org)
- Parking Tips to Reduce Door Dings (State Farm)