It’s safe to conclude that car insurance companies don’t want you to look at other companies. Drivers who rate shop once a year will presumably move their business because there is a high probability of finding a more affordable policy. A recent survey found that people who compared prices once a year saved about $860 a year compared to people who never shopped for cheaper rates.
If finding the lowest rates on Chevy Bolt EV insurance in Columbus is your ultimate goal, then knowing how to quote prices and compare auto insurance can save money and time.
The recommended way to find better pricing on auto insurance rates is to annually compare prices from providers that insure vehicles in Columbus. Drivers can shop around by following these guidelines.
- Try to learn about the different coverages in a policy and the measures you can take to keep rates down. Many policy risk factors that result in higher prices such as traffic violations, accidents, and poor credit history can be eliminated by paying attention to minor details.
- Request price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agencies can give you price quotes from multiple sources.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a better price, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
- Provide proper notification to your current company of your intent to cancel your existing policy. Submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application for the new coverage. As soon as you have the new policy, put the new proof of insurance paperwork somewhere easily accessible.
A good piece of advice is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical limits and deductibles on each price quote and and to get price estimates from as many car insurance companies as possible. This helps ensure an apples-to-apples comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
If you are already insured, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your rates using the ideas covered in this article. Finding the cheapest insurance coverage in Columbus is easy if you know what you’re doing. Although Ohio car owners can benefit from knowing how big insurance companies determine how much to charge because it varies considerably.
Cheaper Chevy Bolt EV insurance in Columbus
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always publicize all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the list below gives a summary of both well-publicized and also the more inconspicuous auto insurance savings.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS braking systems or traction control have fewer accidents so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- Early Signing – Some auto insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them before your current expiration date. Ten percent is about the average savings.
- Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Having multiple vehicles with the same auto insurance company could earn a price break for each car.
- Military Deployment Discount – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower auto insurance rates.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Drivers who require all occupants to fasten their seat belts could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Save with a New Car – Buying a new car model is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new model year vehicles.
- Claim-Free Discount – Insureds with no claims or accidents get the best auto insurance rates when compared with accident-prone drivers.
- Paperwork-free – A few larger online companies give back up to $50 for signing up online.
- Memberships – Being a member of a civic or occupational organization in Columbus may earn a discount on auto insurance.
We need to note that many deductions do not apply to the whole policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way.
A few companies that may offer some of the above discounts include:
When getting a coverage quote, ask all the companies to apply every possible discount. Some discounts listed above may not be available in Columbus. For a list of auto insurance companies that provide some of the discounts listed above in Ohio, follow this link.
To find the best car insurance rates, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from different companies. The quickest method to lower the rate you pay for Chevy Bolt EV insurance is to perform an online rate comparison.
Comparison shopping price quotes online is easy and it takes the place of having to call or drive to and from local Columbus insurance agencies. Quoting Chevy Bolt EV insurance online eliminates the middleman unless you prefer the guidance of a licensed agent. Drivers can get the lowest quotes online and still use a local agent.
When quoting car insurance, remember that more quotes provides better odds of finding the best rates. Not every company allows you to get online rate quotes, so you also need to get price estimates from them, too.
The companies shown below offer price quotes in Columbus, OH. If multiple companies are shown, it’s a good idea that you visit as many as you can to get the most affordable price.
How Car Insurance Companies Calculate Chevy Bolt EV Insurance Prices
It’s important that you understand a few of the rating criteria that help determine auto insurance rates. If you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to big savings.
Accidents will cost you – Your driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Good drivers get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Getting just one chargeable violation may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who have received dangerous tickets such as DUI or willful reckless driving may be required to maintain a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
Increase coverage deductibles and save – Protection for physical damage, also called ‘full coverage’, protects your Chevy from damage. Examples of some claims that would be covered could be a broken side mirror, hail damage, and having your car stolen. The deductibles you choose are the amount of money you are willing to pay if a claim is determined to be covered. The more expense you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
See if your company offers a multi-policy discount – Lots of insurers apply lower prices for people that purchase more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, consumers should still get quotes from other companies to verify if the discount is saving money. Consumers may find lower rates by buying from different companies
Stressful occupation may mean higher rates – Occupational choices like real estate brokers, airline pilots, and financial analysts usually pay higher rates than the rest of us attributed to high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. On the other hand, occupations like farmers, historians and the unemployed generally pay rates lower than average.
Marriage pays dividends – Getting married may earn you lower rates on your auto insurance policy. It translates into being more mature and responsible and statistics show married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
When to get advice from an insurance agency
Many people would prefer to sit down with an agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases A nice benefit of getting free rate quotes online is the fact that you can find cheap auto insurance quotes and still have an agent to talk to. Buying from and supporting small agencies is important particularly in Columbus.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is instantly submitted to insurance agents in Columbus who will give competitive quotes to get your business. It makes it easy because there is no need to drive around since rate quotes are delivered to you instantly. You can find better rates AND a local agent. If you want to get a comparison quote from a specific auto insurance provider, don’t hesitate to jump over to their website and fill out their quote form.
Choosing an insurer requires you to look at more than just a low price. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Columbus?
- By raising physical damage deductibles, how much would you save?
- If they are an independent agency in Columbus, which companies do they recommend?
- Does the agent help file claims?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
Three main reasons to buy insurance
Despite the fact that insurance is not cheap in Columbus, buying insurance is required for several reasons.
- The majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific minimum amounts of liability insurance in order to get the vehicle licensed. In Ohio these limits are 25/50/25 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
- If you took out a loan on your Bolt EV, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it mandatory that you buy full coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender will be forced to insure your Chevy at a much higher rate and force you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance preserves both your Chevy and your assets. It will also pay for hospital and medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, your insurance policy will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of insuring your car more than cancel out the cost, especially with large liability claims. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver is wasting up to $800 each year so compare rates every year to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Affordable auto insurance rates are possible
We covered a lot of techniques to find affordable Chevy Bolt EV insurance in Columbus. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the better likelihood of getting inexpensive Columbus auto insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with the least-expected company. Smaller companies often have lower premium rates on specific markets compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.
Budget-friendly auto insurance in Columbus is available both online as well as from independent agents in Columbus, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who don’t offer rates over the internet and most of the time these regional insurance providers only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies.
When trying to cut insurance costs, never reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. The goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best price and still be able to protect your assets.
Additional auto insurance information is available at these links:
- Neck Injury FAQ (iihs.org)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Government Employees in Columbus? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Drivers Over Age 50 in Columbus? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for 4×4 Vehicles in Columbus? (FAQ)
- Choosing an Insurance Company (Insurance Information Institute)
- Electronic Stability Control FAQ (iihs.org)
- What does Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Cover? (Allstate)