Auto Insurance Rate Quotes for a GMC Sierra in Columbus

Tired of sacrificing to buy car insurance? You’re in the same situation as most other consumers in Ohio.

It’s well known that auto insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. People who shop around will, in all likelihood, switch car insurance companies because there is a significant possibility of finding lower rate quotes. A recent car insurance study discovered that drivers who regularly compared price quotes saved $70 a month compared to people who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.

If finding budget-friendly GMC Sierra insurance in Columbus is the reason you’re here, then having some insight into how to shop for insurance can make the process less intimidating. Due to the abundance of online and local companies to choose from, it is hard for the average consumer to find the most cost effective insurance company.

You should make it a habit to check car insurance prices occasionally because car insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the lowest rate on GMC Sierra insurance in Columbus six months ago other companies may now be cheaper. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because it’s time to teach you the best methods to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

Locating the best rates in Columbus is quite easy if you know the best way to do it. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will definitely be able to buy cheaper insurance using the concepts covered in this article. Smart buyers only have to learn the fastest way to compare company rates from multiple carriers.

The majority of larger companies allow consumers to get insurance quotes directly from their websites. Getting quotes for GMC Sierra insurance in Columbus can be done by anyone as all you need to do is type in the amount of coverage you want on the page. After you submit the form their quoting system collects reports for credit and driving violations and returns a price based on the data you entered. This makes comparing rates easy, and it’s very important to perform this step in order to find the most affordable premium.

To compare pricing, visit the companies below or click here to submit a quote request to multiple companies at once. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you type in coverages and limits identical to your current policy. Doing this assures you will receive an apples-to-apples comparison for exact coverage.

The auto insurance companies shown below are our best choices to provide quotes in Columbus, OH. If the list has multiple companies, it’s a good idea that you compare several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.

GMC Sierra detailed coverage information

The information shown next outlines a range of insurance prices for GMC Sierra models. Being able to understand how auto insurance premiums are formulated can benefit drivers when making informed coverage decisions.

Table data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, claim-free, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Table data does not factor in your specific Columbus location which can increase or decrease premiums substantially.

Physical damage deductibles: Should you raise them?

One of the more difficult decisions when buying insurance is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The data tables below determine the difference in cost when you select higher and lower comp and collision deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $250 physical damage deductible and the second rate table uses a $500 deductible.

Table data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Premium costs do not factor in your specific Columbus location which can alter rates greatly.

Based on these figures, using a $250 deductible costs about $11 more each month or $132 every year than requesting the higher $500 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $250 more to settle a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you usually have at least 23 months between claim filings, you would come out ahead by selecting a higher deductible.

Responsible drivers pay cheaper insurance rates

The example below shows how traffic citations and accident claims impact GMC Sierra car insurance costs for different age categories. The price estimates are based on a married female driver, comp and collision included, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

GMC Sierra insurance rates: Men versus women

The information below shows the comparison of GMC Sierra annual premium costs for male and female drivers. The premiums are based on no claims or driving violations, full coverage, $250 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

Cost comparison with and without full coverage

The diagram below visualizes the comparison of GMC Sierra insurance prices with and without full coverage. The rate quotes are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no other discounts are factored in.

When to drop full coverage

There is no clear-cut formula of when to phase out physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the yearly cost of full coverage is about 10% or more of the settlement you would receive from your company, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

For example, let’s say your GMC Sierra replacement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would receive is $6,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are currently paying more than $600 annually for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

There are a few cases where eliminating full coverage is not a good idea. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should keep full coverage.

Protect your vehicle and other assets

Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a GMC in Columbus, buying car insurance is required by state law in Ohio and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.

• The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific minimum amount of liability insurance coverage in order to be legal. 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 bought your vehicle with a loan, most banks will stipulate that you buy full coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your GMC at a much higher rate and force you to reimburse them much more than you were paying before.
• Car insurance preserves both your vehicle and your personal assets. It will also reimburse you for medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage will also pay for a defense attorney if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, your car insurance policy will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.

The benefits of having insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially if you ever need it. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver overpays more than $810 a year so you should quote your policy with other companies once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are competitive.

Score discounts to get cheaper Columbus car insurance quotes

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you may be missing some discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Certain reductions will be credited when you get a quote, but once in a while a discount must be manually applied before you get the savings.

• Home Ownership Discount – Simply owning a home can get you a discount because maintaining a house requires personal responsibility.
• Memberships – Being a member of qualifying clubs or civic groups is a simple method to lower premiums on your policy.
• Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags can receive discounts of 20% or more.
• Early Payment Discounts – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying monthly you can avoid monthly service charges.
• Service Members Pay Less – Having a family member in the military could trigger a small discount.

It’s important to note that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.

The diagram below visualizes the comparison of GMC Sierra auto insurance costs with and without discounts applied. The prices are based on a male driver, no claims or driving citations, Ohio state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, marriage, multi-car, and safe-driver discounts applied.

Auto insurance companies that may include some of the above discounts include:

• Progressive
• GEICO
• State Farm
• Esurance
• The Hartford

When quoting, ask each company what discounts are available to you. Some discounts listed above may not be available in Columbus.

Shop online but buy locally

Some consumers would rather talk to a local agent and that is a personal choice. Good agents can help you build your policy and help submit paperwork. The best thing about comparing insurance online is you can get cheap insurance quotes and still have a local agent.

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is immediately sent to insurance agents in Columbus that provide free Columbus car insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to find an agent on your own because prices are sent straight to your inbox. If you wish to compare prices from one company in particular, you can always find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.

Finding a good insurance company should include more criteria than just the premium amount. You should also get answers to these questions.

• If your car is totaled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
• Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
• Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
• Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
• Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Ohio?
• Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
• Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
• Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?

What types of auto insurance agents are in Columbus?

If you want a local insurance agency, there are two types of agencies and how they are slightly different. Agents in Columbus are categorized either independent or exclusive. Either one can provide insurance policies, but it is a good idea to know the difference in the companies they write for because it can influence the kind of agent you use.

Exclusive Agents

Agents that elect to be exclusive can only provide one company’s prices and some examples include AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance, and Allstate. These agents are not able to shop your coverage around so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Exclusive agencies are trained well on their products and sales techniques and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.

Listed below are exclusive insurance agencies in Columbus that are able to give comparison quotes.

View more Columbus agents

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agencies do not sell for just one brand so they can quote policies with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. If your premiums go up, your agent can switch companies which makes it simple for you.

If you are comparing rate quotes, it’s recommended you contact at a minimum one independent agency to maximize your price options.

Below is a list of independent insurance agents in Columbus willing to provide price quotes.

View more Columbus agents

If you receive good answers to any questions you have and an affordable coverage quote, it’s possible that you found an insurance agency that is reputable and can properly insure your vehicles.

Car insurance coverages 101

Knowing the specifics of a car insurance policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are typical coverage types found on most car insurance policies.

Coverage for liability

Liability coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property by causing an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for 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. Your policy might show values of 25/50/25 which stand for $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged property.

Liability coverage pays for things such as funeral expenses, structural damage, court costs and emergency aid. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but buy higher limits if possible. Ohio state minimum liability requirements are 25/50/25 but drivers should carry more coverage.

The next chart demonstrates why the minimum limit may not be enough.

Medical expense insurance

Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for expenses for things like EMT expenses, doctor visits, X-ray expenses, dental work and chiropractic care. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Auto collision coverage

Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision can pay for claims such as sideswiping another vehicle, scraping a guard rail, backing into a parked car, colliding with another moving vehicle and colliding with a tree. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible on your Sierra in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

This coverage gives you protection when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many Ohio drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (25/50/25), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive can pay for claims like damage from getting keyed, damage from flooding, rock chips in glass, fire damage and theft. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Persistent drivers can save

In this article, we presented a lot of tips how to compare GMC Sierra insurance car insurance rates in Columbus. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest car insurance rates come from the smaller companies. These companies may often insure only within specific states and give better rates than their larger competitors like Allstate or State Farm.

As you shop your coverage around, it’s not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. In too many instances, an accident victim reduced liability coverage limits only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.

How to find cheaper rates for GMC Sierra insurance in Columbus

The best way we recommend to find low-cost GMC Sierra insurance is to compare prices at least once a year from insurers who can sell car insurance in Columbus. Price quotes can be compared by completing these steps.

• Step 1: Try to learn about how companies price auto insurance and the modifications you can make to keep rates in check. Many rating criteria that result in higher prices like getting speeding tickets and an imperfect credit score can be rectified by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
• Step 2: Request price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can quote prices from multiple companies.
• Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your current policy and see if you can save money. If you find a lower rate quote, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.

A good tip to remember is to compare similar deductibles and liability limits on each quote request and and to get rates from every company you can. This provides an apples-to-apples comparison and the best price selection.

More resources

• Safety Tips for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
• Who Has the Cheapest Columbus Car Insurance for Teenage Females? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for 19 Year Olds in Columbus? (FAQ)
• Crash Avoidance Technologies FAQ (iihs.org)
• Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
• Comprehensive Coverage (Liberty Mutual)