Best Ways to Save on Chicago Chevy HHR Insurance

Do you want lower-priced Chevy HHR insurance in Chicago? Do you get exhausted from sacrificing to insure your Chevy every month? You're in the same situation as millions of other drivers.

Unbelievable but true, nearly 70% of customers kept their coverage with the same auto insurance company for a minimum of four years, and 38% of drivers have never shopped around. American drivers could save themselves approximately $860 a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they don't know how much they could save if they bought a different policy.

Since you have so many auto insurance companies to choose from, it's difficult to choose the lowest cost insurer.

All major auto insurance companies like State Farm and Allstate allow consumers to get price estimates online. Doing online quotes for Chevy HHR insurance in Chicago is easy for anyone as you simply type in the coverages you want as detailed in the form. Once entered, their quoting system will order your driving and credit reports and provides a quote based on these and other factors. This makes it simple to compare prices and it's very important to have as many quotes as possible if you want to get the cheapest price possible.

In order to compare rates using this form now, compare rates now from the companies shown below. To compare your current rates, we recommend you enter the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. Doing this guarantees you will receive rate comparison quotes for similar insurance coverage.

The auto insurance companies shown below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in Chicago, IL. If the list has multiple companies, we suggest you visit two to three different companies to get the best price comparison.

Cost estimates assume single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Illinois minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, and claim-free. Table data does not factor in your specific Chicago location which can affect price quotes significantly.

Can higher deductibles save money?

When comparing auto insurance rates, the most common question is where should you set your physical damage deductibles. The data tables below can help illustrate the costs and benefits between high and low physical damage deductibles. The first data set uses a $100 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second data table uses a $1,000 deductible.

Data based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Illinois minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, claim-free, and homeowner. Price information does not factor in specific garaging location which can alter coverage prices greatly.

Based on the data above, we can derive that using a $100 deductible would cost the average driver about $30 more each month or $360 for a full year than opting for the higher $1,000 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $900 more to settle a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you go at a minimum 30 months between claim filings, you would save more money by selecting a higher deductible.

Rate comparison of full coverage and liability-only

The information below visualizes the comparison of Chevrolet HHR annual premium costs with full coverage and liability only. The information is based on no violations or accidents, $100 deductibles, single female driver, and no discounts are applied.

Are you wasting money paying for full coverage?

There isn't a written rule for dropping full coverage, but there is a general school of thought. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than about 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then it might be time to buy liability only.

For example, let's assume your Chevrolet HHR book value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company will settle for is $4,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If premium cost is more than $400 annually for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it's probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

There are a few situations where buying only liability insurance is not in your best interest. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you are required to maintain full coverage to protect the lienholder's interest in the vehicle. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should keep full coverage on your policy.

Insurance protects more than just your car

Despite the high insurance cost for a Chevy HHR in Chicago, insuring your vehicle is required for several reasons.

• Most states have minimum liability requirements which means state laws require a minimum amount of liability if you want to drive legally. In Illinois these limits are 20/40/15 which means you must have $20,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $40,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $15,000 of property damage coverage.
• If you have a loan on your vehicle, it's most likely the lender will make it a condition of the loan that you carry insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the lender will be forced to insure your Chevy at a more expensive rate and force you to reimburse them a much higher amount than you were paying before.
• Insurance protects both your Chevy HHR and your assets. Insurance will also pay for medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay to defend you if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.

The benefits of having insurance are definitely more than the cost, particularly for liability claims. On average, a vehicle owner in Chicago is currently overpaying as much as $820 a year so you should quote your policy with other companies every year to ensure rates are competitive.

Insurance companies are expert advertisers

Respected companies like State Farm and Allstate continually stream ads in print and on television. They all convey the message of big savings if you move your policy. How does every insurance company sell you cheaper insurance coverage? It's all in the numbers.

Companies provide the lowest rates for the driver that earns them the highest profit. For instance, a profitable insured might have to be between the ages of 30 and 50, owns a home, and has great credit. A propective insured who matches that profile will get a cheap rate quote in Chicago and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Consumers who cannot meet these stringent criteria will be quoted higher prices which translates to the prospect going elsewhere. If you listen to the ad wording, they say "drivers who switch" not "everyone who quotes" save that kind of money. That's the way companies can truthfully make it sound like they have such great car insurance rates. This emphasizes why it's extremely important to compare free Chicago auto insurance quotes often. It's just not possible to know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Cheap Chicago auto insurance rates with discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but there could be significant discounts that many consumers don't even know exist. Certain discounts will be applied at the time you complete a quote, but less common discounts must be requested specifically prior to getting the savings.

• Club Memberships - Participating in a civic or occupational organization in Chicago can get you a small discount on your bill.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount - Cars, trucks, and SUVs with anti-lock braking systems are much safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Discount for Passive Restraints - Factory air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
• Discount for Multiple Policies - If you can combine your auto and homeowners policy with the same company you could save up to 20% and get you cheaper HHR insurance.
• No Claims - Insureds with no claims or accidents pay much less in comparison to frequent claim filers.
• Sign Online - A few insurance companies will provide an incentive shop Chicago auto insurance digitally online.
• Good Grades Discount - This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
• College Student - Children who are attending college and do not take a car to college could get you a discount.
• Discounts for Responsible Drivers - Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.
• Early Renewal Discounts - A few auto insurance companies offer discounts for signing up prior to the expiration date on your current HHR insurance policy. You can save around 10% with this discount.

As is typical with insurance, some credits don't apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates all those discounts means the company will pay you, that's just not realistic.

A few popular companies and the discounts they provide can be read below.

• Progressive offers premium reductions for homeowner, online quote discount, online signing, continuous coverage, good student, and multi-vehicle.
• SAFECO may include discounts for anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, multi-car, homeowner, drive less, safe driver, and teen safety rewards.
• American Family may offer discounts for mySafetyValet, defensive driver, multi-vehicle, bundled insurance, good driver, and accident-free.
• MetLife discounts include accident-free, good driver, good student, multi-policy, and defensive driver.
• GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including anti-theft, military active duty, air bags, multi-vehicle, driver training, emergency military deployment, and federal employee.
• The Hartford may have discounts that include air bag, defensive driver, good student, bundle, and anti-theft.

Double check with each company what discounts are available to you. All car insurance discounts may not be available in Chicago.

Local agents and car insurance

Some people would rather have an agent's advice and that is OK! One of the benefits of getting online price quotes is you may find lower prices but also keep your business local.

After completing this quick form, the quote information is submitted to participating agents in Chicago who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You never need to search for any insurance agencies because quoted prices will be sent directly to you. You can get cheaper car insurance rates AND a local agent. If for some reason you want to get a comparison quote from one company in particular, you would need to jump over to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.

Deciding on a provider should depend on more than just a cheap quote. Before buying a policy in Chicago, get answers to these questions.

• If they are an independent agency in Chicago, which companies do they recommend?
• Are there any discounts for paying up front?
• Will they make sure you get an adequate claim settlement?
• How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
• Will one accident increase rates?
• Does the agency have a current Errors and Omissions policy?
• Do they get extra compensation for selling add-on coverages?
• Do they have designations such as AIC, CPCU, or CIC?

Upon receiving reasonable responses to your questions as well as a price you're happy with, chances are good that you have found an provider that can be relied on to adequately provide car insurance.

Persistence will pay off

We covered quite a bit of information on how to reduce Chevy HHR insurance premium rates online in Chicago. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better chance you'll have of finding affordable Chicago auto insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the most savings is with a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.

As you shop your coverage around, don't be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at the best price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.

To learn more, feel free to browse these articles:

• Auto Insurance Facts and Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
• Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for a Ford Escape in Chicago? (FAQ)
• What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Over Age 50 in Chicago? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for Low Income Drivers in Chicago? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for 4x4 Vehicles in Chicago? (FAQ)
• Teen Driving Statistics (GEICO)
• How to Avoid Buying a Flooded Car (Insurance Information Institute)
• Help Your Teen Be a Better Driver (State Farm)
• Winter Driving (Insurance Information Institute)