View 2012 GMC Sierra 2500HD Car Insurance Quotes

Vehicle owners not familiar with comparing insurance coverage rates online can find buying cheaper insurance coverage can be quite difficult.

If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this strategy. The purpose of this article is to instruct you on how to get online quotes and some tips to save money. Although drivers do need to learn how big insurance companies market insurance on the web and apply this information to your search.

How to get car insurance price quotes

There are several ways you can shop for car insurance but some are more efficient than others. You could waste time talking to insurance agencies in your area, or you can stay home and use the internet to get the quickest rates.

The majority of car insurance companies participate in a marketplace where insurance shoppers submit their information once, and each participating company returns a rated price for coverage. This prevents consumers from doing repetitive form submissions for each company you want a rate for.

To find out what other companies charge click here to start a free quote.

The one downside to comparing rates this way is you don’t know exactly which insurance companies you want to price. So if you prefer to choose individual companies for rate comparison, we have assembled a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.

Whichever method you choose, make sure you are using nearly identical quote data on every price quote you get. If you have different data you will not be able to truly determine the lowest rate. Quoting even small variations in insurance coverages or limits may cause a big price difference. Just keep in mind that getting more free quotes will enable you to find a lower rate than you’re paying now.

Car insurance myths debunked

Big name companies like Allstate and Progressive seem to constantly run ads in print and on television. All the ads seem to make the promise about savings if you get a free insurance coverage quote and switch your car insurance coverage to their company. How does every company have lower policy pricing? You have to listen carefully.

All companies require specific criteria for the type of driver that is profitable for them. One example of a driver they prefer might be described as over the age of 50, has a clear driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Someone that fits those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and will save money with a new company.

Insureds who are not a match for the requirements will be quoted higher premium rates which results in business not being written. The trick companies use is to say “people that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can confidently claim big savings.

Because each company has a different risk profile, you should compare as many free insurance coverage quotes as you can. You cannot predict which insurance companies will fit you best based on your risk profile.

Lower rates by qualifying for discounts

Some companies don’t always publicize all their discounts very well, so the next list breaks down some of the more common and also the lesser-known credits available to lower your premiums when you buy insurance coverage online.

Discount for Good Grades – Excelling in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Many companies even apply the discount to college students up until you turn 25.
Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low annual miles could qualify for cheaper premium rates.
ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars and trucks that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
Pay Now and Pay Less – By making one initial payment rather than paying in monthly installments you can avoid monthly service charges.
Sign Early and Save – Some auto insurance companies reward drivers for switching policies early. This discount can save up to 10%.
Passenger Safety Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may get savings of up to 25% or more.
Student Discount for Driver Training – Require your teen driver to enroll in driver’s education as it can save substantially.
Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Buying insurance for all your vehicles with one company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Mature Driver Discount – Mature drivers may receive lower premium rates on SierraHD coverage.

One thing to note about discounts is that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.

A few popular companies and a partial list of their discounts are shown below.

State Farm offers premium reductions for driver’s education, good student, multiple autos, accident-free, anti-theft, and safe vehicle.
Farmers Insurance may offer discounts for early shopping, youthful driver, pay in full, multi-car, good student, mature driver, and switch companies.
GEICO may include discounts for membership and employees, driver training, air bags, federal employee, military active duty, multi-policy, and emergency military deployment.
American Family discounts include accident-free, early bird, TimeAway discount, defensive driver, mySafetyValet, and Steer into Savings.
Nationwide has savings for easy pay, business or organization, accident-free, anti-theft, multi-policy, defensive driving, and good student.
Progressive offers discounts including multi-policy, multi-vehicle, good student, online signing, online quote discount, and homeowner.

It’s a good idea to ask every prospective company what discounts are available to you. Some credits might not be offered on policies in your state.

Car insurance is unique, just like you

When buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s needs are different.

For example, these questions can aid in determining whether you might need professional guidance.

Should I have a commercial auto policy?
Am I covered if my car is in a flood?
Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
Do I pay less for low miles?
What if I owe more than I can insure my car for?
Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form.

Specifics of your insurance policy

Knowing the specifics of a insurance policy can be of help when determining the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Insurance terms can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Auto collision coverage

Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision can pay for claims such as colliding with another moving vehicle, crashing into a ditch and hitting a mailbox. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.

Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance

This provides protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your GMC Sierra 2500HD.

Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked. Usually these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Insurance for medical payments

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for immediate expenses such as EMT expenses, doctor visits, chiropractic care, pain medications and surgery. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available and may carry a deductible

Liability coverage

Liability insurance protects you from damage that occurs to other’s property or people. It protects YOU against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Another option is a combined limit which provides one coverage limit without having the split limit caps.

Liability can pay for claims such as bail bonds, medical expenses, structural damage, legal defense fees and medical services. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but consider buying as much as you can afford.

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)

This coverage covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hail damage and a broken windshield. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Be a money saver!

People leave their current company for a variety of reasons including questionable increases in premium, denial of a claim, lack of trust in their agent and even not issuing a premium refund. Whatever your reason, finding a new insurance company can be easier than you think.

When shopping online for insurance, it’s a bad idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your strategy should be to find the BEST coverage at the lowest possible cost.

Some companies don’t offer price quotes online and many times these small insurance companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies. Lower-priced insurance can be found online and also from your neighborhood agents, and you should compare rates from both to have the best selection.