Are you tired of trying to find low-cost Chevy Volt insurance in Houston? Trying to find cheap Chevy Volt insurance in Houston could be nearly impossible for drivers who have little experience online comparison shopping. Drivers have so many companies to choose from that it can quickly become a difficult challenge to find cheaper Chevy Volt insurance rates.
Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that most drivers kept buying from the same company for four years or more, and just short of a majority have never shopped around. Many drivers in Houston could save 70% each year by just comparing quotes, but most undervalue how much money they would save if they switched to a more affordable policy.
It’s a good habit to compare premium rates quite often due to the fact that insurance rates are usually higher with each renewal. If you had the best deal on Chevy Volt insurance in Houston six months ago there may be better deals available now. There is a lot of bad information regarding Volt insurance online, but you can learn some of the best techniques to lower your car insurance premiums.
Save money on Chevy Volt insurance in Houston with these car insurance discounts
Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list every possible discount in an easy-to-find place, so the below list has some of the more common as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving when you buy Houston car insurance online. If you don’t get every credit possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle their seat belts could save 15% on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government can earn a discount up to 10% with some car insurance companies.
- New Car Discount – Buying car insurance coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.
- Onboard Data Collection – Drivers who elect to allow their company to monitor where and when they drive by installing a telematics device such as State Farm’s In-Drive could save a few bucks if they are good drivers.
- Active Service Discounts – Having an actively deployed family member could be rewarded with lower car insurance rates.
- Bundled Policy Discount – If you can bundle your homeowners and auto insurance with the same company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total Volt insurance premium.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Not all companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a lower car insurance rate if you buy some life insurance too.
- One Accident Forgiven – Not really a discount, but a handful of insurance companies permit an accident before your rates go up with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a set time period.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- Sign Online – Some car insurance companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing online.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
A few of the larger companies and their offered discounts are shown below.
- State Farm offers discounts including good driver, Drive Safe & Save, good student, multiple autos, defensive driving training, accident-free, and driver’s education.
- American Family policyholders can earn discounts including good student, multi-vehicle, bundled insurance, TimeAway discount, accident-free, defensive driver, and air bags.
- AAA discounts include education and occupation, anti-theft, multi-car, good student, multi-policy, good driver, and pay-in-full.
- GEICO offers discounts for anti-lock brakes, five-year accident-free, membership and employees, multi-vehicle, air bags, seat belt use, and emergency military deployment.
- Mercury Insurance may include discounts for good driver, good student, professional/association, ease of repair, location of vehicle, annual mileage, and anti-theft.
- Farmers Insurance includes discounts for alternative fuel, early shopping, homeowner, business and professional, switch companies, bundle discounts, and electronic funds transfer.
- Progressive offers premium reductions for online signing, homeowner, online quote discount, good student, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, and multi-policy.
Before purchasing a policy, check with each company or agent what discounts are available to you. Savings might not be offered on policies in your area.
When price shopping your coverage, quoting more helps improve the odds of finding a lower rate.
The providers in the list below offer free quotes in Texas. If the list has multiple companies, we suggest you click on several of them in order to find the most affordable rates.
What Determines Chevy Volt Insurance Prices?
Many factors are taken into consideration when premium rates are determined. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving record, although others are less apparent like your continuous coverage or your commute time. It’s important that you understand a few of the rating criteria that help determine car insurance rates. If you know what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make educated decisions that can earn you big savings.
The following are some of the factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set your rate level.
- Decrease prices by maintaining coverage – Allowing your coverage to lapse is a guaranteed way to pay more for car insurance. In addition to paying higher premiums, the inability to provide proof of insurance could result in a fine, jail time, or a revoked license. You will then be forced to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the Texas department of motor vehicles.
- Your occupation may affect premiums – Occupations like military personnel, business owners and financial analysts generally pay higher premium rates attributed to stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. On the flip side, jobs like professors, students and homemakers have the lowest average rates.
- Pay more if you have a long commute – Living in areas with lower population is a positive aspect when buying car insurance. Fewer drivers and short commutes translates into fewer accident claims and a lower car theft rate. Drivers who live in large Texas cities have more traffic problems and longer commute times. Higher commute times statistically corresponds to a higher accident and claim rate.
- Marriage discount – Having a wife or husband actually saves money on your car insurance policy. Having a significant other is viewed as being more financially stable and statistics show drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
- More miles equals more premium – The higher the miles on your Chevy in a year’s time the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Cars that do not get driven very much receive better premium rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. It’s a smart idea to ensure your car insurance policy reflects the correct usage, because it can save money. Having the wrong rating on your Volt may be costing you higher rates.
- More performance means higher rates – The type of car or truck you are trying to find cheaper insurance for makes a huge difference in your car insurance bill. Since the Chevrolet Volt is classified as a passenger car, insuring your vehicle will cost similar in price or lower when compared to the average rates in Houston. Smaller low performance passenger models generally receive the lowest base rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
- Chevy Volt historical loss data – Insurers use statistical claims data to calculate a rate that will offset losses. Models that tend to have a trend towards higher claims will cost more for specific coverages. The table below illustrates the insurance loss data for Chevy Volt vehicles.
For each coverage category, the loss probability for all vehicles, without regard to make or model, is represented as 100. Percentage numbers below 100 indicate a favorable loss history, while numbers that are greater than 100 indicate more frequent claims or a tendency for claims to be larger.
Insurance Loss Ratings for Chevrolet Volt Vehicles
Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Chevrolet Volt Electric 89 83 81 71 73 90 Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Car insurance is unique, just like you
Always keep in mind that when comparing coverage online or from an agent, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and your car insurance should unique, too. For instance, these questions could help you determine if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.
- What is the minimum liability in Texas?
- Am I covered if hit by an uninsured driver?
- Do I need more liability coverage?
- Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Compare prices but buy from a local Houston insurance agent
Certain consumers would rather talk to a local agent and often times that is recommended A nice benefit of getting free rate quotes online is that you can obtain lower rates and also buy local.
After filling out this quick form, your insurance data is emailed to local insurance agents in Houston that give free quotes for your business. You won’t need to visit any agencies since rate quotes are delivered to you instantly. You can most likely find cheaper rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If for some reason you want to compare prices from one company in particular, you would need to find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Picking the best insurer shouldn’t rely on just the price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
- What companies can they write with?
- Is there any savings for paying the full premium?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
When looking for a reputable insurance agent or broker, it’s important to understand the types of agencies that you can choose from. Agencies in Houston are either exclusive or independent.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies work for only one company and some examples include Allstate and State Farm. These agents are unable to shop your coverage around so you might not find the best rates. They receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products which helps them sell on service rather than price. Drivers often buy insurance from these agents mainly due to high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.
The following are exclusive agents in Houston who can help you get price quote information.
- Sean Wong – State Farm Insurance Agent
7035 Hwy 6 N – Houston, TX 77095 – (281) 550-0555 – View Map - Ricky Maique – State Farm Insurance Agent
8811 Westheimer Rd #205 – Houston, TX 77063 – (713) 781-6132 – View Map - Bob Goodwin – State Farm Insurance Agent
1616 Clear Lake City Blvd #107 – Houston, TX 77062 – (281) 486-9100 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be independent do not have single company limitations so they can quote policies with many different companies and find you the best rates. If prices rise, they can switch companies in-house and that require little work on your part. When comparing rate quotes, you should always include rate quotes from at least one independent agent in order to compare the most rates. Most also have access to additional companies that you may not be familiar with which may provide better rates.
Below are Houston independent insurance agencies that can give you rate quotes.
- Allrisc Insurance Agency
6918 Corporate Dr – Houston, TX 77036 – (713) 771-6000 – View Map - Hispano’s Insurance Agency
5420 Chimney Rock Rd – Houston, TX 77081 – (832) 778-8600 – View Map - Cornerstone Insurance Agency
24301 Brazos Town Crossing – Rosenberg, TX 77471 – (979) 553-4343 – View Map
After talking to the agent and getting answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and an acceptable price quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that meets your needs to insure your vehicles.
Why you need to buy auto insurance
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Chevy Volt in Houston, maintaining insurance may not be optional for several reasons.
First, almost all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require a minimum amount of liability coverage if you don’t want to risk a ticket. In Texas 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.
Second, if your Volt has a loan, almost all lenders will make it a condition of the loan that you buy full coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If the policy lapses, the lender may insure your Chevy for a much higher rate and force you to reimburse them for the much more expensive policy.
Third, insurance safeguards both your Chevy and your assets. It will also pay for medical bills for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay to defend you if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, your policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of insuring your car greatly outweigh the cost, especially with large liability claims. The average driver in Texas is wasting up to $700 annually so you should quote rates once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are competitive.
Quote more to save more
Cost effective Chevy Volt insurance is possible online and from local insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies may not offer the ability to get a quote online and these regional insurance providers prefer to sell through local independent agents.
Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how to shop for Chevy Volt insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may even discover the lowest prices are with a smaller regional carrier. Some small companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like Progressive and GEICO.
More tips and info about auto insurance can be found by following these links:
- Safety Tips for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Felons in Houston? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for 17 Year Olds in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for Electric Cars in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Houston Auto Insurance for a Nissan Altima? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Houston Auto Insurance for a 20 Year Old Female? (FAQ)
- Electronic Stability Control FAQ (iihs.org)
- Information for Teen Drivers (GEICO)
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)