Save Money on GMC Sierra Insurance in Portland

It takes a little time, but the best way to quote cheaper GMC Sierra insurance is to regularly compare price quotes from providers that insure vehicles in Portland. Drivers can shop around by following these guidelines.

Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of the coverage provided by your policy and the measures you can take to keep rates low. Many rating factors that result in higher rates like traffic citations and an unacceptable credit history can be eliminated by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. This article provides additional ideas to help find cheaper rates and find overlooked discounts.

Step 2: Obtain price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes from multiple companies.

Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper price is available. If you find a lower rate quote and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.

Step 4: Give proper notification to your current agent or company of your intention to cancel your existing policy. Submit the required down payment along with the signed application to the newly selected company. Once received, put the proof of insurance paperwork in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.

An important note is that you’ll want to make sure you compare the same amount of coverage on each quote and to quote with as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this guarantees a level playing field and maximum price selection.

It’s easy to assume that auto insurance companies don’t want you to compare rates. Drivers who compare rates annually are likely to buy a new policy because of the high probability of finding a cheaper policy. Remarkably, a study showed that consumers who did price comparisons regularly saved an average of $865 annually compared to drivers who never compared prices.

If finding low prices for GMC Sierra insurance is your objective, then understanding how to get price quotes and compare coverage rates can help you be more efficient.

Finding the cheapest coverage in Portland is actually quite easy if you know where to start. If you have insurance now or are looking for a new policy, use these cost-cutting techniques to reduce premiums without having to cut coverage. Drivers just have to learn the least time-consuming way to compare different rates from many different companies.

Quote GMC Sierra Insurance Cheaper

Multiple criteria are considered when quoting car insurance. Some of the criteria are obvious like an MVR report, but others are more transparent like your vehicle usage and annual miles driven. A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing the factors that are used to determine the level of your policy premiums. When you know what positively or negatively positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables you to make decisions that could help you find big savings.

Gender as a rate factor – The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. This data doesn’t prove that females are better at driving than males. They both are responsible for fender benders in similar numbers, but males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically get higher numbers of serious violations like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving.

The chart below compares GMC Sierra insurance costs for male and female drivers. Data assumes no claims or driving violations, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are factored in.

High claims frequency drives up car insurance rates – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in Oregon award discounts to drivers who are claim-free. Auto insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.

Occupation impacts rates – Did you know your job can affect your rates? Careers such as fire fighters, social workers, and medical professionals tend to pay higher premiums than the average policyholder because of high stress and long work days. On the other hand, jobs like scientists, students and retirees receive lower rates.

More mileage equals more premium – Driving more miles in a year the more it will cost to insure it. Many insurance companies charge rates determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage receive lower rates than those used for commuting. It’s a smart idea to ensure your car insurance coverage reflects the proper vehicle usage. An incorrectly rated Sierra may be costing you.

Qualify for multi-policy discounts – Some insurers will give lower prices for people who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, drivers will still want to check prices from other companies to ensure the best deal.

Rates increase with driving citations – Your driving citation history can have a huge impact on auto insurance premiums. Even a single moving violation can bump up the cost substantially. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Drivers with serious tickets like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to maintain a SR-22 with their state’s licensing department in order to legally drive.

The example below highlights how traffic violations and at-fault fender-benders increase GMC Sierra insurance costs for each different age group. The premiums assume a single male driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.

GMC Sierra insurance loss statistics – Insurance companies factor in insurance loss information to help calculate premium prices. Vehicles that tend to have higher claim amounts or frequency will be charged more to insure.

The table below outlines the loss history for GMC Sierra vehicles. For each coverage category, the claim probability for all vehicles as a whole is a value of 100. Numbers shown that are under 100 suggest a positive loss record, while values over 100 point to more frequent losses or an increased chance of a larger loss.

GMC Sierra insurance rate analysis

The coverage information shown next covers a range of rate quotes for GMC Sierra models. Having a better understanding of how auto insurance policy rates are formulated can benefit drivers when making informed coverage decisions.

Data variables include married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Oregon minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, and safe-driver. Premium amounts do not factor in specific location which can revise insurance rates greatly.

Physical damage deductibles

When buying car insurance, a common question is which deductibles should you choose. The rates below sum up the differences in price between high and low physical damage coverage deductibles. The first rate quote example uses a $100 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second price chart uses a $500 deductible.

Price data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Oregon minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-policy. Rates do not factor in specific zip code location which can modify prices significantly.

Based on this data, we can arrive at the conclusion that using a $100 deductible costs about $25 more each month or $300 every year than choosing the higher $500 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $400 more if you file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you usually have at a minimum 16 months between claims, you would probably come out ahead by going with a higher deductible.

One important issue to know is that a higher deductible level means you will have to pay more when you do file a claim. That will require some extra funds in the event you have to pay the higher deductible.

Discounts can help lower rates on GMC Sierra insurance in Portland

Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize every policy discount very well, so the following is a list of a few of the more well known as well as the least known credits that you can use to lower your rates.

• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Maintaining low annual mileage could qualify for lower auto insurance rates due to less chance of an accident.
• Bundled Policy Discount – When you combine your auto and homeowners insurance with the same company you will save over 10 percent off each policy depending on the company.
• Mature Driver Discount – Older drivers could receive reduced rates.
• Own a Home – Simply owning a home can help you save on auto insurance because it requires a higher level of personal finance.
• Discount for Passive Restraints – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may get savings of 20% or more.
• ABS Brakes – Cars and trucks that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Defensive Driver Discount – Taking time to complete a course that instructs on driving safety is a good idea and can lower rates and easily pay for the cost of the class.
• Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles with the same company can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
• Auto/Life Discount – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a lower premium rate if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
• Active Service Discounts – Having an actively deployed family member can result in better auto insurance rates.

Remember that most discounts do not apply to the whole policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So when it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn’t quite work that way. But any discount will lower the cost of coverage.

The information below illustrates the comparison of GMC Sierra annual premium costs with and without discounts applied. The premium estimates are based on a male driver, no claims or violations, Oregon state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, marriage, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, and claim-free discounts applied.

A list of companies and some of the discounts include:

• Farmers Insurance has savings for switch companies, distant student, youthful driver, good student, and bundle discounts.
• Esurance offers discounts including Pac-12 alumni, multi-car, online quote, emergency road assistance, and renters.
• State Farm discounts include anti-theft, accident-free, good student, multiple autos, and good driver.
• GEICO may have discounts that include anti-lock brakes, seat belt use, air bags, military active duty, and five-year accident-free.
• Allstate includes discounts for economy car, auto/life discount, anti-lock brakes, passive restraint, and premier plus.

When quoting, ask every prospective company the best way to save money. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be available to policyholders in every state.

Don’t give up on affordable rates

Consumers switch companies for a number of reasons such as being labeled a high risk driver, lack of trust in their agent, delays in responding to claim requests and even policy cancellation. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a great new company is not as difficult as it may seem.

We just showed you a lot of information how to compare GMC Sierra insurance premium rates in Portland. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may even discover the lowest premium rates come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.

Lower-priced insurance in Portland is possible both online as well as from insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies do not provide rate quotes online and many times these regional carriers only sell through local independent agents.

Helpful articles

• Vehicle Safety Ratings (iihs.org)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for a Jeep Wrangler in Portland? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for a Company Car in Portland? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for a School Permit in Portland? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with a DUI in Portland? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Portland Auto Insurance Rates for Hybrid Vehicles? (FAQ)
• How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Teen Driving Statistics (GEICO)
• Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)