Best Chevy HHR Insurance in Oakland

The best way to get more affordable auto insurance rates is to annually compare prices from providers that sell auto insurance in Oakland. Rates can be compared by following these guidelines.

1. Try to understand the different coverages in a policy and the changes you can make to prevent rate increases. Many rating criteria that cause high rates like accidents, traffic tickets, and an unacceptable credit history can be eliminated by paying attention to minor details.
2. Compare rates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can quote rates from many different companies.
3. Compare the new quotes to your existing rates to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a lower rate quote and change companies, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
4. Give notification to your current company of your decision to cancel your current policy. Submit a completed policy application and payment for the new policy. Once the application is submitted, place your new certificate of insurance along with the vehicle’s registration papers.

An important part of this process is to make sure you’re comparing the same liability limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get price quotes from as many companies as you can. This guarantees a fair rate comparison and a complete selection of prices.

Regrettably, the vast majority of drivers have purchased from the same company for over three years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never taken the time to shop around. Oakland insurance shoppers could save an average of as much as 35% each year just by getting comparison quotes, but they don’t know the amount of savings they would get if they switched to a cheaper policy.

Locating the most cost-effective insurance policy in Oakland is actually very simple if you learn how to start. If you are already insured or just want cheaper coverage, use these techniques to lower your rates without reducing coverage. Smart shoppers only need an understanding of the proper methods to compare insurance rates using one simple form.

Finding cheap Chevy HHR insurance rates is not a difficult process. All that’s required is to spend a few minutes on the computer to get quotes online from several insurance companies.

Comparing rate quotes online is fast and free, and it makes it a waste of time to waste gas driving to all the different Oakland insurance agencies. Doing it all online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you want the extra assistance of a local Oakland agent. Some companies do allow you to price shop your coverage online but have a local agent actually write the policy.

The auto insurance companies shown below offer quotes in California. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit several of them to get the most affordable price.

Insurance analysis for a Chevy HHR

The coverage table displayed below showcases estimates of prices for Chevy HHR models. Being more informed about how insurance policy premiums are calculated can be of help when making decisions on which insurance to purchase.

Prices above based on married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Price estimates do not factor in your specific Oakland location which can impact auto insurance rates noticeably.

Physical damage deductibles

A question often asked by Oakland drivers is at what level do you set your deductibles. The tables below may help you to understand the differences in premium rates when you buy lower versus higher insurance deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $100 physical damage coverage deductible and the second rate table uses a $500 deductible.

Data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, homeowner, and claim-free. Premium costs do not factor in Oakland location which can alter auto insurance rates considerably.

Using the premium rates above, we can conclude that using a $100 deductible costs an average of $32 more each month or $384 every year across all Chevrolet HHR models than choosing the higher $500 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $400 more if you file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to go at a minimum 13 months between claim filings, you would probably save some money by going with a higher deductible. The table below illustrates the way you can decide this on your own policy.

One thing to note is that raising deductibles means you will have to cover more of the damage yourself if you have a claim. It will be required that you have enough extra money in the event you have to pay the deductible for vehicle repair.

The illustration below highlights how deductible choice and can impact Chevy HHR insurance costs for different age groups of insureds. The price estimates are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.

Liability only or full coverage

The information below compares Chevy HHR yearly insurance costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. The information is based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, single status, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Guidelines for dropping full coverage

There is no exact rule that works best for making the decision to drop physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Chevy HHR replacement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would get paid by your company is $2,000 after you pay the deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $200 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.

There are some situations where buying only liability insurance is not recommended. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you are required to maintain full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not drop full coverage.

Auto insurance is not optional in California

Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Chevy HHR in Oakland, buying auto insurance may not be optional for several reasons.

• Just about all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means state laws require specific limits of liability insurance coverage if you drive a vehicle. In California these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
• If you have a loan on your HHR, it’s guaranteed your bank will force you to have full coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you let the policy lapse, the bank may buy a policy for your Chevy at a much higher premium rate and make you pay the higher price.
• Insurance safeguards your vehicle and your assets. It will also reimburse you for most medical and hospital costs for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability insurance will also pay for a defense attorney if you are sued as the result of an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, your policy will pay to have it repaired.

The benefits of insuring your HHR are without a doubt worth the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. An average driver in America is overpaying more than $700 annually so you should quote and compare rates every year to ensure rates are competitive.

Informed Consumers Can Reduce Their Insurance Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining insurance rates. If you have some idea of what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings. Many different elements are used in the calculation when quoting car insurance. Some factors are common sense such as your driving record, but others are more transparent like where you live or your financial responsibility.

Shown below are some of the items used by your company to calculate your prices.

Employer stress can make you pay more – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupational choices like real estate brokers, business owners, and financial analysts generally pay higher rates than average due to high stress and extremely grueling work hours. Other careers such as farmers, athletes and the unemployed generally pay rates lower than average.

More performance means higher premiums – The type of vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in determining your rates. The best insurance prices are generally reserved for smaller low performance passenger cars, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.

The data below uses these variables: married male driver age 30, full coverage with $250 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It compares Chevrolet HHR policy rates compared to other makes and models that have a range of performance risks.

High insurance claims frequency drives up premiums – Insurance companies in California award lower rates to people that do not abuse their auto insurance. If you frequently file small claims, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is designed for claims that you cannot pay yourself.

Annual miles is a factor – The higher the miles on your Chevy each year the higher the price you pay to insure it. A lot of companies calculate prices based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your declarations sheet shows annual mileage, because it can save money. An improperly rated HHR may be costing you.

Rental and towing coverage may not be needed – Policies have additional coverages that can waste your money when buying insurance. Insurance for roadside assistance, towing coverage, and membership fees may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good when deciding what coverages you need, but if you have no use for them think about removing them and cutting costs.

Oakland auto insurance discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but companies offer discounts that may help make it more affordable. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically at the time of purchase, but less common discounts must be specially asked for before they will apply. If you do not double check each discount available, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• Life Insurance – Select insurance carriers reward you with a small discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
• Theft Deterrent – Vehicles with anti-theft systems have a lower chance of being stolen and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Discount for Low Mileage – Low annual miles could earn substantially lower premium rates.
• Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
• Sign Online – A handful of companies will provide an incentive get Oakland auto insurance online.
• Telematics Discount – People who choose to allow companies to spy on their driving habits remotely such as Progressive’s Snapshot and State Farm’s In-Drive could see a rate decrease as long as the data is positive.
• Federal Government Employee – Having worked for a branch of the government may reduce rates when you quote Oakland auto insurance with a few auto insurance companies.
• Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed in the military may lower your premium rates slightly.

Don’t be shocked that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Just because you may think you could get a free auto insurance policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will definitely reduce your overall premium however.

The information below illustrates the comparison of Chevy HHR insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. The data is based on a female driver, no claims or driving citations, California 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 homeowner, multi-car, multi-policy, safe-driver, marriage, and claim-free discounts applied.

A list of companies and a selection of discounts are detailed below.

• Travelers offers discounts including driver training, hybrid/electric vehicle, student away at school, multi-car, early quote, home ownership, and IntelliDrive.
• 21st Century policyholders can earn discounts including good student, driver training, student driver, 55 and older, automatic seat belts, homeowners, and anti-lock brakes.
• State Farm discounts include multiple autos, good student, safe vehicle, driver’s education, passive restraint, accident-free, and Drive Safe & Save.
• GEICO may include discounts for multi-policy, defensive driver, five-year accident-free, air bags, military active duty, and emergency military deployment.
• SAFECO has savings for safe driver, drive less, bundle discounts, teen safety rewards, anti-theft, homeowner, and multi-car.
• AAA has discounts for multi-policy, education and occupation, multi-car, good driver, anti-theft, good student, and pay-in-full.

Before buying, ask every insurance company which discounts they offer. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply to policies in Oakland. To see a list of insurers who offer free Chevy HHR insurance quotes in Oakland, click here.

Buying insurance from Oakland auto insurance agents

A small number of people would rather get advice from a local agent. Agents can help you choose the best coverages and help submit paperwork. A nice benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain better rates and still buy from a local agent.

After completing this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents who will return price quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to visit any agencies because prices are sent to you instantly. In the event you want to get a price quote from a specific company, feel free to search and find their rate quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.

Finding the right company requires more thought than just a cheap quote. The questions below may impact your decision as well.

• Does the agent help file claims?
• Is working in the agency their full-time job?
• Is the coverage adequate for your vehicle?
• What are their preferred companies if they are an independent agency?
• Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
• Is there a local claims center in Oakland?

Compare rates regularly to save

We covered a lot of techniques to lower your Chevy HHR insurance prices in Oakland. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest prices come from some of the smallest insurance companies. Regional companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.

When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, an accident victim reduced full coverage only to regret that it was a big error on their part. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at the best possible price, not the least amount of coverage.

There are still a few companies who don’t offer online quoting and most of the time these small, regional companies work with independent agents. More affordable auto insurance in Oakland can be found online and from local agencies, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from.

Much more information about auto insurance in California is located on the following sites:

• Airbag FAQ (iihs.org)
• Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers Over Age 50 in Oakland? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Oakland Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers Under 25? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for a Nissan Versa in Oakland? (FAQ)
• How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for Good Students in Oakland? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Subaru Outback in Oakland? (FAQ)
• Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)
• Auto Theft Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
• Red Light Cameras (State Farm)