Compare 1998 Chevrolet S-10 Car Insurance Quotes

Trying to find cheaper auto insurance rates for your Chevrolet S-10? I can’t think of a single person who likes paying for auto insurance, especially knowing the price is too high.

Multiple insurers compete for your insurance dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a provider and uncover the absolute lowest price

Elements that influence Chevy S-10 insurance rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that go into determining insurance coverage rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

Listed below are a few of the “ingredients” insurance coverage companies consider when setting your rates.

  • Policy add-ons can waste money – There are a ton of extra coverages that you can buy on your insurance coverage policy. Insurance for personal injury protection, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea at first, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • The more you drive the more you pay – The more you drive each year the higher your rate. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based on their usage. Cars not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Ask your agent if your insurance coverage policy is showing the correct driver usage. If your policy improperly rates your S-10 can cost quite a bit.
  • Bump up deductibles to save – Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your Chevy from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply would be a windshield shattered by a rock, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. Deductibles for physical damage are the amount of money you are required to spend if you file a covered claim. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your company will charge you for insurance for S-10 insurance.
  • Too many insurance coverage claims drive up costs – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance companies award better rates to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Better credit scores mean better rates – A driver’s credit rating is a large factor in calculating your insurance coverage rates. Drivers with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with lower ratings. So if your credit history can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your 1998 Chevrolet S-10 by improving your credit score.

The most recommended method to get rate comparisons is to know most of the bigger providers provide online access to compare their rates. To get started, all you need to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information including the make and model of your vehicles, marital status, what you do for a living, and how much education you have. That information is then sent to many highly-rated insurers and you will receive price estimates instantly to find the best rate.

Can switching companies really save?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm continually stream television and radio advertisements. All the companies make an identical promise of big savings after switching your policy. But how can every company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer they prefer to insure. An example of a profitable customer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and has great credit. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.

Consumers who are not a match for the requirements will be charged a more expensive rate and this can result in business not being written. The ads say “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. That is how companies can advertise the way they do.

That is why it’s extremely important to compare as many rates as you can. You cannot predict which insurance companies will have the lowest Chevy S-10 insurance rates.

Cut prices on Chevy S-10 insurance

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but companies offer discounts that can drop the cost substantially. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of quoting, but less common discounts must be requested specifically before being credited.

  • Sign Online – Certain companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
  • Defensive Driver – Successfully completing a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
  • Passive Restraints – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings up to 30%.
  • Military Discounts – Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower rates.
  • Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to complete a driver education course in high school.
  • Accident Forgiveness – A few companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Discount for Swiching Early – Some companies give discounts for buying a policy before your current expiration date. The savings is around 10%.
  • New Car Discount – Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.

It’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only cut individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck. But any discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

Insurance companies that may offer these benefits include:

It’s a good idea to ask each company which discounts they offer. Savings may not be available everywhere.

Tailor your coverage to you

When buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions might point out if you might need professional guidance.

  • Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
  • Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
  • Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
  • What exactly is covered by my policy?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

Auto insurance 101

Understanding the coverages of auto insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. Auto insurance terms can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are the normal coverages offered by auto insurance companies.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for things such as hail damage, damage from a tornado or hurricane and a broken windshield. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Medical expense insurance

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for things like hospital visits, EMT expenses, pain medications and ambulance fees. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Collision protection

Collision coverage pays for damage to your S-10 resulting from a collision with another car or object. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against things like sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a ditch, hitting a parking meter, colliding with a tree and backing into a parked car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Chevy S-10.

Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Liability coverage

Liability insurance can cover injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people by causing an accident. It protects YOU from claims by other people. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have limits of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Some companies may use a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability coverage protects against claims such as funeral expenses, structural damage, legal defense fees, medical expenses and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.

In the end, you save

You just learned a lot of ways to get a better price on 1998 Chevy S-10 insurance. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest premiums are with the least-expected company. Some small companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.

Budget-conscious insurance is possible from both online companies as well as from independent agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, an insured dropped collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Additional information