Compare 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Car Insurance Rates

Tired of paying out the nose to buy car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other drivers.

There is such a variety of car insurance companies to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to find the best rates for your vehicles.

You need to take a look at other company’s rates on a regular basis since insurance rates trend upward over time. Even if you got the lowest price for Malibu coverage a couple years back you can probably find a lower rate today. Starting now, block out anything you think you know about car insurance because we’re going to show you the things you must know in order to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

Elements that influence Chevy Malibu insurance rates

It’s important that you understand the factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.

  • Small claims can cost you – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Companies provide discounts to policyholders who do not file claims often. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
  • Drive a safer car and pay less – Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. These vehicles reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates. If your Chevy has ratings of a minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it is probably cheaper to insure.
  • Do you know you’re credit rating? – A driver’s credit score is a important factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with lower credit scores. Therefore, if your credit history is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your 2008 Chevrolet Malibu by improving your rating.
  • Poor driving leads to higher costs – Drivers who don’t get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Even a single speeding ticket can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who get serious violations like DUI or reckless driving may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
  • Lower rates come with age – Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Teen drivers are statistically proven to be less responsible when behind the wheel and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
  • Drive less and save money – The higher the mileage driven every year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers apply a rate based on their usage. Autos not used for work or commuting can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. If your policy improperly rates your Malibu may be costing you. Ask your agent if your car insurance declarations sheet is rated on the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
  • Sex matters – Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. Women and men have accidents in similar percentages, but the males cause more damage. They also have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI. Young males tend to get in the most accidents and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
  • Protect yourself with liability coverage – Your policy’s liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide for a legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not skimp.

Take advantage of discounts

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there are discounts available that can drop the cost substantially. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of purchase, but some may not be applied and must be requested specifically prior to getting the savings.

  • Senior Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive a small decrease in premiums for Malibu coverage.
  • Government Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% for Malibu coverage depending on your company.
  • Military Rewards – Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
  • Memberships – Belonging to a qualifying organization could trigger savings on your policy for Malibu coverage.
  • College Student – Kids in college who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.

Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. But any discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of providers with discount insurance coverage rates, click here to view.

How to know if you need help

When it comes to choosing the best insurance coverage, there is no best way to insure your cars. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if your situation might need professional guidance.

  • Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
  • Am I covered if my car is in a flood?
  • Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
  • What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in my state?
  • What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
  • I have a DUI can I still get coverage?
  • What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
  • When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
  • When should I drop full coverage on my 2008 Chevy Malibu?
  • Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?

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

Parts of your auto insurance policy

Understanding the coverages of a auto insurance policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. These are the normal coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.

Auto collision coverage

Collision insurance covers damage to your Malibu from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage protects against things like backing into a parked car, colliding with another moving vehicle, hitting a mailbox, rolling your car and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Coverage for medical payments

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for short-term medical expenses like X-ray expenses, funeral costs, dental work, nursing services and hospital visits. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Uninsured and underinsured coverage

This coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Comprehensive coverages

This pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as rock chips in glass, a broken windshield, theft, damage from getting keyed and hitting a deer. The highest amount your auto insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Liability coverages

This protects you from damage or injury you incur to people or other property. This coverage protects you against claims from other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have liability limits of 25/50/25 which means a limit of $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Occasionally you may see one limit called combined single limit (CSL) that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability can pay for claims like structural damage, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and court costs. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.

Don’t break the bank

We just covered quite a bit of information on how to shop for 2008 Chevy Malibu insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the best prices are with the least-expected company. They can often provide lower rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.

Lower-priced insurance is available online in addition to many insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance providers do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.

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