1997 Chevrolet Malibu Insurance Rates – 8 Savings Tips

Paying more affordable premium rates for auto insurance could be slightly frustrating for people who have little experience online price comparisons. There are so many agents and companies to choose from that it can quickly become hard work to find the lowest price.

Lower your insurance coverage rates with these eight discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but there are discounts available that can drop the cost substantially. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for before they will apply.

• Pay Upfront and Save – If you can afford to pay the entire bill rather than spreading payments over time you can avoid the installment charge.
• Passive Restraints – Factory options such as air bags or motorized seat belts may qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
• Paperwork-free – A few insurance coverage companies will provide an incentive for buying a policy and signing up on the internet.
• Discount for Swiching Early – Some larger companies reward drivers for switching policies prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
• Telematics Devices – Drivers who elect to allow data collection to spy on vehicle usage by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as State Farm’s In-Drive could see a rate decrease if they have good driving habits.
• Auto/Home Discount – When you have multiple policies and place coverage with the same company they may give you a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
• Student Driver Training – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education in school or through a local driver safety program.
• Theft Deterent Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.

You should keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you could get a free insurance coverage policy, insurance coverage companies aren’t that generous. But any discount will reduce the cost of your policy.

Large insurance coverage companies and some of the discounts are included below.

• State Farm offers discounts including student away at school, defensive driving training, anti-theft, passive restraint, Drive Safe & Save, accident-free, and driver’s education.
• Progressive offers premium reductions for homeowner, good student, online quote discount, multi-policy, and online signing.
• Travelers includes discounts for early quote, continuous insurance, student away at school, hybrid/electric vehicle, and IntelliDrive.
• American Family may have discounts that include TimeAway discount, mySafetyValet, defensive driver, good driver, early bird, accident-free, and good student.
• Liberty Mutual offers discounts for new vehicle discount, multi-car, newly retired, good student, and multi-policy.

When comparing rates, check with every company which discounts can lower your rates. Discounts may not apply to policies in your area. To view insurers who offer discounts, click here.

How to buy auto insurance online

Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can take time and effort if you don’t understand the easiest way. You can waste a lot of time discussing policy coverages with insurance agencies in your area, or you could use the web to maximize your effort.

The majority of car insurance companies take part in a program that allows shoppers to complete one form, and each participating company returns a rated price determined by their information. This eliminates the need for quote forms for each company you want a rate for.

To get comparison pricing now click to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to comparing rates this way is you can’t choose which insurance companies to get quotes from. So if you want to select individual companies to compare rates, we have assembled a list of the cheapest auto insurance companies in your area. View list of insurance companies.

The approach you take is up to you, just make sure you use nearly identical quote information for every quote you compare. If your comparisons have different deductibles then you won’t be able to truly determine the lowest rate. Even a minor difference in insurance coverages or limits can result in a big premium difference. Keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps you find a better price. Some regional insurers cannot provide prices over the internet, so it’s recommended that you also compare price quotes on coverage from those companies, too.

You are unique and your auto insurance should be too

When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Each situation is unique.

Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Is my 1997 Chevy Malibu covered for smoke damage?
• Do I need higher collision deductibles?
• Should I buy full coverage?
• Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
• Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
• Will my rates increase for filing one claim?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form.

Insurance coverage options for a 1997 Chevy Malibu

Learning about specific coverages of your policy aids in choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Insurance terms can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement.

Collision protection

This coverage pays for damage to your Malibu resulting from a collision with another car or object. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision insurance covers claims such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, driving through your garage door, colliding with a tree, colliding with another moving vehicle and damaging your car on a curb. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.

Liability auto insurance

Liability insurance will cover injuries or damage you cause to people or other property in an accident. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see policy limits of 50/100/50 that translate to a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability coverage pays for things like pain and suffering, bail bonds, repair costs for stationary objects and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but you should buy as much as you can afford.

Comprehensive coverages

Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive can pay for things like a broken windshield, rock chips in glass and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Coverage for medical payments

Med pay and PIP coverage pay for immediate expenses such as rehabilitation expenses, nursing services, dental work and ambulance fees. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

Uninsured and underinsured coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Chevy Malibu.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Normally the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.

Final thoughts

We just presented a lot of ways to reduce 1997 Chevy Malibu insurance premium rates online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote insurance coverage, the higher your chance of finding cheap insurance coverage. Drivers may discover the best price on insurance coverage is with a small local company.

When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many situations where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost and still be able to protect your assets.

Drivers who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as not issuing a premium refund, poor customer service, delays in paying claims or even being labeled a high risk driver. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new company is not as difficult as it may seem.

Other learning opportunities

• Prepare your Teens for Safe Driving (InsureUonline.org)
• What is Covered by an Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Insitute)
• No-Fault Auto Insurance Statistics (Insurance Information Insitute)
• A Tree Fell on Your Car: Now What? (Allstate)
• Protecting Teens from Drunk Driving (Insurance Information Insitute)
• Liability Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)