It’s well known that car insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. People who shop for lower rates will, in all likelihood, move their business because there is a good probability of finding a cheaper policy. Remarkably, a study showed that consumers who compared rates regularly saved on average $3,500 over four years compared to people who never shopped around.
If finding the cheapest price on car insurance in Cleveland is your ultimate goal, then understanding how to get rate quotes and compare cheaper coverage can make the process more efficient.
To save the most money, the best way to get cheaper car insurance rates in Cleveland is to do an annual price comparison from different companies who sell insurance in Ohio. Prices can be compared by following these guidelines.
- Step 1: Spend some time learning about how auto insurance works and the things you can control to keep rates down. Many risk factors that increase rates such as traffic citations and an unacceptable credit rating can be amended by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. Later in this article we will cover more information to help find cheaper rates and find missing discounts.
- Step 2: Request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can only give prices from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can give you price quotes from multiple sources.
- Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper rate is available in Cleveland. If you find a lower rate quote and make a switch, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
- Step 4: Notify your current company of your intent to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit payment and a completed application for your new policy. Once received, keep your new proof of insurance certificate with the vehicle registration.
A valuable tip to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get rates from as many carriers as you can. This helps ensure the most accurate price comparison and a thorough selection of prices.
Locating the most cost-effective car insurance policy in Cleveland can really be easy if you know what you’re doing. If you already have coverage, you will most likely be able to shop for the lowest rates using the techniques covered below. Although Ohio drivers do need to learn the way insurance companies market insurance on the web and use it to find better rates.
Just keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies helps you find a lower rate than you’re paying now. Not every company does Cleveland Sierra insurance quotes over the internet, so it’s important to also get rates on coverage from those companies, too.
The auto insurance companies shown below are ready to provide quotes in Cleveland, OH. In order to find cheap car insurance in Cleveland, we suggest you visit as many as you can in order to find the lowest rates.
Cheap GMC Sierra insurance in Cleveland
Some companies don’t always advertise the complete list of policy discounts very clearly, so the next list breaks down a few of the more well known as well as some of the hidden discounts that may be available.
- Driver Education Discount – Teen drivers should successfully complete driver’s ed class in high school.
- Payment Method – If you can afford to pay the entire bill instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
- Memberships – Joining a civic or occupational organization in Cleveland can get you a small discount on your bill.
- Discounts for Federal Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government can save as much as 8% but check with your company.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Buying a policy with multiple cars with the same insurance company qualifies for this discount.
- Life Insurance Discount – Larger companies have a discounted price on car insurance if you buy some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
- No Claim Discounts – Good drivers with no accidents pay less compared to drivers who are more careless.
- Theft Deterrent System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are less likely to be stolen and will save you 10% or more on Sierra insurance in Cleveland.
- Distant Student Discount – Any of your kids who are attending college and do not have a car could qualify for this discount.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one isn’t a discount, but companies like Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm may permit one accident without getting socked with a rate hike so long as you are claim-free before the accident.
As a sidenote, some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Even though the math looks like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way.
The information below compares GMC Sierra insurance costs with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The data is based on a female driver, no accidents, no driving violations, Ohio state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, marriage, multi-policy, claim-free, safe-driver, and homeowner discounts applied.
A few popular companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are outlined below.
- State Farm discounts include driver’s education, multiple autos, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, safe vehicle, and good student.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including good student, continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, multi-policy, and homeowner.
- Progressive offers discounts including online signing, online quote discount, good student, continuous coverage, multi-policy, homeowner, and multi-vehicle.
- MetLife has discounts for good driver, good student, defensive driver, accident-free, claim-free, and multi-policy.
- Farm Bureau has savings for multi-policy, safe driver, driver training, 55 and retired, multi-vehicle, renewal discount, and youthful driver.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for anti-lock brakes, membership and employees, multi-policy, five-year accident-free, military active duty, seat belt use, and driver training.
- SAFECO includes discounts for anti-lock brakes, bundle discounts, homeowner, teen safety rewards, teen safe driver, and accident prevention training.
It’s a good idea to ask every company the best way to save money. Depending on the company, some discounts might not apply in your state.
Detailed insurance information
The premium information displayed next outlines a range of insurance costs for GMC Sierra models. Learning more about how insurance prices are calculated is important to be able to make informed decisions when shopping around for a new policy.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sierra SLE Regular Cab 2WD | $178 | $324 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $820 | $68 |
Sierra SL Extended Cab 2WD | $178 | $324 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $820 | $68 |
Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $178 | $324 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $820 | $68 |
Sierra SL Crew Cab 2WD | $200 | $382 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $900 | $75 |
Sierra SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $200 | $382 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $900 | $75 |
Sierra SLE Regular Cab 4WD | $200 | $382 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $900 | $75 |
Sierra SLE Extended Cab 4WD | $200 | $382 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $900 | $75 |
Sierra SLE Crew Cab 4WD | $200 | $382 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $900 | $75 |
Sierra SLT Extended Cab 2WD | $200 | $382 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $900 | $75 |
Sierra SL Crew Cab 4WD | $200 | $382 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $900 | $75 |
Sierra SLT Extended Cab 4WD | $200 | $382 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $900 | $75 |
Sierra SLT Crew Cab 2WD | $200 | $382 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $900 | $75 |
Sierra SLT Crew Cab 4WD | $224 | $440 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $982 | $82 |
Sierra Denali Crew Cab 2WD | $224 | $440 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $982 | $82 |
Sierra Denali Crew Cab 4WD | $224 | $440 | $234 | $14 | $70 | $982 | $82 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Prices based on married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Ohio minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, and safe-driver. Rate information does not factor in specific location information which can revise rates substantially.
Liability only or full coverage
The chart below illustrates the difference between GMC Sierra yearly insurance costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. The premium estimates are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, single marital status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
When to buy liability coverage only
There is no definitive rule of when to eliminate physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of coverage is more than 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let’s say your GMC Sierra replacement cost is $9,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would get paid by your company is $8,000 after paying your policy deductible. If you are paying more than $800 annually to have full coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.
There are some conditions where dropping full coverage is not a good idea. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to keep full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should maintain full coverage.
Buying from insurance agencies
Some people would prefer to buy from a local agent and that is a smart decision One of the benefits of getting free rate quotes online is that you can obtain cheap car insurance rates but also keep your business local.
To find an agent, once you fill out this simple form, the quote information gets sent to insurance agents in Cleveland that can provide free Cleveland car insurance quotes for your car insurance coverage. There is no reason to search for any insurance agencies since rate quotes are delivered directly to you. You can get cheaper car insurance rates AND a local agent. If for some reason you want to compare rates from one company in particular, you just need to jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Choosing the best provider should include more criteria than just a low price. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
- Can glass claims be handled at your home?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
- Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
Types of car insurance agents in Cleveland
When finding a reliable insurance agency, you must know there are a couple different types of agents and how they function. Agents in Cleveland can be categorized as either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Exclusive Car Insurance Agents
Agents of this type write business for a single company and examples are State Farm or Allstate. These agents are not able to shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agencies are trained well on their company’s products which can be an advantage.
Listed below are Cleveland exclusive insurance agencies who may provide you with rate quotes.
Dick McClement – State Farm Insurance Agent
2700 W 25th St – Cleveland, OH 44113 – (216) 621-3723 – View Map
Jinisha Patel – State Farm Insurance Agent
4342 Ridge Rd – Brooklyn, OH 44144 – (216) 741-6100 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Eslick Insurance and Financial Services
2775 S Moreland Blvd Ste 203 – Cleveland, OH 44120 – (216) 283-5570 – View Map
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These type of agents are not employed by any specific company and that gives them the ability to insure with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If prices rise, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When comparing rates, you should always compare prices from multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection.
Shown below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Cleveland willing to provide price quote information.
AandA Action Auto Insurance Agency
3421 Prospect Ave E – Cleveland, OH 44115 – (216) 361-8988 – View Map
A Better Insurance Services
20660 Aurora Rd – Cleveland, OH 44146 – (216) 475-6800 – View Map
Insurance Cleveland Agency, LLC
5602 State Rd – Parma, OH 44134 – (800) 701-5909 – View Map
Ratings for Cleveland auto insurance companies
Picking the highest-rated insurer is hard considering how many companies sell coverage in Cleveland. The information in the lists below could help you analyze which auto insurance companies to look at purchasing coverage from.
Top 10 Cleveland Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Claims Service
- Progressive
- Travelers
- Liberty Mutual
- Nationwide
- USAA
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- Safeco Insurance
- Mercury Insurance
- Esurance
Top 10 Cleveland Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- Titan Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Erie Insurance – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+
- The Hartford – A+
- Nationwide – A+
Auto insurance coverage information
Knowing the specifics of your car insurance policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find the usual coverages available from car insurance companies.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
This coverage covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like hail damage, falling objects, hitting a deer, theft and damage from getting keyed. The most your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Liability car insurance
This coverage provides protection from damage that occurs to other people or property. It protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see values of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.
Liability coverage protects against things such as attorney fees, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and court costs. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Ohio requires drivers to carry at least 25/50/25 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
The next chart shows why buying the state minimum limits may not be high enough to adequately cover claims.
Insurance for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses like chiropractic care, hospital visits, doctor visits, ambulance fees and nursing services. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Coverage for collisions
This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Sierra from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against things like damaging your car on a curb, sideswiping another vehicle and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible on your Sierra to save money on collision insurance.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your GMC Sierra.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 25/50/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.
More quotes mean more insurance savings
A few companies do not offer internet price quotes and these smaller providers only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies. Lower-priced GMC Sierra insurance in Cleveland is available both online and from local insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates.
When buying insurance coverage, it’s not a good idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There have been many cases where an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
You just learned a lot of tips how to shop for GMC Sierra insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding inexpensive Cleveland car insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a small local company. Some small companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.
Additional information
- Child Safety Seats (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much is Cleveland Auto Insurance for a Jeep Wrangler? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for Postal Workers in Cleveland? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Drivers with Good Credit in Cleveland? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Cleveland Car Insurance for Government Employees? (FAQ)
- Auto Insurance Basics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Airbag FAQ (iihs.org)