It’s safe to conclude that car insurance companies don’t want you quoting rates from other companies. Insureds who shop around for cheaper rates will presumably switch companies because there is a good probability of finding a policy with better rates. Remarkably, a study showed that consumers who compared prices regularly saved on average $865 a year compared to drivers who never shopped around for cheaper prices.
If finding discount rates on auto insurance in Pittsburgh is the reason you’re here, then learning a little about how to shop and compare coverage rates can save time and money.
Truthfully, the best way to find low-cost prices for auto insurance rates is to start comparing rates regularly from different companies who provide car insurance in Pittsburgh. Rate comparisons can be done by following these steps.
Step 1: Spend a few minutes and learn about how companies set rates and the things you can control to keep rates in check. Many risk factors that cause high rates such as tickets, at-fault accidents, and a negative credit score can be improved by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
Step 2: Quote rates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only quote rates from a single company like GEICO and State Farm, while agents who are independent can quote rates from many different companies. Start a quote
Step 3: Compare the new rates to your current policy to see if cheaper Tahoe coverage is available. If you find a lower rate quote and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
The key thing to know about shopping around is to make sure you’re comparing similar limits and deductibles on each price quote and to quote with as many companies as possible. Doing this ensures the most accurate price comparison and a better comparison of the market.
When comparing auto insurance rates, know that obtaining a wide range of quotes gives you a better chance of getting a lower rate than you’re paying now.
The companies in the list below provide free quotes in Pittsburgh, PA. If you want to find the best car insurance in Pittsburgh, PA, it’s a good idea that you compare several of them to find the lowest auto insurance rates.
Insurance analysis for a Chevy Tahoe
The table shown below showcases estimates of insurance policy prices for Chevy Tahoe models. Learning more about how insurance policy premiums are calculated can benefit drivers when making decisions on which insurance to purchase.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tahoe LS 2WD | $314 | $630 | $444 | $26 | $134 | $1,548 | $129 |
Tahoe LS 4WD | $354 | $630 | $444 | $26 | $134 | $1,588 | $132 |
Tahoe LT 2WD | $354 | $630 | $444 | $26 | $134 | $1,588 | $132 |
Tahoe LT 4WD | $354 | $630 | $444 | $26 | $134 | $1,588 | $132 |
Tahoe LTZ 2WD | $354 | $742 | $444 | $26 | $134 | $1,700 | $142 |
Tahoe LTZ 4WD | $354 | $742 | $444 | $26 | $134 | $1,700 | $142 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Above prices assume single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, safe-driver, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Premium amounts do not factor in your specific Pittsburgh location which can impact auto insurance rates considerably.
Physical damage deductibles: Should you raise them?
A question often asked by Pittsburgh drivers is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The following tables lay out the rate differences when you select higher and lower policy deductibles. The first table uses a $250 physical damage coverage deductible and the second pricing table uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tahoe LS 2WD | $254 | $428 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,155 | $96 |
Tahoe LS 4WD | $288 | $428 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,189 | $99 |
Tahoe LT 2WD | $288 | $428 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,189 | $99 |
Tahoe LT 4WD | $288 | $428 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,189 | $99 |
Tahoe LTZ 2WD | $288 | $506 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,267 | $106 |
Tahoe LTZ 4WD | $288 | $506 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,267 | $106 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tahoe LS 2WD | $206 | $346 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,000 | $83 |
Tahoe LS 4WD | $234 | $346 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,028 | $86 |
Tahoe LT 2WD | $234 | $346 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,028 | $86 |
Tahoe LT 4WD | $234 | $346 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,028 | $86 |
Tahoe LTZ 2WD | $234 | $408 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,090 | $91 |
Tahoe LTZ 4WD | $234 | $408 | $330 | $20 | $98 | $1,090 | $91 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Table data represents married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Pennsylvania minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and claim-free. Rate quotes do not factor in Pittsburgh location which can modify premium rates significantly.
Based on this data, using a $250 deductible costs about $14 more each month or $168 each year across all Chevrolet Tahoe models than buying the higher $500 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $250 more if you file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to go at least 18 months between claims, you would probably come out ahead by selecting a higher deductible.
Difference between liability only and full coverage rates
The chart below visualizes the comparison of Chevy Tahoe car insurance rates with full coverage compared to only the Pennsylvania minimum liability coverage. The premium estimates are based on a clean driving record, no claims, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are factored in.
When to stop buying full coverage
There is no definitive guideline that is best for determining when to drop comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of coverage is 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it might be time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s say your Chevy Tahoe replacement cost is $6,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, you would only receive $5,000 after paying your policy deductible. If it’s costing you more than $500 annually for physical damage coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
There are some scenarios where dropping physical damage coverage is not advised. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to maintain full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not opt for liability only.
Car insurance is not optional but you don’t have to overpay
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Chevy Tahoe in Pittsburgh, buying car insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to buy a minimum amount of liability insurance if you drive a vehicle. In Pennsylvania 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 lien on your Chevy, more than likely the lender will force you to have physical damage coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may buy a policy for your Chevy at a much higher premium rate and force you to reimburse them the higher premium.
- Insurance protects not only your Chevy but also your assets. It will also reimburse you for medical bills incurred in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, will also pay to defend you if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, your car insurance policy will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having car insurance more than cancel out the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. The average driver in America overpays as much as $865 each year so it’s important to compare rates once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are inline.
Get Lower-cost Insurance with These Tips
Many different elements are part of the equation when pricing auto insurance. A few of the factors are predictable like a motor vehicle report, although some other factors are less apparent such as your marital status or how financially stable you are. Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that help calculate the rates you pay for insurance. If you understand what impacts premium levels, this enables informed choices that could help you find lower rates.
The factors shown below are just a few of the factors used by insurance companies to determine your premiums.
Do you really need roadside assistance? – There are a ton of optional add-on coverages that you can buy if you aren’t diligent. Insurance for replacement cost coverage, high-cost glass coverage, and Farm Bureau memberships are some examples. These coverages may sound good initially, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
Better insurance rates with anti-theft devices – Choosing to buy a car with advanced anti-theft systems can get you a discount on your insurance. Theft deterrent systems such as OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms all help stop auto theft and help lower rates.
Drive less and save – The more miles you rack up on your Chevy annually the more it will cost to insure it. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage cost less to insure compared to those used for work or business. Make sure your insurance policy is showing the correct usage. Having the wrong rating on your Tahoe may be costing you.
Higher premiums for specific employers – Do you work in a high-stress field? Jobs like lawyers, police officers, and emergency personnel generally have higher average rates due to job stress and long work hours. Conversely, occupations such as farmers, students and performers get better rates.
You might have higher rates if you are single – Having a significant other can actually save you money compared to being single. Having a spouse demonstrates that you tend to be more stable financially and statistics prove married drivers get in fewer accidents.
More performance means higher rates – The performance level of the vehicle you need to insure makes a huge difference in how high your rates are. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars normally have pretty low rates, but your final cost has many other factors.
The data below uses these assumptions: single male driver age 50, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It compares Chevrolet Tahoe insurance premiums compared to other vehicles that have different performance rating factors.
Use but don’t abuse your insurance – If you tend to file frequent claims, you shouldn’t be surprised to get either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance companies in Pennsylvania provide the best rates to insureds who file claims infrequently. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Insurance losses for a Chevy Tahoe – Insurance companies use past loss statistics for each vehicle to help calculate premium costs. Models that the statistics show to have higher losses will have increased rates. The next table shows the actual insurance loss data for Chevy Tahoe vehicles.
For each policy coverage, the statistical loss for all vehicles, as a total average, is a value of 100. Values that are below 100 represent a good loss history, while numbers above 100 indicate frequent claims or statistically larger claims.
Specific Chevrolet Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chevrolet Tahoe 4dr 2WD | 82 | 90 | 105 | 70 | 63 | 88 |
Chevrolet Tahoe 4dr 4WD | 83 | 89 | 103 | 68 | 62 | 80 |
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
Do you qualify for discounts on Chevy Tahoe insurance in Pittsburgh?
Some insurance providers do not advertise all their discounts very clearly, so the list below contains both the well known and the harder-to-find ways to save on car insurance.
- Active Service Discounts – Being on active deployment in the military could mean lower car insurance rates.
- Driving Data Discount – Pittsburgh drivers who agree to allow companies to analyze when and where they use their vehicle remotely such as Progressive’s Snapshot may get a rate reduction as long as they are good drivers.
- Government Employee Discount – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with some car insurance companies.
- Drive Safe and Save – Insureds who avoid accidents could pay up to 40% less than drivers with accidents.
- E-sign – Certain car insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up on your computer.
- Anti-theft Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more on Tahoe insurance in Pittsburgh.
- Club Memberships – Joining a professional or civic organization could earn you a nice discount on your bill.
- Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt could save 15% on medical payment and PIP coverage.
Discounts lower rates, but many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it’s just not the way it works.
The information below visualizes the comparison of Chevy Tahoe premium costs with and without policy discounts. The prices are based on a female driver, no claims or driving citations, Pennsylvania state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, marriage, homeowner, multi-car, claim-free, and multi-policy discounts applied.
Companies and some of the premium reductions they offer include:
- State Farm may offer discounts for good driver, multiple policy, anti-theft, multiple autos, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- GEICO has discounts for multi-vehicle, driver training, membership and employees, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, and military active duty.
- Liberty Mutual may have discounts that include preferred payment discount, multi-car, safety features, new graduate, new vehicle discount, and exclusive group savings.
- The Hartford offers discounts including vehicle fuel type, good student, anti-theft, air bag, bundle, defensive driver, and driver training.
- MetLife may include discounts for good driver, accident-free, claim-free, defensive driver, multi-policy, good student
- Progressive has savings for online signing, multi-policy, continuous coverage, online quote discount, homeowner, good student, and multi-vehicle.
Double check with each company how you can save money. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered in your state. If you would like to see a list of insurers who offer car insurance discounts in Pennsylvania, click here to view.
Insurance agent or online?
Some consumers just want to buy from a local agent and doing so can bring peace of mind One of the benefits of comparing car insurance online is you can get the best rates and still buy from a local agent. Buying insurance from local agencies is still important in Pittsburgh.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is sent to insurance agents in Pittsburgh who will give you bids for your business. You never need to contact any insurance agencies because prices are sent to the email address you provide. It’s the lowest rates and work with a local agent. If you wish to get a comparison quote from a specific car insurance provider, feel free to find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.
If you need to find an insurance agent, you must know there are a couple different agency structures and how they are slightly different. Car insurance agencies are classified as either exclusive agents or independent agents.
Independent Agents
Agents that elect to be independent often have affiliation with several companies and that enables them to quote your coverage through lots of different companies and get the cheapest rates. If prices rise, your policy is moved internally which requires no work on your part.
If you need cheaper car insurance rates, you will want to include independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison. Most can insure with different regional companies which can be an advantage.
Shown below is a list of independent agents in Pittsburgh who may provide free rate quotes.
- Rodgers Andrew F Insurance Agency Inc
Foster Plaza V, 651 Holiday Dr – Pittsburgh, PA 15220 – (412) 922-1651 – View Map - Zikos Insurance
Two Chatham Center, Suite 1060, 112 Washington Pl – Pittsburgh, PA 15219 – (412) 391-3464 – View Map - James L Smith Insurance Agency Inc
304 Cochran Rd – Pittsburgh, PA 15228 – (800) 701-5909 – View Map
Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies
Agents in the exclusive channel can only provide one company’s prices like Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They usually cannot provide other company’s prices so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive agents receive extensive training on their company’s products which helps offset the inability to provide other markets. A lot of people use the same exclusive agent mostly because of the prominent brand name and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Below is a short list of exclusive agents in Pittsburgh who can help you get price quote information.
- Allstate Insurance: Thomas Bianco
1154 Freeport Rd – Pittsburgh, PA 15238 – (412) 967-7655 – View Map - Joy Capozzi – State Farm Insurance Agent
3111 Banksville Rd #207 – Pittsburgh, PA 15216 – (412) 344-3014 – View Map - Donna Fleming – State Farm Insurance Agent
11203 Frankstown Rd – Pittsburgh, PA 15235 – (412) 242-5995 – View Map
Deciding on a auto insurance agent should include more criteria than just a cheap quote. Some important questions to ask are:
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Pittsburgh?
- Will the quote change when the policy is issued?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
- Does their agency support local causes in Pittsburgh?
Once you have reasonable responses and a low price estimate, it’s possible that you found a car insurance agent that is reliable enough to insure your vehicles. Just understand that it’s your coverage and you can cancel your policy whenever you wish so don’t assume you are locked into any specific agency indefinitely.
Pittsburgh car insurance companies ranked
Insuring your vehicle with a high-quality auto insurance company can be rather challenging considering how many companies there are to choose from in Pittsburgh. The information below can help you select which insurers to look at purchasing coverage from.
Top 10 Pittsburgh Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 93%
- The Hartford – 93%
- The General – 91%
- Progressive – 90%
- 21st Century – 89%
- USAA – 87%
- Erie Insurance – 87%
- State Farm – 87%
- Travelers – 87%
- Safeco Insurance – 86%
Top 10 Pittsburgh Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- Allstate – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Esurance – A+
- Erie Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
Persistence is the key to cheaper rates
We just presented a lot of techniques to compare Chevy Tahoe insurance prices in Pittsburgh. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the biggest savings come from an unexpected company.
Consumers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy cancellation, high rates after DUI convictions or lack of trust in their agent. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a new company can be pretty painless.
When searching for inexpensive Pittsburgh car insurance quotes, never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are many occasions where consumers will sacrifice full coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at the best cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
More tips and info about auto insurance is located at these sites:
- Car Insurance for Teen Drivers with Divorced Parents (Allstate)
- How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for Good Drivers in Pittsburgh? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Pittsburgh Auto Insurance Rates for First-time Drivers? (FAQ)
- Safety Features for Your New Car (State Farm)
- What Does No-Fault Insurance Cover? (Allstate)
- Teen Driving Statistics (GEICO)