Find out about discounts, safety ratings, and other important information which can save you money on car insurance.
GMC is part of the American motor vehicle manufacturing giant, General Motors. It specializes in larger, oversized vehicles such as vans, SUVs and trucks. GMC is one of the oldest car brands in the U.S. and was first established in 1901 as the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company. The original one-cylinder vehicles were among the frontrunners in commercial truck design. Their uniqueness quickly came to the attention of the newly formed General Motors which proceeded to buy the truck company and make it part of the GM family. Consumers were treated to their first glimpse of the GMC truck model at the famous New York International trade show in 1912. This was the first big exposure of GMC models to consumers in the United States.
Four years later, in 1916, a GMC truck performed a feat which was unheard of at the time and brought more attention and accolades to the truck brand. The GMC vehicle crossed the entire width of the country, from Seattle to New York City, in just one month’s time. This had never been done before and gave GMC a huge amount of publicity and fame. With further development and many design improvements, GMC repeated this daring feat in 1926 in the span of just five days. These cross-country driving achievements highlighted the toughness and reliability of the GMC brand. It didn’t take long for the U.S. military to recognize these qualities and they contracted with GMC for the production of over half a million trucks during World War Two.
GMC marketed their products aggressively and in 1943, it began manufacturing transit buses for urban areas in both the U.S. and Canada. GMC had a virtual lock on supplying vehicles to public transit systems and held on to that market for nearly 40 years. It eventually handed over the reins of this section of the commercial market in 1987 when other companies entered into this field.
While it’s easy to see similarities between Chevrolet and GMC trucks, there actually have been significant differences over the nearly 100 years they have been produced. Chevrolet, which is also a division of GM, is only sold at Chevrolet dealerships. However, GMC trucks are sold at Buick, Cadillac and Pontiac dealers.
Today GMC offers basically the same trucks that are available from Chevrolet, only with different names and prices. GMC’s vans, SUVs and trucks generally come with more standard features and offer more options than the comparable Chevy models. For this reason, Chevrolet is sometimes considered more of an entry-level vehicle.
GMC introduced its first crossover SUV in 2007 with the arrival of the Acadia. In 2009, another crossover was added to their line-up of SUVs with the Terrain.
If you are looking for car insurance for a GMC vehicle, it makes smart business sense to shop around and compare quotes from different insurance carriers. Most insurance companies will factor in the make and model of the vehicle you are insuring when pricing your policy. However, most will probably give more consideration to your personal information- such as age, where you live, and your driving history. There are things you can do which can significantly lower what you will pay for an annual premium. These include: maintain a clean driving record, apply any and all discounts for which you qualify, and keep a good credit score.
GMC theft risks
The National Insurance Crime Bureau regularly issues a list of the top 100 most stolen vehicles. Three GMC models were named:
- GMC Full Extended Cab Pickup
- GMC Suburban
- GMC Full Size C/K Pickup
Being named to this list does not necessarily mean that you will pay more to insure one of these models. However, it is worth mentioning to an agent beforehand and finding out if there will be an increase in your rates. Other factors, including where the vehicle is located, are used when determining annual premium rates.
GMC Crash Test Results
Safety features and crash test results can impact your cost of car insurance. Generally the more safety features your vehicle has, the less you will pay for an annual premium. These can include car alarm systems, anti-lock brakes, advanced airbag systems, and daytime running lights.
In terms of crash test results, the GMC Envoy, Safari and Sierra were rated “poor” on rear crash tests. However, most other models scored average or above on front and side impact crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named two GMC vehicles to their Top Safety Picks of 2012 list:
- GMC Terrain (midsize SUV)
- GMC Acadia (large SUV)
These two models received good ratings in all crash test results including high-speed front and side crash tests, a rollover test, and evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries in rear impact collisions.
GMC insurance costs
A smart consumer will always factor in the price of car insurance when budgeting for the overall cost of car ownership. The price you will pay for an annual premium can vary according to your personal information (driving record, credit history, and age) and also the make and model of the vehicle you are insuring. The following quotes are to be used as a guideline to help you budget your expenses and are not a true indicator of what you may be charged.
A GMC Yukon series vehicle can cost anywhere from $1,330 to $1,475 for an annual premium. A Sierra will average around $1,190 per year while a Savanna Envoy will price out at around $1,425. The GMC Yukon XL normally costs just under $1,500 a year for insurance coverage.