This invention relates to sacrificial-metal pigments coated with an effective amount of at least one metal oxide or a combination of metal oxides such as a mixture of chromium and zirconium oxides, and the process for preparing said coated pigments and combination thereof with film-forming binders for coating metal substrates to inhibit corrosion. The coated sacrificial-metal pigments are electrically active to prevent corrosion of metal substrates that are more cathodic (electropositive) than the metal oxide coated metal pigments.