Austin buyers have lots of choices when searching for the best price on Hyundai Elantra insurance. You can either waste hours contacting agents trying to get quotes or save time using the internet to make rate comparisons. There is a right way and a wrong way to find auto insurance online so we’re going to tell you the quickest way to quote coverages for a new or used Hyundai and locate the cheapest rates.
It is always a good idea to quote other rates once or twice a year because prices are variable and change quite frequently. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest rates on Elantra coverage last year a different company probably has better premium rates today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the tricks you need to know to get good coverage at a lower rate.
There are several ways you can shop for auto insurance and some are more efficient than others. You can waste a few hours (or days) driving to insurance companies in Austin, or you can utilize the web to accomplish the same thing much quicker.
Many companies take part in a program that enables customers to enter their policy data once, and each participating company can provide price quotes for coverage. This eliminates the need for quotation requests to each individual auto insurance company.
To participate in this free quote system, click here to open in new window.
The one downside to getting quotes like this is you don’t know exactly the companies to receive prices from. So if you prefer to pick from a list of companies to compare prices, we have assembled a list of the cheapest auto insurance companies in Texas. Click to view list.
You can choose any of those ways to find more affodable coverage, but compare exactly the same quote data on every price quote you get. If you are comparing differing limits then you won’t be able to make a fair comparison for your Hyundai Elantra in Austin. Slightly different coverage limits could mean much higher rates. And when comparison shopping, comparing more company’s prices increases the change that you will find more affordable insurance. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide online quotes, so it’s important to compare price estimates from them, too.
The auto insurance bait and switch
Companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive seem to constantly run ads in print and on television. They all make an identical promise that drivers will save a bundle if you move your policy. How can each company lower your car insurance rates? It’s all in the words they use.
Auto insurance companies have underwriting criteria for the driver that earns them the most money. A good example of this type of risk profile could be over the age of 40, has a clean driving record, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. A customer that matches those criteria will qualify for the lowest rates in Austin and will cut their rates substantially.
Potential insureds who are not a match for the requirements will have to pay higher prices and this results in the customer not buying. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “drivers that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can make those claims. Because of this risk profiling, you should compare as many as you can. It is impossible to guess which auto insurance company will have the lowest premium rates for your situation.
Earn discounts on Austin auto insurance
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Certain reductions will be credited at the time you complete a quote, but occassionally some discounts must be manually applied before you get the savings.
- Smart Student Discounts – Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. You can use this discount normally up until you turn 25.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Larger auto insurance companies have a break if you buy life insurance.
- No Claims – Austin drivers who stay claim-free can earn big discounts when compared to policyholders that have many claims.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts may qualify for discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
- Discounts for Federal Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government may qualify for a discount when you on Elantra coverage with a few auto insurance companies.
- Sign Online – Some larger companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy over the internet.
- Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle up may be able to save a few bucks on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Senior Discount – Seniors can get reduced rates on Elantra coverage.
As a footnote on discounts, most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.
To view auto insurance companies who offer online auto insurance quotes in Austin, follow this link.
Compare rates but still have a local neighborhood Austin car insurance agent
Some consumers just want to sit down with an agent and doing so can bring peace of mind An additional benefit of comparing rates online is the fact that drivers can get cheap auto insurance rates and also buy local.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is immediately sent to agents in your area that can give you for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to search for an agent as quotes are delivered immediately to you. You can find the lowest rates and a licensed agent to talk to. If you need to quote rates from a particular provider, just search and find their rate quote page to submit a rate quote request.
Finding the right provider should depend on more than just a cheap quote. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Will the agent or a CSR service your policy?
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Is there a local claims center in Austin?
- Is coverage determined by price?
- Will one accident increase rates?
If you are searching for a local Austin insurance agency, you should know the different types of agents and how they work. Auto insurance agencies are either independent or captive depending on the company they work for.
Captive Insurance Agencies
Captive agencies can usually just insure with one company and some examples include Farmers Insurance and State Farm. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. They receive a lot of sales training on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage. Some consumers prefer to use the same captive agent primarily because of loyalty to the company and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents are not restriced to one company and that gives them the ability to insure with many different companies and get you the best rates possible. If they quote lower rates, an independent agent can move your coverage and you stay with the same agent.
When comparing auto insurance rates, you definitely need to contact at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison. Many independent agencies also insure through small mutual carriers that may provide cheaper auto insurance rates.
Auto insurance policy specifics
Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy can help you determine the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Collision coverages – Collision insurance covers damage to your Elantra caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, backing into a parked car, colliding with another moving vehicle, crashing into a building and damaging your car on a curb. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Hyundai Elantra.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (30/60/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for immediate expenses such as hospital visits, surgery, EMT expenses and chiropractic care. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers both the driver and occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like vandalism, a broken windshield, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and theft. The highest amount your auto insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Liability insurance – This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people in an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see policy limits of 100/300/100 that means you have $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers claims such as pain and suffering, repair costs for stationary objects, funeral expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and court costs. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Texas state minimum liability requirements are 30,000/60,000/25,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.
Final thoughts
Budget-friendly auto insurance can be found from both online companies as well as from insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not offer online quoting and usually these small insurance companies prefer to sell through independent insurance agents.
You just learned a lot of ways to lower your Hyundai Elantra insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get car insurance rates for, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest rates come from a small local company.
When getting , never reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many situations where an insured cut full coverage only to find out they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at the best possible price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
More detailed Texas auto insurance information can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas drivers can read consumer alerts, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and learn about specific coverages.
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