Sick and tired of trying to scrape together enough money to pay car insurance each month? You have the same problem as many other Texas drivers. Many car insurance companies compete to insure your vehicles, and because of this it can be hard to compare auto insurance companies to discover the definitive cheapest price
Getting a cheaper price on insurance is not rocket science. The only requirement is to invest a little time to compare rate quotes online with multiple companies. Price comparisons can be done by using one of the methods below.
If you’re in a hurry, the quickest way to compare a lot of rates at once is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This method saves time by eliminating separate quotes for every car insurance company. One form submission compares rates from all major companies.
A slightly less efficient method to analyze rates is to manually visit each company’s website and repeat the quote process. For example, let’s assume you want to compare USAA, GEICO and Progressive. To get each rate you have to visit each site and punch in your information repeatedly, which is why first method is reommended. For a list of companies in Houston, click here.
Whichever way you choose to compare rates, try to keep apples-to-apples coverages for each quote you get. If you compare unequal deductibles or liability limits you can’t possibly decipher which rate is best in Houston.
Choices You Make Can Impact Your Insurance Rates
Lots of things are considered when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable like an MVR report, although some other factors are less obvious such as your marital status or your commute time. Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that help calculate the price you pay for car insurance. If you have a feel for what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables you to make decisions that could help you find much lower annual insurance costs.
- Get a ticket, pay higher prices – Careful drivers receive lower rates than bad drivers. Getting just one moving violation can boost insurance rates to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers who get multiple violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find that they have to to file a SR-22 with their state in order to keep their license.
- Where you live is a factor – Residing in areas with lower population has it’s advantages when buying car insurance. People who live in big cities have to deal with more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accident claims and lower theft and vandalism rates.
- Be proud to be claim-free – Auto insurance companies in Texas provide the lowest premiums to insureds who do not file claims often. If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Your insurance policy is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Multi-policy discounts can save money – Some companies will award lower prices to policyholders who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can be as much as ten percent or more Even though this discount sounds good, it’s always a smart idea to get quotes from other companies to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
- Younger vs. older drivers – Older people tend to be more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents and receive fewer citations.Drivers with little experience tend to be inattentive behind the wheel therefore car insurance rates are much higher.
Texas car insurance discounts
Car insurance companies do not list all available discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the below list has a few of the more common as well as some of the hidden discounts that you can inquire about if you .
- Distant Student – College-age children living away from home attending college and do not take a car to college may qualify for this discount.
- Clubs and Organizations – Participating in qualifying clubs or civic groups may earn a discount on your next renewal.
- New Vehicle Savings – Putting car insurance coverage on a new car can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for newer vehicles.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles can qualify you for substantially lower car insurancerates.
- E-sign – Some of the larger companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy online.
- No Accidents – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims get the best car insurance rates as opposed to bad drivers.
- Telematics Devices – Insureds that choose to allow driving data collection to track when and where they use their vehicle through the use of a telematics system such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system may get a rate reduction as long as they are good drivers.
Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like it’s possible to get free car insurance, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts should help lower the amount you pay for coverage.
A few of the larger companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are detailed below.
- State Farm discounts include Drive Safe & Save, good student, safe vehicle, accident-free, driver’s education, and student away at school.
- Progressive offers discounts for multi-policy, online signing, continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, and good student.
- Progressive may include discounts for good student, homeowner, multi-policy, online signing, and multi-vehicle.
- MetLife has discounts for defensive driver, accident-free, good student, claim-free, and good driver.
- Farm Bureau offers discounts including renewal discount, multi-policy, safe driver, good student, driver training, and youthful driver.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for emergency military deployment, multi-vehicle, seat belt use, multi-policy, driver training, air bags, and daytime running lights.
- SAFECO policyholders can earn discounts including accident prevention training, anti-theft, safe driver, bundle discounts, teen safety rewards, anti-lock brakes, and multi-car.
If you want , ask every prospective company which discounts you qualify for. Some discounts may not apply to policyholders in your state. To see providers that offer multiple discounts in Houston, click here to view.
Tailor your car insurance coverage to you
When choosing the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so this has to be addressed. These are some specific questions could help you determine whether you might need an agent’s assistance.
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
- Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
- Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
- Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
- Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.
Car insurance savings summarized
More affordable car insurance can be sourced on the web as well as from insurance agents, so you need to with both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies may not offer online quoting and many times these small, regional companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies.
We just presented a lot of techniques to compare Kia Rio insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies. They may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
When getting , it’s not a good idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits to discover at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your objective should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the best cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
Texas insurance information
Additional car insurance information can be read on the Texas Department of Insurance website found here. Consumers can report car insurance fraud, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, view agent and company licensing information, and read state legal mandates and laws.
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