There isn’t anyone who loves paying for auto insurance, especially knowing they could get a better deal. Insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO and Farmers Insurance continually hit you with catchy ads and it is difficult to see past the geckos and flying pigs and take the time to shop coverage around.
It’s smart to check auto insurance prices occasionally since prices change quite often. Even if you got the lowest quotes on Enclave insurance a year ago you may be paying too much now. There is too much inaccurate information about auto insurance online, but you can learn some excellent ideas to buy auto insurance cheaper.
Auto insurance policy discounts you can’t miss
Companies don’t always advertise all available discounts very clearly, so below is a list both well-publicized in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to lower your premiums when you .
- Discount for Swiching Early – Select auto insurance companies give a discount for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Student in College – Kids who live away from home to go to college and leave their car at home could get you a discount.
- Military Rewards – Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower auto insurance rates.
- Good Grades Discount – Getting good grades may save as much as 25% on a . Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.
- Student Driver Training – Teen drivers should enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
- Discounts for New Vehicles – Buying a new car model can save up to 30% because newer vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
As is typical with insurance, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will reduce the amount you pay for coverage.
To see a list of insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in Austin, click here.
To find cheap prices, there are a couple of ways to get quotes from different Austin insurance companies. The simplest method to find the lowest rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This is very easy and can be done in several different ways.
- If you’re in a hurry, the quickest way to get quotes is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This style of form keeps you from doing separate quotation requests for each company you want a rate for. In just a few minutes this one form gets rate comparisons from many national carriers.
- A more difficult way to find better pricing consists of going to each individual company website and fill out their own quote form. For sake of this example, we’ll assume you want to view quotes from Nationwide, Progressive and Liberty Mutual. In order to compare rates, you need to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular. For a list of companies in Austin, click here.
- The last way to quote and compare insurance rates is actually driving to all the different Austin insurance agencies. Shopping for auto insurance online eliminates the middleman unless you’re the type of person who wants the professional guidance that only an agent can give. Drivers can comparison shop your insurance online but purchase the actual policy in an agency.
The approach you take is up to you, just try to keep nearly identical coverages and limits for each comparison quote. If you are comparing different values for each quote it’s impossible to truly determine the lowest rate in Austin. Slightly different coverage limits may result in large price differences. And when price shopping your coverage, comparing more quotes gives you a better chance of getting better pricing.
Will just any policy work for me?
When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions might point out whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.
- When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
- Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- When should I not file a claim?
- Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
- Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
More effort can pay off
Cheaper Buick Enclave insurance is definitely available on the web and with local Austin insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies do not offer online quoting and most of the time these small, regional companies only sell through local independent agencies.
As you prepare to switch companies, never buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest cost, not the least amount of coverage.