No normal person looks forward to buying car insurance, especially when they are aware that the cost is too high. There is such a variety of auto insurance companies to buy insurance from, and although it’s a good thing to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to find the lowest cost provider.
It’s important to quote other rates yearly due to the fact that insurance prices trend upward over time. Just because you found the lowest rates on Legacy insurance on your last policy a different company probably has better rate quotes today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the things you must know in order to get good coverage at a lower rate.
The best way to compare car insurance rates is to take advantage of the fact all the major auto insurance companies participate in a system to compare rate quotes. The only thing you need to do is take a few minutes to give details like the year, make and model of vehicles, level of coverage desired, how much school you completed, and whether you have decent credit. That rating information is then submitted to multiple different insurance companies and you receive quotes instantly.
To find the cheapest Subaru Legacy insurance rates, click here and enter your coverage details.
Truth in car insurance advertising
Respected companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive constantly bombard you with television, radio, and online ads. All the companies say the same thing about how much you will save after switching your coverage. It sounds good, but how can they all say the same thing? Just pay attention to how they say it.
All the different companies have specific characteristics for the driver that makes them money. An example of a profitable risk profile may be between 30 and 50, carries full coverage, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any new insured who fits that profile will get a cheap rate quote and have a good chance to save a lot of money.
Drivers who do not fit the ideal profile will be charged higher premiums which translates to the prospect going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “drivers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. That’s the way companies can state the savings. Because of these techniques, it’s extremely important to compare many company’s rates. Because without a comparison, you cannot know which insurance companies will have the best prices for your profile.
Car insurance discounts help lower rates
Car insurance is not inexpensive, but you might be missing out on some discounts to cut the cost considerably. Many discounts should be triggered when you purchase, but some may not be applied and must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.
- Good Grades Discount – Maintaining excellent grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Many companies even apply the discount to college students up until you turn 25.
- Memberships – Belonging to qualifying clubs or civic groups may earn a discount on your policy.
- Drivers Education – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers enroll in driver’s education in school or through a local driver safety program.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Having more than one vehicle on a single policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Despite the fact that it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it’s just not the way it works.
A list of companies and the discounts they provide can be found below.
- Esurance may have discounts that include Pac-12 alumni, DriveSense, multi-car, safety device, and good student.
- The Hartford policyholders can earn discounts including vehicle fuel type, defensive driver, good student, driver training, air bag, anti-theft, and bundle.
- AAA may offer discounts for AAA membership discount, multi-car, anti-theft, pay-in-full, good driver, and education and occupation.
- GEICO includes discounts for seat belt use, membership and employees, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, and air bags.
- State Farm has discounts for multiple autos, defensive driving training, good student, student away at school, and multiple policy.
It’s a good idea to ask each company which discounts can lower your rates. Some discounts may not apply in Houston. To choose car insurance companies that offer multiple discounts in Houston, click here to view.
Car insurance quotes from local Houston insurance agencies
Certain consumers prefer to talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is that you can find better rates but still work with a licensed agent.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), the quote information is emailed to agents in your area that give free quotes for your coverage. There is no need to search for any insurance agencies because prices are sent immediately to you. You can find the lowest rates AND an agent nearby. If you need to compare prices from a particular provider, just visit that company’s website and complete a quote there.
Choosing an company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap quote. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Will the agent or a CSR service your policy?
- Which companies do they recommend if they are an independent agency?
- Is auto insurance their primary focus?
- How are claims handled?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
Choose the right car insurance agent
If you are wanting to find a local Houston insurance agency, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents and how they can write your policy. Agents in Houston can be categorized as either captive or independent.
Captive Insurance Agencies
These agents can only write with one company like Allstate and State Farm. Captives cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captives are highly trained on the products they sell and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.
Independent Agents
These agents do not write with just one company and that allows them to write policies with any number of different companies and find the cheapest rate. If they find a lower price, they simply move your policy to a different company and you can keep the same agent. When comparison shopping, we highly recommend that you get several quotes from several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison.
Don’t assume everyone needs the same car insurance coverage
When buying coverage for your vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Each situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions may help highlight if your insurance needs may require specific advice.
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
- Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
- Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
If you can’t answer these questions, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.
More detailed Texas car insurance information can be read at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to download brochures, find disaster information, find out industry alerts, and file complaints about a company.
The following information may also be useful.
- Lowest Prices from Houston Car Insurance Agents
- Proven Ways for Comparing Cheaper Houston Car Insurance
- Tricks for Effectively Comparing Houston Texas Car Insurance Rates
Don’t give up on cheaper premiums
When searching for , do not reduce needed coverages to save money. In many cases, consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
You just learned a lot of information how to reduce Subaru Legacy insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding . You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with the least-expected company. These smaller insurers may only write in your state and offer lower rates than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
Some companies may not have the ability to get a quote online small, regional companies only sell coverage through local independent agents. Affordable Subaru Legacy insurance is possible on the web as well as from independent agents in Houston, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates.