No one enjoys paying for auto insurance, in particular when they could find better rates elsewhere. Multiple insurance companies compete for your hard-earned dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a company to find the lowest rate possible.
Performing a rate comparison can be a lot of work if you don’t utilize the most efficient way. You can waste a lot of time talking to insurance companies in San Antonio, or you can stay home and use the web for quick rates.
Most major companies participate in a marketplace where insurance shoppers submit their information once, and each company then returns a price quote based on that information. This prevents consumers from doing quote requests to each company.
To compare rates now click here to start a free quote.
The only drawback to using this type of system is you cannot specify the providers to get quotes from. So if you prefer to choose individual companies to request quotes from, we have a page of companies who write auto insurance in Texas. Click to view list.
The method you choose is up to you, but ensure you’re using the exact same deductibles and coverage limits on every quote you get. If you enter higher or lower deductibles it’s not possible to make a fair rate comparison in San Antonio. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages can make a big difference in price. Keep in mind that comparing more rates from different companies will improve the odds of getting a lower rate. Not every company provides quotes online, so it’s important to compare rates from the smaller companies as well.
Texas auto insurance discounts
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you might already qualify for some discounts to help offset the cost. Many discounts should be triggered at the time of quoting, but less common discounts must be asked for prior to getting the savings.
- Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the PIP or medical payment premium.
- Membership in Organizations – Belonging to a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when getting a .
- One Accident Forgiven – but a handful of insurance companies permit an accident without getting socked with a rate hike if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
- Driving Data Discount – San Antonio drivers who agree to allow driving data collection to study driving manner by using a telematic data system such as Progressive’s Snapshot could save a few bucks if they have good driving habits.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you can bundle your homeowners and auto insurance with the same company you could get a discount of at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Drive Less and Save – Driving less can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts may get savings as much as 30%.
While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Even though the math looks like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you aren’t that lucky.
Large auto insurance companies and the discounts they provide are:
- State Farm offers discounts including good driver, accident-free, safe vehicle, student away at school, passive restraint, good student, and Drive Safe & Save.
- Progressive includes discounts for continuous coverage, homeowner, good student, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and online signing.
- Progressive may include discounts for multi-policy, online quote discount, homeowner, online signing, and continuous coverage.
- MetLife policyholders can earn discounts including accident-free, multi-policy, defensive driver, claim-free, and good driver.
- Farm Bureau has discounts for good student, driver training, 55 and retired, safe driver, youthful driver, renewal discount, and multi-vehicle.
- GEICO may have discounts that include anti-theft, good student, military active duty, driver training, emergency military deployment, air bags, and federal employee.
- SAFECO offers premium reductions for drive less, anti-lock brakes, teen safe driver, multi-car, teen safety rewards, anti-theft, and homeowner.
Double check with each company or agent which discounts you qualify for. Depending on the company, some discounts may not be offered in San Antonio.
Are insurance agents obsolete?
Many people just prefer to get advice from a local agent and often times that is recommended One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is the fact that drivers can get cheap auto insurance quotes and also buy local.
By using this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is transmitted to companies in San Antonio who can give free rate quotes for your auto insurance coverage. You never need to contact any agents since rate quotes are delivered to you directly. You can find the lowest rates AND an agent nearby. If you need to quote rates from a specific auto insurance provider, you can always find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding a good company requires you to look at more than just the premium amount. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- If independent agents, which companies do they recommend?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Will they take your side in the event of a claim?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
If you want local San Antonio agents, there are a couple of types of agencies and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in San Antonio can be described as either captive or independent.
Captive Agents
Captive agencies have only one company to place business with and some examples include AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance, and Allstate. These agents are not able to provide other company’s prices so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captives are trained well on their company’s products and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent insurance agents are not restriced to one company so they can quote policies through many different auto insurance companies and get you the best rates possible. If your premiums go up, they simply move your policy to a different company which is easy for the insured. When comparing rates, you definitely need to include at least one independent agent so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
Your situation helps dictate your coverage
When buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions might help in determining if you could use an agent’s help.
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
- Do I need rental car coverage?
- Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
- Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
Why Your Insurance Costs might be higher
Lots of factors are used in the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some factors are common sense like a motor vehicle report, although others are more transparent such as your credit history or your financial responsibility.
Listed below are a few of the “ingredients” used by companies to determine your prices.
- Where you reside – Having an address in less populated areas is a good thing when insuring your vehicles. Fewer drivers on the road translates into fewer accident claims and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Drivers in populated Texas areas tend to have congested traffic and more severe claims. More time behind the wheel means more chance of being in an accident.
- Gender and insurance coverage costs – Statistics show that females tend to be a little less risky than males. This data doesn’t prove that females are better at driving than males. Women and men are in at-fault accidents in similar percentages, but guys tend to have more serious accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also get more serious tickets like driving under the influence (DUI). Youthful male drivers tend to get in the most accidents and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
- Your vocation may affect prices – Occupations such as doctors, architects and stock brokers have the highest average rates because of high stress and incredibly demanding work hours. Conversely, occupations such as farmers, engineers and retirees pay lower than average rates for A4 coverage.
- Alarm systems systems cut rates – Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping car theft.
- Don’t abuse auto insurance claims – Auto insurance companies in Texas provide the best rates to insureds who are not frequent claim filers. If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended for claims that you cannot pay yourself.
- Liability insurance is cheap – Liability coverage will provide protection when a court rules you are at fault for an accident. Your liability coverage provides for a legal defense starting from day one. It is affordable coverage compared to comp and collision, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.
- How many coverages with the same company – Lots of insurance companies allow a discount to buyers who carry more than one policy. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. The discount can add up to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you qualify for this discount already, you still need to get quotes from other companies to ensure the best deal.
- Low physical damage deductibles mean high premiums – Deductibles for physical damage define how much you are required to spend if a covered claim is submitted. Insurance for physical damage, also called ‘full coverage’, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are rearending another vehicle, fire damage, and having a roll-over accident. The more of the claim you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the better rate you will receive for A4 coverage.
The ad said I’d save $421 a year!
Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the companies tend to make the same promise that drivers can save some big amount after switching to them. How does every auto insurance company claim to save you money? Here is the trick they use.
Most companies have an ideal profile for the driver that will generate a profit. One example of a desirable insured may be over the age of 45, is a homeowner, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” receives the best prices and as a result will probably save money with a new company.
People who may not quite match the “perfect” profile will probably have to pay a more expensive rate and ends up with the customer buying from someone else. If you listen to the ad wording, they say “drivers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” will save that much if they switch. That is how insurance companies can confidently claim big savings. Because every company is different, it is so important to quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to guess the company that will give you lower prices than your current company.
You can lower your rates
When getting , it’s a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at the best cost, but do not skimp to save money.
In this article, we covered a lot of information how to lower your Audi A4 insurance premium rates. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your chances of lowering your prices. Drivers may discover the lowest premium rates come from the smaller companies. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like GEICO and State Farm.
More consumer information in Texas
More detailed Texas auto insurance information can be read at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas drivers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, get help finding coverage, and view agent and company licensing information.
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