Do you think you bought an expensive auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say there are many people just like you. Due to the abundance of insurance companies to choose from, it’s difficult to choose the best auto insurance company.
Smart consumers take time to compare premium rates yearly because insurance prices change regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal for Versa coverage a few years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower premium rate today. There is lot of inaccurate information about auto insurance online but I’m going to show you some of the best ways to stop overpaying for insurance.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in Austin is not rocket science. If you currently have car insurance, you will most likely be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Although Texas vehicle owners should learn how big insurance companies sell insurance online.
Insurance Cost Influencing Factors
When buying auto insurance it’s important to understand some of the things that aid in calculating your premiums. If you know what impacts premium levels, this enables informed choices that could result in lower premium levels.
The factors shown below are most of the major factors used by insurance companies to determine rates.
- How your age affects prices – Drivers with little experience are statistically proven to be inattentive and easily distracted in a vehicle therefore auto insurance rates are much higher. If you’ve ever had to add a inexperienced driver onto a policy can break the bank. Older drivers have been proven to be more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
- Men tend to take more risk – Statistics demonstrate females are less aggressive when driving. That doesn’t necessarily mean that females are better drivers. Females and males are in at-fault accidents at a similar rate, but the men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also statistically get ticketed for serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving.
- Cheaper premiums for prior coverage – Allowing your coverage to lapse is a sure-fire way to drive up your policy premiums. Not only will you pay higher rates, getting caught without coverage may earn you a steep fine or even jail time. You could then be forced to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Texas motor vehicle department.
- Use but don’t abuse your insurance – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you should expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance companies in Texas provide better rates to people that do not abuse their auto insurance. Your car insurance is designed for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- The type of vehicle makes a difference – The type of vehicle you are insuring makes a big difference in determining your rates. Because the Nissan Versa falls in the subcompact class, insuring your vehicle will cost about the same or even less when compared to the average rates in Austin. Low performance passenger models generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
There are multiple methods to compare auto insurance prices but one way is easier and takes less work. You could waste a few hours talking about coverages with local insurance agents in Austin, or you can utilize online quoting to get pricing more quickly.
Many insurance companies participate in an industry program that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and every company can provide price quotes based on that data. This saves time by eliminating quote forms to each individual auto insurance company.
To find out how much you can save on auto insurance click to open in new window.
The single downside to doing it this way is that consumers can’t choose which providers to get pricing from. If you would rather choose individual companies for rate comparison, we have assembled a list of auto insurance companies in Texas. View list of Texas insurance companies.
Whichever method you choose, ensure you are comparing the same coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you enter different liability limits it will be very difficult to determine which company has the best rates in Austin. Quoting even small variations in coverages can result in a big premium difference. Just keep in mind that getting more free quotes helps you find more affordable rates. Not every company allows you to get rate quotes online, so it’s recommended that you also compare rates on coverage from those companies, too.
Save money with discounts
Some insurers do not list every discount very well, so we took the time to find some of the best known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits that may apply to you.
- Paperless Signup – A handful of companies give back up to $50 for signing up on your computer.
- Government Employee Discount – Active or retired federal employment may reduce rates when you for Versa coverage with certain companies.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one isn’t a discount, but some insurance companies will turn a blind eye to one accident before raising your premiums if you have no claims for a specific time period.
- Clubs and Organizations – Belonging to certain professional organizations may earn a discount on your policy.
- Onboard Data Collection – Insureds that choose to allow companies to track when and where they use their vehicle by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate may see discounts if they are good drivers.
Discounts save money, but please remember that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Even though it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy. Any amount of discount will help lower the cost of your policy.
To locate providers that have a full spectrum of discounts in Austin, click here to view.
Can’t I compare rate quotes from local Austin insurance agents?
Some consumers still prefer to sit down with an agent and often times that is recommended A good thing about comparing rate quotes online is you may find cheaper premium rates but still work with a licensed agent.
Once you complete this simple form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to companies in Austin who will give competitive quotes to get your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to find an agent on your own since rate quotes are delivered instantly to you. It’s the lowest rates without a big time investment. If for some reason you want to get a rate quote from one company in particular, just jump over to their website and give them your coverage information.
Finding a good company should include more criteria than just the premium amount. These are valid questions to ask:
- Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Can you contact them at any time?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
If you’re trying to find a reliable insurance agent, you should know the types of insurance agents and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Auto insurance agencies can either be independent or captive.
Captive Insurance Agents
Agents of this type write business for a single company like American Family, State Farm, and AAA. They are unable to place coverage with different providers so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captives receive a lot of sales training on their products and sales techniques which aids in selling service over price.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Agents that elect to be independent are not restriced to one company and that allows them to write policies through lots of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If prices rise, your agent can just switch to a different company and you don’t have to do anything.
When comparing auto insurance prices, you should always get rate quotes from a couple of independent agencies to have the most options to choose from.
When should I discuss my situation with an agent?
When it comes to buying adequate coverage, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Austin?
- Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
- Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my Nissan Versa is totaled?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out which companies have the most complaints, find disaster information, and download brochures.
Other related articles:
- Never Compare Austin Texas Auto Insurance Without Knowing These Money Saving Techniques
- New Tricks for Cutting Costs on on Austin, TX Car Insurance
More quotes mean more savings
When you , don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Throughout this article, we presented a lot of techniques to compare Nissan Versa insurance rates online. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get car insurance rates for, the higher your chance of finding . You may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a small local company. They may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
More affordable auto insurance is attainable both online as well as from independent agents in Austin, and you should compare rates from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online quoting and usually these regional carriers provide coverage only through independent agents.