I can’t think of a single person who looks forward to paying for auto insurance, especially when they know their premiums are too high. Big-name insurance companies like GEICO, Progressive and Allstate increase brand awareness with ads and it is difficult to ignore the promise of big savings and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to save some money using these techniques. Buying car insurance in Dallas is not rocket science. But Texas car owners need to learn the way insurance companies market on the web and use this information to your advantage.
Cut Insurance Costs with These Tips
Many things are part of the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving record, but other factors are less obvious such as your credit history or how financially stable you are.
- High premiums for younger drivers – Inexperience drivers are proven to be careless and easily distracted with other occupants in the car so auto insurance rates are higher. Adding a first-time driver to your auto insurance policy can cause a big jump in price. Older people are viewed as being more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents , and usually have better credit.
- Auto insurance policy lapses increase auto insurance rates – Not maintaining insurance can get your license suspended and your next policy will cost more because you let your insurance coverage expire. Not only will you pay higher rates, the inability to provide proof of insurance might get you fines and jail time. You may need to file a SR-22 with the Texas motor vehicle department.
- Your car’s features help determine premiums – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can earn a premium discount. Advanced theft deterrents like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all help stop car theft and help bring rates down.
- Better drivers pay less – Having a clean driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Having just one ticket can increase rates to the point where it’s not affordable. Attentive drivers have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Drivers unfortunate enough to have dangerous violations like DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding may face state-mandated requirements to file a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
Save a ton by earning discounts
Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise every disount available very clearly, so we break down a few of the more well known and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you are not getting the best rate possible.
- Multi-car Discount – Drivers who insure multiple cars or trucks with one company could earn a price break for each car.
- Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies and place coverage with the same company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Low Mileage – Keeping the miles down on your Subaru could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than spreading payments over time you could save 5% or more.
- No Accidents – Drivers with accident-free driving histories have much lower rates when compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Organization Discounts – Being a member of qualifying employment or professional organizations could trigger savings on your next auto insurance statement.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can save up to 40% or more on their for Legacy insurance compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Early Signing – A few auto insurance companies give discounts for buying a policy prior to the expiration date on your current policy. It could save around 10% when you .
- Government Employees – Federal government employees could qualify for a slight premium decrease for Legacy insurance depending on your auto insurance provider.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business. Any amount of discount should definitely cut your policy cost.
Large auto insurance companies and their possible discounts are shown below.
- AAA policyholders can earn discounts including good student, education and occupation, multi-car, multi-policy, good driver, and pay-in-full.
- Progressive includes discounts for continuous coverage, good student, online quote discount, homeowner, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle.
- State Farm offers discounts for accident-free, good driver, passive restraint, anti-theft, and defensive driving training.
- Esurance discounts include claim free, Pac-12 alumni, multi-car, renters, and homeowner.
- Nationwide may have discounts that include family plan, anti-theft, multi-policy, Farm Bureau membership, business or organization, and easy pay.
Double check with every prospective company how many discounts you can get. Savings may not apply everywhere. To find insurance companies that provide some of the discounts listed above in Texas, click here.
Get rate quotes or from auto insurance agents
Many people still prefer to buy from a local agent and that can be a smart move A nice benefit of comparing rate quotes online is you may find cheap auto insurance rates and still have a local agent.
After completing this quick form, the quote information is instantly submitted to agents in your area who want to provide quotes for your insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to find an agent since rate quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. You can find the lowest rates and a licensed agent to talk to. If you need to compare prices from a specific company, don’t hesitate to navigate to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Picking an insurer shouldn’t rely on just the quoted price. Before buying a policy, get answers to these questions.
- What insurance companies do they work with in Dallas?
- Is insurance their full-time profession?
- In the event of vehicle damage, can you pick the collision repair facility?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- What are their preferred companies if they are an independent agency?
- Where are claims handled?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
- How would your car be valued if totalled?
If you need to find a local Dallas insurance agency, it helps to know the two types of agencies and how they are distinctly different. Auto insurance agents in Dallas are categorized either independent or captive depending on the company they work for.
Captive Auto Insurance Agents
Agents of this type can usually just insure with one company and examples are State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. They are unable to shop your coverage around so always compare other rates. Captive agencies are usually well trained on their products and sales techniques and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
Agents in the independent channel often have affiliation with several companies so they can quote policies through many different auto insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to switch agencies.
If you are trying to find cheaper rates, it’s recommended you include a couple of independent agencies to ensure the widest selection of prices.
Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?
Popular auto insurance providers such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm seem to constantly run television, radio, and online ads. All the companies seem to make the promise about how much you will save just by moving to them. How do they all charge you less for car insurance? Here is the trick they use.
Companies have strict underwriting profiles for the type of driver that will most likely be profitable. An example of a profitable customer may be between the ages of 30 and 50, has a clean driving record, and insures a new vehicle. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will get a cheap rate quote and have a good chance to cut their rates if they switch.
Drivers who don’t meet the requirements will probably be forced to pay higher premium rates which leads to the customer not buying. The ads say “drivers who switch” not “everyone who quotes” save that much when switching. That’s the way companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings. This emphasizes why drivers should compare price quotes frequently. Because you cannot predict which company will have the lowest rate quotes.
Additional resources for Texas consumers
More detailed Texas auto insurance information is available at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to find disaster information, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and download brochures.
The following information may also be useful.
What is YOUR best insurance company?
You just read many tips how you can shop for Subaru Legacy insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more you , the better chance you’ll have of finding . You may be surprised to find that the lowest car insurance rates come from a smaller regional carrier. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
When shopping online for auto insurance, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at the best cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
Lower-priced Subaru Legacy insurance can be sourced both online in addition to many Dallas insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers may not provide online rate quotes and these regional carriers provide coverage only through local independent agents.