There isn’t anyone who likes paying for auto insurance, particularly when it costs too dang much. Insurance companies such as GEICO, 21st Century and Progressive increase brand awareness with advertising and it is difficult to see through the deception and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
Smart consumers take time to check auto insurance prices once or twice a year because rates are usually higher with each renewal. If you had the lowest rate on Camry insurance six months ago you can probably find a better price now. There are a lot of ways to save on auto insurance online, but I’m going to show you some proven techniques to slash your auto insurance rates.
Shop auto insurance online
Most companies such as Allstate and Progressive make it easy to get coverage prices directly from their websites. Getting prices online is quite simple as you just enter your coverage information into the form. Once entered, the company’s rating system will obtain your credit score and driving record and generates a price based on the information you submitted. Quoting online makes it simple to compare prices but the time it takes to visit several different sites and enter the same data into a form is monotonous and tiresome. But it’s also necessary to perform this step if you are searching for a better rate.
The smarter way to compare rates makes use of a single form to return rates from many companies. This type of form saves time, requires less work, and makes online shopping much more enjoyable and efficient. Immediately after submitting the form, it is rated and you are able to buy any one of the quotes returned. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, it’s easy to complete the application and buy the new coverage. The entire process can be completed in a matter of minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.
To save time and find out how much you can save on auto insurance, click here to open in new window and enter your information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you replicate the insurance coverages just like they are on your policy. This guarantees you will receive a rate comparison using the same coverage and limits.
Drivers save money with these money-saving discounts
Car insurance is not cheap, but you can get discounts that you may not even be aware of. Most are applied at quote time, but less common discounts must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.
- Smart Student Discounts – Performing well in school could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
- Military Discounts – Being deployed in the military could mean lower premium rates.
- Distant College Student Discount – Older children who live away from home at college and leave their car at home could qualify for this discount.
- Telematics Devices – Policyholders that allow driving data collection to track when and where they use their vehicle by using a telematic data system such as Progressive’s Snapshot may see discounts if their driving habits are good.
- Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates on Camry insurance than their less cautious counterparts.
Don’t be surprised that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, it’s just not the way it works.
Popular auto insurance companies and their possible discounts are outlined below.
- Farm Bureau has discounts for renewal discount, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, 55 and retired, driver training, good student, and safe driver.
- Liberty Mutual may have discounts that include newly retired, good student, new vehicle discount, teen driver discount, multi-policy, new move discount, and exclusive group savings.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including Steer Clear safe driver discount, driver’s education, good driver, multiple autos, anti-theft, and Drive Safe & Save.
- Auto-Owners Insurance includes discounts for multiple vehicles, anti-theft, safe vehicle, mature driver, and paid in full.
- GEICO may include discounts for emergency military deployment, driver training, defensive driver, federal employee, anti-lock brakes, and multi-policy.
- SAFECO offers discounts for safe driver, multi-car, teen safety rewards, anti-lock brakes, homeowner, bundle discounts, and teen safe driver.
When getting , it’s a good idea to each company which discounts you may be entitled to. A few discounts may not apply in Houston.
Informed Consumers Know How to Buy Auto Insurance More Affordably
Many different elements are part of the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are obvious like your driving record, although others are less obvious such as your credit history or your financial responsibility.
- Are you male or female? – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. This data doesn’t prove that females are better drivers. Both sexes cause accidents at about the same rate, but males tend to have higher claims. Not only are claims higher, but men get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI. Males from age 16 to 21 cause the most accidents and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
- Higher auto insurance rates for auto insurance lapses – Letting your insurance expire is a sure-fire way to increase your renewal premiums. In addition to paying higher premiums, being ticketed for driving with no insurance can result in a fine, jail time, or a revoked license. You may need to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Texas motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
- Keep claims to a minimum – If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims you can expect increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Car insurance companies in Texas give the lowest premiums to drivers who are not frequent claim filers. Your car insurance is intended for the large, substantial claims.
- Do thieves like your car? – Buying a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you some money. Theft prevention features such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all help prevent your car from being stolen.
- Urban residents pay more – Choosing to live in smaller towns and rural areas of the country may provide you with better prices when buying auto insurance. Fewer drivers corresponds to lower accident rates and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Drivers who live in large Texas cities have much more traffic and much longer commute distances. More time on the road can result in more accidents.
- Older drivers are lower risk – Teen drivers in Texas are statistically shown to be less responsible when at the wheel of a vehicle therefore auto insurance rates are much higher. Adding a first-time driver to your policy can break the bank. Older people are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and are safer drivers.
- Safer vehicles are cheaper to insure – Safer cars get lower rates. Safer cars result in less severe injuries and reduced instances of injuries means less claims paid which can result in lower premiums.
More detailed Texas auto insurance information can be read at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can get help finding coverage, find out industry alerts, and report car insurance fraud.
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The ad said I’d save $390 a year!
Auto insurance companies such as Allstate and Progressive continually stream television, radio, and online ads. All the companies state the claim about saving some big amount if you get a free and switch to their company. It sounds good, but how can they all give you a lower rate? It’s all in the numbers.
All companies have strict underwriting profiles for the type of customer that will generate a profit. A good example of a preferred risk may be between the ages of 30 and 50, has had continuous coverage, and has great credit. Anyone that meets those criteria will get low car insurance rates and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Consumers who cannot meet these standards may be required to pay a higher rate with the end result being the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The trick is to say “drivers that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much money. That is how insurance companies can make those statements. That is why you should get price quotes at each policy renewal. Because you never know which insurance companies will have the best premium rates.
Do the work, save more money
We just covered a lot of information how to compare Toyota Camry insurance premium rates online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of getting . You may even discover the lowest premium rates are with a lesser-known regional company. Smaller companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like State Farm and Allstate.
Cheaper auto insurance can be purchased on the web and from local agencies, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these regional carriers only sell through independent agents.