Houston buyers have options when searching for the best price on Fiat 500 insurance. They can either waste time struggling with agents getting price quotes or leverage the internet to get rate quotes. There are more efficient ways to buy auto insurance so we’re going to tell you the best way to price shop coverage for a Fiat and get the best price possible from both online companies and Houston agents.
How Insurance Providers Calculate Fiat 500 Insurance Costs
It’s important that you understand some of the things that aid in calculating auto insurance rates. If you know what impacts premium levels, this enables you to make decisions that can earn you lower rates. Many things are part of the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some factors are common sense such as traffic violations, but some are not as apparent like your continuous coverage or how safe your car is.
- Put fewer miles on your vehicle – Driving a lot of miles each year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. A lot of insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. An improperly rated 500 may be costing you higher rates. Double check that your auto insurance policy reflects the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Always keep your coverage in place – Allowing your coverage to lapse can be a quick way to pay more for auto insurance. And not only will insurance be more expensive, not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license. You may need to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Texas motor vehicle department.
- Frequent auto insurance claims will cost more – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in Texas award cheaper rates to drivers who are not frequent claim filers. Your car insurance is intended for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- Higher coverage deductibles reduce rates – Your deductibles state the amount of money you are required to pay before a claim is paid by your company. Physical damage protection, also called ‘full coverage’, protects your car from damage. Some coverage claims would be collision with another vehicle, fire damage, and damage caused by road hazards. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive for 500 insurance.
- Liability is peace of mind – Liability coverage will provide protection if ever you are determined to be liable for physical damage or personal injury to other. This coverage provides legal defense to defend your case. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
These discounts can lower your auto insurance quotes
Some providers don’t necessarily list every discount very clearly, so the following list contains a few of the more well known as well as some of the hidden ways to save on auto insurance.
- Student Discounts – Maintaining excellent grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. Many companies even apply the discount to college students up to age 25.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Buying insurance for several vehicles on one policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Buy New and Save – Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% because new model year vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Houston can save a few bucks because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
- Good Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more for 500 insurance as compared to drivers with claims.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags may earn rate discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Taking a safe driver course could save 5% or more and make you a better driver.
- Government Employees – Simply working for the federal government can save as much as 8% for 500 insurance with select insurance companies.
Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Even though it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.
Larger auto insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are shown below.
- State Farm has savings for student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, passive restraint, driver’s education, anti-theft, and good student.
- Liberty Mutual includes discounts for good student, multi-policy, hybrid vehicle, safety features, newly married, and teen driver discount.
- American Family may offer discounts for early bird, mySafetyValet, defensive driver, TimeAway discount, and good driver.
- Progressive offers discounts including continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, online signing, homeowner, multi-policy, and good student.
- Farmers Insurance may include discounts for electronic funds transfer, switch companies, good student, alternative fuel, bundle discounts, distant student, and multi-car.
- Auto-Owners Insurance may have discounts that include paid in full, mature driver, safe vehicle, paperless, group or association, and good student.
- SAFECO offers premium reductions for safe driver, bundle discounts, homeowner, multi-car, and teen safe driver.
If you want , ask every prospective company which discounts they offer. All car insurance discounts might not be offered on policies in every state.
Auto insurance companies are expert advertisers
Consumers in Texas get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper auto insurance by companies like State Farm and Allstate. All the ads seem to make the promise about how much you will save just by moving to their company.
It sounds good, but how can they all sell you cheaper insurance coverage? Just pay attention to how they say it.
Insurance providers provide the lowest rates for the type of customer that will not have excessive claims. For instance, a profitable insured might have to be between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A propective insured that meets those criteria will probably get the lowest rates and most likely will cut their rates if they switch.
Consumers who fall short of these stringent criteria must pay higher prices and ends up with the customer not purchasing. The trick is to say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. That’s why companies can make it sound like they have such great rates. Because of the profiling, drivers should compare as many as you can. It’s just too difficult to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.
Different people need different auto insurance coverages
When it comes to choosing coverage for your vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Every situation is different.
These are some specific questions can aid in determining if your insurance needs may require specific advice.
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
- Do I qualify for additional discounts?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Texas?
- Are rental cars covered under my policy?
- Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
- Does my Fiat 500 need full coverage?
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
- How much liability coverage do I need in Texas?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.
More detailed Texas auto insurance information is available at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas drivers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, find out which companies have the most complaints, file complaints about a company, and view a list of available companies.
The articles below may also help you learn more about auto insurance in Houston
- Secret Techniques for Buying Houston Texas Car Insurance for Less Money
- How to Get the Best Price from Houston, TX Auto Insurance Providers
- Insider Advice on Lower Houston Car Insurance
Don’t give up on lower rates
The cheapest Fiat 500 insurance is definitely available online and from local agencies, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers may not have the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these regional carriers only sell through independent insurance agents.
When you , it’s not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where someone dropped physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best possible price, but do not skimp to save money.
In this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to lower your Fiat 500 insurance prices. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the best prices are with a smaller regional carrier.