When pricing auto insurance in Clute, TX, there are a lot of options and picking a good Texas insurance agent takes more work than just making a phone call. Consumers need a good agent that listens to you, but also need the best possible rates.
Drivers have multiple insurance agents to purchase coverage from, and even though it’s nice to be able to choose, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates and find the lowest cost auto insurance.
Your local neighborhood insurance agent
Professional agents can answer important questions and help file insurance claims. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is you can get the best rates and still choose a local agent.
After completing this simple form, your coverage information is sent to agents in your area who will give you bids for your business. You won’t need to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. How’s that for easy!
Deciding on a car insurance agent requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
Insurance agent types
If you’re trying to find a good insurance agency, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents that you can select. Insurance agencies in Clute are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive. Either one can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning the difference between them since it can impact your selection of an agent.
Captive Agents
This type of agents can only place business with one company and some examples include AAA, Allstate and State Farm. They generally cannot provide prices from multiple companies so keep that in mind. They are trained well on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.
Shown below is a list of captive insurance agencies in Clute who can help you get rate quotes.
Farmers Insurance Group – 310 Quail Run Dr – Clute, TX 77531 – (979) 265-6200
State Farm Insurance – 161 Brazosport Blvd N – Clute, TX 77531 – (979) 265-3345
Allstate Insurance – 628 Dixie Dr # A – Clute, TX 77531 – (979) 297-1185
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with any number of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent.
When shopping rates, it’s recommended you get quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Clute willing to provide price quotes.
Julio T Garcia Insurance – 716 W Plantation Dr # 107 – Clute, TX 77531 – (979) 265-3552
Apple Insurance – 112 Dixie Dr – Clute, TX 77531 – (979) 265-9922
For a full directory of auto insurance agents in Clute, please go to this site.
After receiving acceptable answers for all questions you ask in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you may have just found an insurance agency that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles.
Buying direct is an option
Local insurance agents are indespensible for some people, but Texas car insurance can also be bought from online companies direct. A few companies like Allstate and State Farm that sell primarily through agents additionally provide the ability to buy online, and that is helpful if the lowest rate is your goal.
If you’re concerned about not getting advice from an agent when buying direct, that is normal but is not a big issue. Online companies have customer service departments to answer your questions.
Are online premiums lower? Whether or not you’ll save is impossible to say since there may be dozens of rate factors that impact your premium. Some people will tell you that purchasing direct online saves by not paying a commission. For most online online companies, however, there are very high advertising costs and that impacts the rates consumers pay.
More effort can pay off
When you buy insurance online, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
Budget-conscious auto insurance is definitely available from both online companies in addition to many Clute insurance agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. A few companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.
Some additional reading
More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas drivers can learn about specific coverages, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, learn about insurance regulations, and file complaints about a company.