No sane person loves paying for auto insurance, particularly when their premiums are through the roof. Popular companies such as State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually hit you with ads and it can be hard to see through the cute green geckos and mayhem and find the best price available.
It’s important to compare premium rates as often as possible because prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Even if you got the best quotes for Grand Caravan insurance two years ago there may be better deals available now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the tricks you need to know to find great coverage at a great price.
How to get Dallas auto insurance price quotes
There are multiple methods to compare auto insurance prices but one way is easier and takes less work. You can spend countless hours discussing policy coverages with local insurance agents in Dallas, or you could save time and use online quoting to get the quickest rates.
Most of the larger companies take part in a program that enables customers to only type in their quote data once, and each participating company can provide price quotes. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms for every auto insurance company.
To use this form to compare rates click here to open in new window.
The single downside to comparing rates this way is buyers cannot specifically choose the insurers to get pricing from. So if you prefer to pick specific providers to receive pricing from, we have assembled a list of auto insurance companies in Texas. View list of Texas insurance companies.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just make sure you are using identical coverage information for each comparison quote. If your comparisons have mixed coverages it will be nearly impossible to truly determine the lowest rate in Dallas. Slightly different coverages may result in a large different in cost. It’s important to know that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps locate a lower rate than you’re paying now.
Take advantage of every auto insurance discount
Auto insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but there are discounts available that you may not even know about. Many discounts should be triggered at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for prior to getting the savings.
- Low Miles Discount – Low mileage vehicles could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Active Military Service – Being on active deployment in the military could trigger a small discount.
- Distant College Student Discount – who attend college more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
- Theft Deterent System – Vehicles that have factory alarm systems and tracking devices have a lower chance of being stolen and will save you 10% or more.
- Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment could qualify for a slight premium decrease for Grand Caravan insurance with certain companies.
- Early Signing – Select larger companies give a discount for switching to them prior to the expiration date on your current policy. You could save around 10% when you .
- Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of 20% or more.
- Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Having all your vehicles on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
One thing to note about discounts is that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, that’s just not realistic.
A partial list of companies that may offer quotes with these money-saving discounts may include but are not limited to:
- GEICO
- Mercury Insurance
- Farmers Insurance
- Auto-Owners Insurance
- Liberty Mutual
- SAFECO
- Progressive
- USAA
If you are trying to find , ask every insurance company how you can save money. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply to policies everywhere. If you would like to choose from a list of providers that offer many of these discounts in Dallas, follow this link.
Captive or independent car insurance agents
Many drivers just prefer to talk to an insurance agent and that can be a great decision The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you may find better rates and also buy local.
For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents who will give competitive quotes for your coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to leave your house as quotes are delivered instantly to you. It’s the lowest rates AND a local agent. If you want to compare prices from a particular provider, just navigate to their website and complete a quote there.
Picking the best insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Here are some questions to ask:
- Do they get paid more for recommending certain coverages?
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- Is insurance their full-time profession?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
Dallas auto insurance agents come in two flavors
If you are wanting to find a reliable insurance agency, you should know the different agency structures to choose from. Agents in Dallas are either independent or captive.
Captive Auto Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents are contracted to one company such as Farmers Insurance and State Farm. They usually cannot give you multiple price quotes so always compare other rates. Captive agents receive extensive training in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Independent Agents
Agents that elect to be independent are not employed by one company so they have the ability to put coverage with a variety of different insurance companies and find the cheapest rate. If your premiums go up, the business is moved internally and you can keep the same agent.
If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you will want to include price quotes from a couple of independent agencies in order to have the best price comparison.
You are unique and your auto insurance should be too
When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions can help discover whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Is Texas a no-fault state?
- Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
- Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
- How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
More detailed Texas auto insurance information can be read at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can learn about specific coverages, view a list of available companies, and view agent and company licensing information.
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Specifics of your auto insurance policy
Having a good grasp of auto insurance helps when choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the usual coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Liability – This will cover damage that occurs to other’s property or people in an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have values of 25/50/25 which stand for a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability can pay for things like bail bonds, medical expenses, medical services and attorney fees. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but buy higher limits if possible. Texas requires drivers to carry at least 30,000/60,000/25,000 but you should consider buying more coverage.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This coverage gives you protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many Texas drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (Texas limits are 30/60/25), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Comprehensive auto insurance – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like hitting a deer, hail damage, a broken windshield, damage from getting keyed and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Coverage for medical expenses – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for expenses for pain medications, nursing services, X-ray expenses, ambulance fees and rehabilitation expenses. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Collision – Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your Grand Caravan from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as crashing into a building, hitting a parking meter and backing into a parked car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.
Find cheaper rates by being thorough
We’ve covered many ideas to lower your Dodge Grand Caravan insurance car insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding . You may even find the lowest car insurance rates are with a small mutual company. They may only write in your state and offer lower premium rates than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
When you , it’s not a good idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many instances, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while still protecting your assets.