San Antonio buyers have many options when searching for the best price on Jeep Patriot insurance. They can either waste time struggling with agents trying to get quotes or utilize the internet to compare rates. There is a right way and a wrong way to find auto insurance online so we’re going to tell you the best way to compare rates on a Jeep and obtain the best price possible.
How to shop auto insurance online
To find the best auto insurance prices, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from local San Antonio auto insurance companies. The fastest way to find the cheapest Jeep Patriot insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online. It’s really quite simple and can be done in a couple minutes as outlined below.
The most efficient method to get quotes for comparison is a comparison rater form click to view form in new window. This easy form saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions for each company you want a rate for. In just a few minutes this one form gets prices estimates from many national carriers. This is perfect if you don’t have a lot of time.
A slightly less efficient method to compare rate quotes consists of going to the website for each individual company to request a price quote. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you want rates from Liberty Mutual, GEICO and State Farm. You would be required to go to every website and enter your policy data, and that explains why we recommend the first method.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in San Antonio, click here.
The final way to compare rates is to spend time driving to and from local San Antonio insurance agencies. Doing it all online eliminates the middleman unless you have a complicated situation and need the advice and guidance that you can only get from talking to an agent. Drivers can get the lowest quotes online and still use a local agent.
However you get your quotes, try to keep apples-to-apples information for every quote you compare. If the quotes have different deductibles it’s impossible to make a fair rate comparison in San Antonio. Having just a slight variation in limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. It’s important to know that quoting more increases your odds of finding the best price.
Take policy discounts and save
Some providers do not advertise their entire list of discounts very well, so we took the time to find some of the best known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits that you can use to lower your rates.
- First Accident Forgiveness – This one isn’t a discount, but a handful of insurance companies will turn a blind eye to one accident without the usual rate increase with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a specific time period.
- Student Driver Training – Cut your cost by having your teen driver sucessfully take a driver\s education course in high school.
- Onboard Data Collection – Drivers that enable data collection to look at where and when they drive by using a telematics device in their vehicle such as Drivewise from Allstate or Snapshot from Progressive could save a few bucks as long as the data is positive.
- Senior Discount – Mature drivers could receive a small discount on rates for Patriot coverage.
- Online Discount – Some auto insurance companies will give you a small discount for signing up online.
- Buy New and Save – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less because newer vehicles are generally safer.
- No Accidents – San Antonio drivers who stay claim-free have much lower rates in comparison with accident-prone drivers.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Not all companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a discounted rate on car insurance if you buy a life policy as well.
- Service Members Pay Less – Having a family member in the military could mean lower premium rates.
- Early Signing – Select insurance companies give a discount for switching policies before your current coverage expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
One last thing about discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it’s just not the way it works.
Popular auto insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are:
- Progressive offers premium reductions for multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, homeowner, online quote discount, and multi-policy.
- GEICO offers discounts for defensive driver, multi-policy, membership and employees, five-year accident-free, military active duty, emergency military deployment, and multi-vehicle.
- State Farm has discounts for student away at school, multiple policy, safe vehicle, driver’s education, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and good driver.
- Esurance includes discounts for DriveSense, good driver, multi-policy, Pac-12 alumni, and anti-theft.
- The Hartford policyholders can earn discounts including air bag, vehicle fuel type, good student, anti-theft, and bundle.
Before buying, ask every insurance company which discounts they offer. Savings may not be available in every state. To locate providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Texas, follow this link.
Get rate quotes but still have a local San Antonio insurance agency
Some people would rather sit down and talk to an agent and that is just fine! An additional benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find lower rates and still choose a local agent.
After completing this quick form, your insurance data is transmitted to insurance agents in San Antonio who will gladly provide quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You won’t even need to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent immediately to you. You can find better rates without having to waste a lot of time. If you want to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance company, feel free to find their quoting web page and complete a quote there.
Picking an company should include more criteria than just a cheap price. Before buying a policy, get answers to these questions.
- Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in Texas?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Is the coverage adequate for your vehicle?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Will the company cover a rental car if your car is getting fixed?
- By raising physical damage deductibles, how much would you save?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
Pick the best auto insurance agent in San Antonio for you
When searching for a reliable insurance agency, it helps to know the two different agency structures and how they work. Agents are considered either captive agents or independent agents.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agents are contracted to one company and examples are Farmers Insurance and State Farm. Captive agencies are unable to give you multiple price quotes so always compare other rates. These agents are trained well on what they offer which helps offset the inability to provide other markets. Some consumers prefer to choose to use a captive agent partially due to the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Independent Auto Insurance Agents
These type of agents are not required to write business for one company and that gives them the ability to insure with a variety of different insurance companies and find you the best rates. If they find a lower price, the agent simply finds a different carrier which is easy for the insured. When comparing rates, you will want to get insurance quotes from independent agents to have the most options to choose from. Many write coverage with companies that do not advertise much which can save you money.
If you get good answers to all your questions and a low price estimate, it’s a good possibility that you have found a car insurance agent that is professional and can properly service your auto insurance policy.
You may need specialized auto insurance coverage
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Every insured’s situation is different.
For instance, these questions could help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
- Is Texas a no-fault state?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Texas?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
- What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
- What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
The Jeep Patriot Insurance Cost Equation
The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. If you know what influences your rates, this enables you to make decisions that may result in cheaper rates.
- Age of drivers – Mature drivers have been proven to be more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.Inexperience drivers are statistically shown to get distracted easily when behind the wheel therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
- Gender matters – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown women are more cautious behind the wheel. It does not mean women are better drivers. Both genders are in accidents in similar numbers, but males get into accidents with more damage. In addition to higher claims, males also get cited for more serious violations like driving under the influence (DUI). Teenage male drivers are the most expensive to insure and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
- Better prices on vehicles with better crash test results – Cars with five star safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. Vehicles engineered for safety reduce the chance of injuries and reduced instances of injuries translates directly to fewer claims and more competitive rates for policyholders. If the Jeep Patriot has ratings of a minimum four stars on Safercar.gov it may cost less to insure.
- Being married can lower premiums – Having a wife or husband may save some money on your auto insurance bill. Marriage demonstrates that you tend to be more stable financially and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
Be skeptical of auto insurance ads
Big name companies like State Farm and Allstate continually stream ads on TV and radio. All the ads advertise the message that drivers will save a bundle if you change your policy. It sounds good, but how can they all make the same claim? This is how they do it.
Auto insurance companies have an ideal profile for the type of driver they prefer to insure. One example of this type of driver might be described as between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and has a high credit rating. A driver who fits those characteristics will get very good San Antonio rates and therefore will save some money.
Consumers who are not a match for these standards will be quoted a higher rate and this can result in the customer buying from someone else. The trick companies use is to say “people that switch” not “everyone who quotes” save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. Because of this risk profiling, you really should compare many company’s prices. Because you cannot predict which insurance companies will have the best premium rates.
Compare but don’t skimp
Some auto insurance companies do not offer internet price quotes and these regional carriers prefer to sell through independent insurance agencies. Low-cost Jeep Patriot insurance can be purchased on the web in addition to many San Antonio insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture.
In this article, we covered a lot of techniques to compare Jeep Patriot insurance rates online. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get car insurance rates for, the better your chances of lowering your car insurance rates. You may be surprised to find that the best rates are with some of the lesser-known companies.
Insureds change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including delays in paying claims, denial of a claim, policy cancellation and unfair underwriting practices. Whatever your reason, finding a great new company is less work than it seems.
Additional detailed information can be read at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can view a list of available companies, learn about insurance regulations, and get help finding coverage.
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