Did you come to the realization that you have overpriced car insurance? Don’t sweat it because there are many people just like you. Many auto insurance companies vie for your business, and it can be difficult to compare rates to find the absolute best price available.
If you have a policy now or need a new policy, you can follow these tips to cut your premiums and possibly find even better coverage. Finding affordable coverage in Fort Worth is not rocket science. Texas drivers just need to know the most efficient way to shop online.
Compare free Fort Worth car insurance rate quotes
There are a variety of methods you can shop for car insurance and some are more efficient than others. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking to insurance agencies in Fort Worth, or you can utilize the web to get rates in a matter of minutes.
All the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace where prospective buyers submit one quote, and each company can give them a price for coverage. This system prevents you from having to do quote requests to each company. To enter your information into the quoting system, click here (opens in new window).
The only drawback to comparing rates this way is buyers cannot specifically choose which carriers to get quotes from. So if you want to choose specific providers to compare prices, we have assembled a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in Texas. View list of Texas insurance companies.
Which method you use is up to you, but double check that you are using identical coverages with every price quote. If you enter different data you will not be able to make an equal comparison in Fort Worth.
Earn discounts to get lower-cost Texas car insurance quotes
Auto insurance companies don’t necessarily list all available discounts very clearly, so we break down a few of the more well known as well as the least known credits available to you. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.
- No Charge for an Accident – This one is not really a discount per se, but companies like State Farm, Progressive and GEICO will turn a blind eye to one accident before they charge you more for coverage as long as you don’t have any claims prior to the accident.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Fort Worth may trigger a policy discount on car insurance since owning and maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
- Cautious Driver Discount – Safe drivers could pay up to 40% less for Sierra pickup insurance compared to accident prone drivers.
- Driver Education Discount – Have your child sucessfully take a driver\s education course in school or through a local driver safety program.
- Resident Student – Children who are attending college and don’t have a car could get you a discount.
- Discount for Good Grades – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. You can use this discount normally until age 25.
It’s important to note that some of the credits will not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. If you do the math and it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business. But all discounts will reduce the amount you pay for coverage.
A few popular companies and a partial list of their discounts are included below.
- American Family offers premium reductions for bundled insurance, TimeAway discount, air bags, early bird, defensive driver, multi-vehicle, and accident-free.
- Farm Bureau offers discounts including youthful driver, multi-vehicle, driver training, multi-policy, safe driver, and good student.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including Steer Clear safe driver discount, defensive driving training, good driver, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, multiple policy, and driver’s education.
- Travelers may offer discounts for multi-car, driver training, IntelliDrive, early quote, student away at school, and hybrid/electric vehicle.
- The Hartford may include discounts for good student, bundle, driver training, defensive driver, vehicle fuel type, and air bag.
- GEICO may have discounts that include multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, emergency military deployment, driver training, and good student.
- Progressive has savings for online signing, continuous coverage, good student, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and online quote discount.
If you want , ask every insurance company which discounts they offer. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be available to policyholders everywhere.
You may need advice from an insurance agency
Certain consumers just prefer to sit down with an agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases Good insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help in the event of a claim. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is you can get cheap car insurance rates and still choose a local agent.
By using this simple form, your insurance data is submitted to insurance agents in Fort Worth who will return price quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to drive around as quotes are delivered to you instantly. If you wish to quote rates for a specific company, you just need to jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Picking an insurance company is decision based upon more than just a low price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- How many companies do they write for?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
- Will the company cover a rental car if your car is getting fixed?
Two different types of auto insurance agents
If you need to find a local agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies that you can select. Fort Worth agents are considered either captive or independent agents depending on their company appointments. Both can insure your vehicles properly, but it’s good to learn why they differ since it can impact which type of agent you select.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agents can only place business with one company like Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Captive agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so they really need to provide good service. Captives are very knowledgeable in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage.
Independent Car Insurance Agents
Independent agents do not have single company limitations so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies and find the cheapest car insurance rates. If you want to switch companies, they simply switch companies in-house and that require little work on your part. If you need lower rates, you absolutely need to include at a minimum one independent agency so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
Additional detailed information can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can discover disciplinary actions, read state legal mandates and laws, and report car insurance fraud.
The following articles may also be useful.
- Cheapest Car Insurance Exclusively for Fort Worth, TX Residents
- Compare Fort Worth Auto Insurance for Less Money With These Tips
Educate yourself about car insurance coverages
Learning about specific coverages of your car insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are typical coverage types available from car insurance companies.
Collision coverage – Collision coverage covers damage to your Sierra 1500 Pickup resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against things like driving through your garage door, colliding with a tree and rolling your car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This coverage gives you protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your GMC Sierra 1500 Pickup.
Due to the fact that many Texas drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (30/60/25), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Coverage for medical payments – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for short-term medical expenses such as hospital visits, funeral costs and X-ray expenses. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Liability – Liability coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property that is your fault. This coverage protects you from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see values of 50/100/50 which means a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability coverage protects against things such as repair costs for stationary objects, legal defense fees, funeral expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and emergency aid. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but you should buy higher limits if possible. Texas requires minimum liability limits of 30,000/60,000/25,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.
Comprehensive coverages – This coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as theft, rock chips in glass and fire damage. The maximum amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider dropping full coverage.
You can find cheaper coverage
When getting , never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many instances, someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best cost while still protecting your assets.
Cheaper GMC Sierra 1500 Pickup insurance can be bought both online and also from your neighborhood Fort Worth agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some car insurance companies do not offer online quoting and usually these smaller providers work with independent agencies.