Did a good deal turn into an expensive auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse. Many car insurance companies vie for your insurance dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to get the best rates possible.
If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using these techniques. Finding affordable coverage in Dallas is not that difficult. But Texas consumers must comprehend the way insurance companies market insurance on the web and take advantage of how the system works.
The best way we recommend to compare car insurance company rates is to know the fact most insurance companies pay for the opportunity to give rate comparisons. To get started, all you need to do is provide a little information such as if a SR-22 is needed, whether you have decent credit, how your vehicles are used, and how much school you completed. That rating data gets sent immediately to insurance companies and you get price estimates immediately.
If you wish to get multiple quotes for your Jeep Patriot now, click here and enter the information requested.
Do drivers who switch really save $413 a year?
Auto insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO regularly use television and radio advertisements. They all seem to tend to make the same promise about savings if you change your coverage. How can each company charge less that you’re paying now? Just pay attention to how they say it.
Insurance companies look for specific characteristics for the right customer that will generate a profit. For example, this type of risk profile might have to be over the age of 35, has other policies, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any customer who meets those qualifications will get a cheap rate quote and have a good chance to cut their rates substantially.
People who may not quite match these criteria may be forced to pay higher premiums and this results in the customer not purchasing. If you listen closely, the ads state “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. Because each company has a different risk profile, it is so important to do a rate comparison at every renewal. Because without a comparison, you cannot know which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.
Discounts can really help lower rates
Not many people think insurance is cheap, but there may be some discounts to help offset the cost. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically at quote time, but a few must be specifically requested before you will receive the discount.
- Professional Memberships – Participating in a civic or occupational organization in Dallas may earn a discount when getting a .
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Keeping the miles down on your Jeep could earn lower prices on the low mileage vehicles.
- Theft Prevention System – Cars with anti-theft systems are less likely to be stolen and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on a single policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies and place coverage with the same company you will save 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Driver’s Ed – Have your child participate in a local driver’s education class in school.
- Payment Method – By paying your entire bill at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
You can save money using discounts, but most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Even though the math looks like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you aren’t that lucky.
A few companies that may offer policyholders these money-saving discounts possibly include:
Before buying, ask each company which discounts can lower your rates. Some discounts listed above may not be available everywhere. If you would like to choose from a list of insurance companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Dallas, click here.
Will just any policy work for me?
When choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions might point out whether or not you could use an agent’s help.
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
- Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
- What are Texas no-fault laws?
- Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- Does my Jeep Patriot qualify for pleasure use?
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Coverage specifics
Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. These are the usual coverages offered by auto insurance companies.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your Jeep Patriot.
Since many Texas drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 30/60/25), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Coverage for medical payments
Med pay and PIP coverage pay for bills such as hospital visits, pain medications, doctor visits and surgery. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
Auto collision coverage
Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers things like crashing into a ditch, scraping a guard rail, sideswiping another vehicle, colliding with another moving vehicle and rolling your car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive coverages
Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like damage from a tornado or hurricane, vandalism, falling objects and hitting a deer. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Liability coverages
This coverage protects you from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see limits of 100/300/100 which means a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability can pay for things like loss of income, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, funeral expenses, structural damage and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. Texas state law requires minimum liability limits of 30,000/60,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
Cheaper auto insurance rates are out there
When you , it’s very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
We just showed you some good ideas how you can get a better price on Jeep Patriot insurance. The key thing to remember is the more you , the better chance you’ll have of finding . Consumers may even find the best car insurance rates are with a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers often have lower premium rates on specific markets than their larger competitors like State Farm or Progressive.
More consumer information in Texas
Additional detailed information is available at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can learn about specific coverages, find out industry alerts, discover disciplinary actions, and read state legal mandates and laws.
The following information may also be useful.