Do you get exhausted from not being able to scrape enough together to pay your auto insurance bill each month? You are no different than millions of other consumers. Multiple insurers compete for your business, so it can be very hard to choose a provider and uncover the absolute lowest cost out there.
How to buy Dallas auto insurance online
Getting low cost auto insurance pricing is not a difficult process. The only thing you need to do is take a couple of minutes to get quotes online with multiple companies. Rate comparisons can be done in several different ways.
The best way to compare a lot of rates at once would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This method saves time by eliminating a different quote for each company you want a rate for. One quote request gets insurance cost estimates from all major companies.
A more time consuming way to shop for auto insurance online consists of going to each individual company website to complete their respective quote request forms. For example, let’s assume you want to compare Nationwide, Allstate and Liberty Mutual. You would have to navigate to each company’s site to enter your coverage information, which is why first method is reommended.
For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Dallas, click here.
The method you choose is up to you, but make sure you compare nearly identical coverages and limits on every price quote you get. If you compare different data it will be nearly impossible to determine which company has the best rates in Dallas.
Do auto insurance companies bend the truth?
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. They all state the claim that drivers can save some big amount just by switching your policy.
How is it possible that every company can make almost identical claims?
Most companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer that will be a good risk. A good example of a preferred risk may need to be between the ages of 30 and 50, has had continuous coverage, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured who meets those qualifications will get a cheap rate quote and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Potential insureds who don’t measure up to the “perfect” profile will have to pay a higher rate and this results in the customer not purchasing. The ad wording is “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. That’s the way companies can truthfully make those claims. This really illustrates why drivers should compare often. Because you never know which company will have the lowest rate quotes.
Auto insurance quotes and discounts
Companies don’t always publicize every disount available very well, so we researched both well-publicized and also the more inconspicuous credits that may apply to you. If you are not receiving all the discounts you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.
- Driving Data Discount – Policyholders that allow their insurance company to monitor vehicle usage by using a telematics device in their vehicle like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot could save a few bucks if they have good driving habits.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts could see savings of more than 20%.
- E-sign Discounts
- Student Driver Training – Have your child take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have anti-lock braking systems have fewer accidents so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Drivers who insure multiple cars or trucks on the same auto insurance policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
One thing to note about discounts is that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck.
Companies who may offer most of these discounts may include but are not limited to:
When getting a coverage quote, ask each insurance company to apply every possible discount. Savings may not be available everywhere.
Situations that may require an agent’s advice
When it comes to buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Every insured’s situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For example, these questions could help you determine whether or not you may require specific advice.
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- What are the best liability limits?
- How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Texas?
- Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
- Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
- Is pleasure use cheaper than using my Kia Optima to commute?
- Should I rate my Kia Optima as pleasure use or commute?
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. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.
Educate yourself about auto insurance coverages
Understanding the coverages of a auto insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. These are typical coverage types found on most auto insurance policies.
Medical expense insurance – Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for things like X-ray expenses, ambulance fees and funeral costs. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers you and your occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – This coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for things like hitting a deer, falling objects, hail damage, hitting a bird and a broken windshield. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Collision – This pays for damage to your Optima resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things like sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a ditch, hitting a parking meter and scraping a guard rail. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (30/60/25 in Texas), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea.
Liability – This coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show limits of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and property damage coverage for $100,000.
Liability coverage pays for things like bail bonds, medical services, pain and suffering, legal defense fees and medical expenses. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy higher limits if possible. Texas requires drivers to carry at least 30,000/60,000/25,000 but drivers should carry higher limits.
More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find a variety of consumer forms, and find out industry alerts.
The following information may also be useful.
- Proven Methods for Low-Cost Dallas, TX Car Insurance
- Insider Tricks to Paying Less for Dallas Texas Car Insurance
Cheaper auto insurance rates are out there
We just showed you some good ideas how you can get a better price on Kia Optima insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more you , the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with a small local company. Regional companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
More affordable auto insurance can be found on the web and from local insurance agents, so you need to with both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers work with local independent agents.