If price shopping car insurance online is new to you, you may be confused by the large number of online car insurance companies and websites all offering big savings in Victoria.
If you have a policy now or are shopping for new coverage, you can use this information to get lower rates while maximizing coverage. The purpose of this article is to tell you how to get online quotes and some money-saving tips. Texas drivers just need to understand how to shop their coverage around online.
These discounts can slash car insurance rates
Car insurance is not cheap, but there are discounts available that many people don’t even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but a few need to be manually applied before they will apply. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.
- Bundle and Save – If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you may save 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Good Student – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
- Memberships – Participating in a professional or civic organization may earn a discount when buying car insurance.
- Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
- Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies will give a small break just for signing your application over the internet.
- Multi-car Discount – Having more than one vehicle with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Save with a New Car – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
It’s important to note that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce your premiums.
To choose insurers with discount car insurance rates in Texas, click here.
How to Lower your Car Insurance Rates
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that play a part in calculating your car insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower car insurance prices.
Shown below are a few of the “ingredients” used by your company to calculate premiums.
- The more you drive the more you pay – The more you drive every year the higher your rates will be. Most insurance companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Make sure your car insurance policy shows the correct driver usage.
- Traffic citations inflate rates – Only having one speeding ticket can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Good drivers receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers with severe tickets such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to file a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to drive a vehicle legally.
- Younger drivers pay higher rates – Teen drivers in Texas tend to be less responsible when driving so they pay higher car insurance rates. Adding a teenage driver to your car insurance policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, file fewer claims and are safer drivers.
- High crash test scores lower rates – Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Equipment add-ons that lower car insurance rates – Purchasing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft prevention devices such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping car theft.
- Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Driving with no insurance is a misdemeanor and you will pay a penalty because you let your coverage have a gap. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but not being able to provide proof of insurance may earn you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
- Higher deductibles cost less – Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims are a windshield shattered by a rock, collision with an animal, and burglary. Physical damage deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The more you’re willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
- Performance influences rates – The make and model of the car you are insuring makes a significant difference in determining your rates. The lowest base rates tend to be for small economy passenger cars, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Different people need different coverages
When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
For instance, these questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
- When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
- What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
- How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
- How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
- Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.
Quote online but work with a neighborhood agent
A small number of people would rather sit down with an agent and that is a personal choice. Good agents can answer important questions and give you someone to call. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is you can get lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting local insurance agencies is definitely important in Victoria.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your information is submitted to participating agents in Victoria who will battle for your business. You don’t have to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. It doesn’t get any easier!
How to choose the best car insurance agent in Victoria
When finding a local agent, you need to know there are two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are classified as either independent or captive. While both can write coverage properly, but it’s important to know how they differ since it may influence your agent selection.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These agents are not locked into one company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency.
When searching for an agent, we recommend you include several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from.Many can place coverage with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.
Listed below are independent agencies in Victoria willing to provide price quotes.
- Frost Insurance Agency Inc – 1610 N Laurent St – Victoria, TX 77901 – (361) 578-3691
- Hurley Insurance – 1501 E Mockingbird Ln – Victoria, TX 77904 – (361) 572-3825
- Newman Insurance – 3903 N Navarro St – Victoria, TX 77901 – (361) 578-2973
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agencies can only write with one company like American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so always compare other rates. Captive agents are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Some people will only buy from captive agents partially due to high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.
Shown below is a list of captive agents in Victoria that are able to give price quotes.
- Allstate Insurance – 1304 E Rio Grande St # 3a – Victoria, TX 77901 – (361) 573-4567
- Farmers Insurance Group – 8607 N Navarro St # D – Victoria, TX 77904 – (361) 579-9311
- State Farm Insurance – 1904 N Navarro St – Victoria, TX 77901 – (361) 580-3276
- Farm Bureau Insurance – 511 E Magruder Dr – Victoria, TX 77904 – (361) 578-3651
To view a complete directory of captive agents in Victoria, go to this page.
Choosing a car insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Some important questions to ask are:
- How are claims handled?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- How long has their agency been in business in Victoria?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- What insurance companies do they work with?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
Once you have received positive responses and locked in a price quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that will provide car insurance coverage.
Is there deception in advertising?
Texas consumers can’t ignore all the ads for the lowest price auto insurance by State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. All the companies say the same thing of big savings if you switch to their company.
How do they all make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.
Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer they prefer to insure. An example of a desirable insured might be profiled as between 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has great credit. A propective insured who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.
Drivers who fall outside these standards must pay higher rates and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That’s the way insurance companies can make the claims of big savings.
This illustrates why you should get as many comparisons as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.
Much more information about car insurance in Texas can be found on the Texas Department of Insurance website found here. Consumers can download brochures, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out which companies have the most complaints, and view a list of available companies.
Buy online or local, you save
Discount car insurance can be found online and with local Victoria insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. Some companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
You just learned a lot of ways to compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may even find the lowest rates come from a small mutual company.
As you prepare to switch companies, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.