Finding lower premiums on Grand Prairie auto insurance can seem to be challenging for beginners to comparing rates online. People have so many companies to choose from that it can turn into a challenge to find the best price in Grand Prairie.
Don’t pay full price with these discounts
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always publicize all available discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find both the well known and the more hidden auto insurance savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- One Accident Forgiven – A handful of insurance companies permit an accident before raising your premiums if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
- No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially as compared to frequent claim filers.
- Federal Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
For a list of insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Texas, follow this link.
What impacts Grand Prairie insurance rates?
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.
- High crash test scores lower rates – Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. Safe vehicles have better occupant injury protection and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Extra coverages can waste money – There are a ton of add-on coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Coverages like rental car reimbursement, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea initially, but now you might not need them so get rid of them and save.
- Equipment add-ons that lower auto insurance rates – Purchasing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.
- Bundling policies can get discounts – The majority of insurers give discounts to insureds who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount you still need to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. Consumers may find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
- Please use or commuting – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on their usage. Autos left parked in the garage can get a lower rate as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Make sure your auto insurance policy is showing how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
- Poor credit can mean higher rates – A driver’s credit score is a important factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could pay less to insure your by repairing your credit. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with poor credit.
Situations that might require an agent
When choosing the right insurance coverage, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
For instance, these questions can aid in determining if you will benefit from professional help.
- Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Is business equipment covered while in my vehicle?
- Do I qualify for additional discounts?
- When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
- When should I not file a claim?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.
What happened to insurance agents?
A small number of people just want to get advice from a local agent and that is a personal choice. Professional agents can help determine the best coverages and give you someone to call. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is you can get better rates but still work with a licensed agent.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your insurance data is sent to participating agents in Grand Prairie who will battle for your coverage. There is no need to leave your house as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. It doesn’t get any easier!
Picking an insurer requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. These are valid questions to ask:
- How long has their agency been in business in Grand Prairie?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
If you wish to view a list of agents in Grand Prairie to contact, please click here.
After receiving positive responses to all your questions and an acceptable price quote, it’s possible that you found an insurance company that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.
Drivers who switch save $394 a year? Really?
Texas consumers can’t ignore all the ads for car insurance savings from companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. All the companies say the same thing of big savings if you move your policy.
How do they all make almost identical claims?
All the different companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer might be profiled as over the age of 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. A propective insured who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.
Drivers who are not a match for these standards must pay higher prices which leads to the customer not buying. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can truthfully make those claims. This illustrates why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. It’s not possible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.
More detailed Texas auto insurance information is available at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to report car insurance fraud, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, view agent and company licensing information, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Additional helpful sites include this resource for Texas auto insurance prices and this page where you can also get Grand Prairie auto insurance quotes.
Shop smart and save
Consumers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including questionable increases in premium, not issuing a premium refund, policy non-renewal and even delays in responding to claim requests. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching companies can be easier than you think.
Affordable auto insurance is available online and also from your neighborhood Grand Prairie agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers may not provide online quoting and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
As you restructure your insurance plan, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced collision coverage only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.