I can’t think of a single person who cherishes buying auto insurance, especially knowing the cost is too high.
Many insurance companies vie for your hard-earned dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare insurance companies to find the absolute lowest price
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this strategy. Buying car insurance in Alamo is not that difficult. Although Texas consumers can benefit by having an understanding of the way insurance companies price insurance differently.
How to Compare Alamo Auto Insurance Costs
The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes and find the best price. The easiest way by far to find the lowest rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.
The best way to get the best comparison quotes is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This form keeps you from doing multiple quote forms for each company you want a rate for. Filling out one form gets you price quotes from many national carriers.
A less efficient way to analyze rates is to manually visit each company’s website and complete a new quote form. For sake of this example, we’ll assume you want to compare Liberty Mutual, GEICO and GMAC. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to enter your coverage information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to insurance companies in Alamo, click here.
The hardest method of comparing rate quotes to insurance agents’ offices. The internet has reduced the need for local agents unless you have a need for the personal advice that only a license agent can provide. Drivers can price shop online and get advice from an agent in your area and we’ll touch on that later.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just double check that you are using the exact same coverage limits for every company. If you use mixed coverages it will be next to impossible to make an equal comparison in Alamo. Having just a slight variation in limits can make a big difference in price. And when comparison shopping, having more price comparisons helps locate the best price.
Don’t pay full price with these discounts
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Most are applied at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied in order for you to get them.
- Driver’s Ed – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Alamo may earn you a small savings because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with certain companies.
- Safe Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than less cautious drivers.
- Multiple Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
- Student in College – Kids in college living away from home attending college and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you’re out of luck. But any discount will cut your premiums.
For a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Alamo, click this link.
Do I need a local agent?
Some consumers prefer to get advice from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The best thing about price shopping on the web is you may find the lowest rates and still choose a local agent. And supporting local agencies is especially important in Alamo.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your insurance data is transmitted to insurance agents in Alamo who will battle for your coverage. You don’t have to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. Now that’s easy! It’s the lowest rates and an insurance agent to talk to.
To view a list of agents in Alamo to contact, go to this page.
Deciding on an provider should depend on more than just the price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Texas?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
After receiving acceptable answers for all questions you ask and an affordable coverage quote, most likely you have located an insurer that will provide auto insurance coverage.
Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that go into determining auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that can help you get better auto insurance rates.
- Your spouse saves you money – Having a spouse can actually save you money on your policy. Having a significant other means you’re more mature and it’s proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Performance influences rates – The make and model of the vehicle you own makes a significant difference in how high your rates are. The lowest rates tend to be for small economy passenger vehicles, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
- Clean credit earns discounts – Credit history is a huge factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. If your credit history is not that good, you could pay less to insure your by improving your credit score. Drivers with high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have lower credit scores.
- More miles equals more premium – The more you drive in a year’s time the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Autos used primarily for pleasure use get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. Double check that your auto insurance policy properly reflects the correct driver usage.
Misconceptions in auto insurance advertisements
Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO consistently run ads in print and on television. They all seem to make the same claim about savings if you change your coverage to them. How can each company make the same claim?
All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a driver they prefer might be profiled as between 30 and 50, owns a home, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Potential customers who don’t meet this ideal profile will be charged a more expensive rate and ends up with business not being written. The ads say “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. This is how companies can advertise the way they do.
That is why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It’s not possible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.
A tidy conclusion
Low-cost auto insurance is attainable both online and with local Alamo insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
When shopping online for auto insurance, never buy poor coverage just to save money. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at the best price.
Learn more today
More information can be found on the website for the Texas Department of Insurance located here. Consumers can learn about specific coverages, report car insurance fraud, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and read state legal mandates and laws.
Other related articles: