Finding the best price on Gatesville car insurance can seem complicated if you have never used online quotes. But don’t be discouraged because finding affordable coverage online is easier than you think.
It’s smart to compare prices periodically since rates are usually higher with each renewal. If you had the best price six months ago you can probably find a better price now. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the proper way to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in Gatesville is quite easy. Basically, every driver who carries car insurance most likely will be able to find better rates. But Texas vehicle owners do need to learn how the larger insurance companies sell online because it can help you find the best coverage.
Save money by taking advantage of these discounts
Companies that sell car insurance do not list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using.
- Braking Control Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Gatesville may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
- Memberships – Participating in a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying car insurance.
- Safe Driver Discount – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than their less cautious counterparts.
- No Accidents – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less as compared to accident-prone drivers.
It’s important to note that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates you could get a free car insurance policy, you’re out of luck.
Understand what determines the rate you pay
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get better car insurance rates.
- Don’t skimp on liability – Liability insurance provides coverage in the event that you are found to be at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
- An active claims history can cost you – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance companies in Texas provide better rates to drivers who do not file claims often. Car insurance is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Lower rates with optional equipment – Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart car theft.
- A clean driving record saves money – A bad driving record has a big impact on rates. Good drivers get better rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Even a single ticket can increase rates by twenty percent. If you have severe violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 form to the state department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.
- Rates may be higher depending on your occupation – Occupations such as doctors, architects and accountants tend to pay higher rates than average in part from high stress and long work days. On the flip side, jobs such as actors, athletes and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
- Extra coverages can waste money – There are many extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t careful. Things like rental car reimbursement, accidental death and membership fees are examples of these. They may seem like a good idea at first, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.
- Pleasure use saves money – Driving more miles each year the higher your rates will be. Almost all companies price each vehicle’s coverage based on their usage. Autos used primarily for pleasure use can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Double check that your car insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
Are insurance agents obsolete?
A small number of people prefer to talk to a local agent and that is OK! The biggest benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you can get the best rates and still have an agent to talk to.
To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, your coverage information is immediately sent to participating agents in Gatesville who will return price quotes for your coverage. You never need to visit any agencies as quotes are delivered to your email. How cool is that?! It’s the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.
Choosing an insurer should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Texas?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
- Are they full-time agents?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
Pick the best auto insurance agent in Gatesville for you
When researching a good insurance agency, there are a couple of types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Agency Captives
This type of agents can only write with one company like Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. These agents are unable to give you multiple price quotes so they have to upsell other benefits. They are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers often buy insurance from these agents primarily because of the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Below are Gatesville captive agents who can help you get comparison quotes.
- State Farm Insurance – 1004 E Main St – Gatesville, TX 76528 – (254) 865-5921
- Allstate Insurance – 103 Highway 36 Byp N # B – Gatesville, TX 76528 – (254) 248-1665
Independent Agents
Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies. When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to get quotes from multiple independent agents to have the most options to choose from. Most have the option of insuring with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.
Shown below is a list of independent agencies in Gatesville that are able to give price quote information.
- Daschofsky Insurance Agency – 1204 E Main St – Gatesville, TX 76528 – (254) 865-7566
- First Texas Agency – 1400 E Main St – Gatesville, TX 76528 – (254) 865-2242
- WYNN Insurance – 107 Liberty St – Gatesville, TX 76528 – (254) 865-8280
- Germania Insurance – 2601 S Highway 36 – Gatesville, TX 76528 – (254) 865-1398
For a complete listing of car insurance agents in Gatesville, visit this site.
Once you have reasonable responses and locked in a price quote, most likely you have located a car insurance agent that will service your policy.
Save $458 a year? Really?
State Farm, GEICO and Progressive regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the companies have a common claim about savings if you move to them. How can each company say the same thing?
Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that makes them money. A good example of a preferred risk could be over the age of 50, owns a home, and chooses high deductibles. Any driver who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.
Consumers who don’t meet the requirements will be charged higher rates which leads to business not being written. Company advertisements say “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That is how companies can make the claims of big savings. That is why it’s extremely important to compare as many rates as you can. It is impossible to predict which car insurance company will fit your personal profile best.
More consumer information in Texas
More detailed Texas car insurance information is located at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to find a variety of consumer forms, view a list of available companies, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.
Additional helpful sites include this site for rates in Texas and this page for help finding agents in Gatesville, TX.
A tidy conclusion
We just presented many ways to lower your car insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company.
As you shop your coverage around, it’s very important that you do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced full coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your aim should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
Insureds switch companies for many reasons like poor customer service, policy non-renewal, high prices and unfair underwriting practices. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new car insurance company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.