Nobody enjoys paying for auto insurance, particularly when they are paying too much.
Companies like Geico, 21st Century and Progressive constantly bombard you with advertising and it can be hard to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and find the best price available.
It’s a great practice to check auto insurance prices before your policy renews since rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Even if you think you had the lowest price a couple years back you can probably find a lower rate today. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding auto insurance online, so we’re going to give you a lot of great tips on how to quit paying high auto insurance rates.
Comparison of Auto Insurance in Irving
All the larger auto insurance companies quote coverage price quotes online. The process is quite simple as you just type in as requested by the quote form. After you submit the form the system requests your driving and credit reports and gives you a price quote based on these factors. This makes it a lot easier to compare rates but having to visit several different sites and type in the same information is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it is imperative to have as many quotes as possible in order to find the best price possible.
The preferred way to compare auto insurance pricing makes use of a single form that gets price quotes from several different companies. This type of form saves time, requires less work, and makes comparison shopping a little more enjoyable. Once the form is submitted, it gets priced and you can choose any one of the pricing results.
If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can click and sign and buy the policy. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes and you will find out if you’re overpaying now.
To use this form to compare rates, click here to open in new window and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you copy the limits and deductibles as close as possible to your current policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will have a fair comparison based on identical coverages.
Can you really save that much by switching?
Progressive, Allstate and Geico constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. All the companies make the same claim of big savings if you switch to them. But how can every company say the same thing?
Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that makes them money. For example, a preferred risk could possibly be between 25 and 40, has no driving citations, and drives newer vehicles. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters will get the preferred rates and most likely will save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential customers who do not match this ideal profile will be quoted higher prices and this can result in business not being written. The ads say “customers that switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. This is how companies can claim big savings.
This emphasizes why you need to quote coverage with many companies. It’s not possible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.
Don’t overlook these discounts
Car insurance is not cheap, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but a few need to be specifically requested in order for you to get them.
- Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Auto/Life Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy life insurance.
- New Car Discount – Insuring a new car can save up to 30% since new cars are generally safer.
- Low Mileage – Keeping the miles down could be rewarded with a substantially lower rate.
- Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
It’s important to note that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like you could get a free auto insurance policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce the amount you have to pay.
For a list of providers with the best auto insurance discounts in Irving, click here to view.
Can’t I compare rates from local Irving agents?
A small number of people would prefer to buy from a licensed agent. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is you can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from small agencies is definitely important in Irving.
Upon completion of this quick form, the quote information is sent to companies in Irving who will give you bids to get your business. You don’t have to even leave your home since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy! Get lower rates AND an agent nearby.
If you wish to view licensed agents in Irving, visit this site.
Choosing an provider needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Some important questions to ask are:
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Are they full-time agents?
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
After receiving answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and a good coverage price, it’s possible that you found an insurer that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage.
When should I talk to an agent?
When choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions might help in determining whether or not you may require specific advice.
- Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
- What is the minimum liability in Texas?
- Does my personal policy cover me when driving my company car?
- Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
More information can be read on the website for the Texas Department of Insurance found here. Texas consumers can discover disciplinary actions, find a variety of consumer forms, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
The articles below may also help you learn more about auto insurance in Irving
In Summary
While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are many occasions where an insured dropped full coverage and learned later that it was a big mistake. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.
We just showed you many ways to shop for auto insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the lowest premiums are with the least-expected company. These companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate or State Farm.