I can’t think of a single person who likes paying for auto insurance, especially when they know it costs too dang much. Vehicle owners have many auto insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and although it’s nice to have multiple companies, so many choices can make it hard to find the best rates for your vehicles.
Consumers should take time to quote other rates before your next renewal due to the fact that insurance prices change regularly. Just because you had the best deal on your last policy there may be better deals available now. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about auto insurance out there, but you can learn some great ways to quit paying high auto insurance rates.
Finding affordable coverage in League City is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to save some money using this information. Texas vehicle owners only need to know the most effective way to compare prices online.
The easiest way to compare policy rates is to know most of the bigger providers participate in online systems to quote your coverage. To start a quote, the only thing you need to do is spend a couple of minutes providing details including how old drivers are, which vehicles you own, whether the vehicles are used for commuting, and an estimate of your credit level. Those rating factors gets transmitted to insurance companies and you should receive rate quotes within a short period of time.
To start a rate quote now, click here and see if a lower rate is available.
Ads can be misleading
Consumers in Texas can’t get away from ads that promise big savings for switching by companies like Progressive, Allstate and Geico. They all advertise the message about saving some big amount if you change your auto insurance policy to them.
How does every auto insurance company lower your premium rates? It’s all in the numbers.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px;" src="https://www.carinsurancediy.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-66.jpg" alt="Texas car insurance“/>
All companies look for specific characteristics for the type of driver that will generate a profit. For example, this type of risk profile might be described as over age 30, owns their home, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. A customer who fits that profile will get very good League City premium rates and will also cut their rates if they switch.
People who are not a match for these criteria may receive higher premium rates and this results in the customer not buying. The ads state “customers that switch” not “all people who quote” save money. That is how companies can truthfully state the savings. Because each company has a different risk profile, it is so important to do a rate comparison at every renewal. Because you cannot predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.
How to lower your auto insurance premiums
The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at the rating factors that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. If you have some idea of what controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make good choices that may result in lower rates. Many factors are taken into consideration when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable like your driving record, but other factors are more obscure like your continuous coverage or your commute time.
The factors shown below are some of the most rate-impacting factors used by your company to calculate your prices.
- Liability insurance is important – The liability section of your policy will provide protection if you are determined to be liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Your liability coverage provides legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability insurance is quite affordable as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not cut corners here.
- What’s your car’s NHTSA crash test rating? – Vehicles that have high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates translates directly to fewer claims and lower rates for you.
- Expect high rates for teens – More mature drivers are proven to be safer behind the wheel, tend to cause fewer accidents , and are generally more financially stable.Drivers with little experience are statistically shown to be inattentive with other occupants in the car so they pay higher auto insurance rates.
- Responsible drivers pay better rates – Drivers with clean records get better prices than their less careful counterparts. Having just one driving citation can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Drivers with flagrant tickets such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to submit a SR-22 form with their state’s licensing department in order to prevent a license revocation.
- Prices for males may be higher – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that females tend to be a little less risky than males. Now that doesn’t mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women cause accidents in similar numbers, but men cause more damage. Men also tend to receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI. Teenage male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
- How credit score affects auto insurance costs – Having a bad credit history can be a huge factor in determining premium rates. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have lower ratings. So if your credit history leaves room for improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your vehicle by taking the time to improve your credit score.
- Combine policies to earn discounts – Most major insurers give better rates to policyholders who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. The discount can add up to ten or even fifteen percent. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s still a good idea to compare other insurance prices to help ensure you have the lowest rates.There is a good possibility that you can find lower rates by insuring with multiple companies.
Get cheaper Texas auto insurance rates with discounts
Auto insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but you may find discounts to help bring down the price. Most are applied at the time of quoting, but occassionally some discounts must be asked for in order for you to get them. If you do not check that you are getting every discount possible, you are not getting the best rate possible.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military may lower your auto insurance rates slightly.
- Professional Memberships – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization can get you a small discount on your next renewal.
- Early Signing – Some auto insurance companies give discounts for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. It can save you around 10%.
- College Student Discount – College-age children who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Buy New and Save – Putting coverage on a new car can save up to 30% since newer models are generally safer.
- Life Insurance Discount – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a small discount if you purchase life insurance.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Insuring multiple vehicles on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers without accidents may receive a discount up to 45% than their less cautious counterparts.
Discounts reduce rates, but you should keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Companies who may offer these discounts possibly include:
Before purchasing a policy, check with all companies you are considering which discounts you qualify for. Some discounts might not be available to policyholders in every state. To see a list of insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts in Texas, click this link.
Leave no stone unturned
As you shop your coverage around, don’t be tempted to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many cases where someone dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible at the lowest possible cost, but do not skimp to save money.
We just presented quite a bit of information on how to shop for auto insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premium rates come from a smaller regional carrier. These companies may only write in your state and offer lower prices compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.
Learn more about Texas auto insurance
Even more information can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to view agent and company licensing information, read consumer alerts, and learn about insurance regulations.
Additional helpful sites include BankRate.com’s Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this list of agents in League City, TX.