High-priced auto insurance can dry up your savings account and force you to make tough financial choices. Comparing cost estimates can be a smart way to make ends meet.
Many auto insurance companies vie for your hard-earned dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a insurer to get the best price available.
It is always a good idea to compare premium rates before your next renewal since insurance prices are variable and change quite frequently. Even if you think you had the best deal a few years ago other companies may now be cheaper. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate one of the easiest ways to find better coverage at a better price.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Buying car insurance in Longview is not that difficult. Although Texas consumers must understand the way companies compete online because it can help you find the best coverage.
Four ways to buy auto insurance cheaper in Longview
When buying auto insurance it’s important to understand the different types of things that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. If you have a feel for what controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get big savings.
- Cautious drivers pay less – Whether or not you get tickets impacts premiums far more than you think. Even one moving violation can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. Careful drivers get better prices compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who get serious tickets like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may face state-mandated requirements to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
- Credit score impacts premium premiums – Having a good credit score can be a huge factor in determining your rates. If your credit rating leaves room for improvement, you could save money insuring your vehicle by taking the time to improve your credit score. People that have very good credit scores tend to be more responsible as compared to drivers with lower ratings.
- The more you drive the more you pay – The more you drive your car each year the higher the price you pay to insure it. The majority of insurers calculate prices based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Ask your agent if your policy reflects how each vehicle is driven.
- Liability protection claims can be big – Your auto insurance policy’s liability coverage kicks in if you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide legal defense coverage up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is relatively inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
To find , there are several ways to obtain and compare prices from many available auto insurance companies in Texas. The easiest way by far to find the lowest rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be done by using one of the methods below.
- The first (and easiest) way to get quotes would be an industry-wide quote request form click here to open form in new window. This quick form keeps you from doing separate quote forms for every prospective company. Completing one form gets you price quotes from several companies.
- A less efficient way to analyze rates is spending the time to visit the website for each individual company to complete a price quote. For example, we’ll pretend you want to view quotes from Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm. To do that, you would have to take the time to go to each site and repeatedly enter your information, which can take a lot of time.
For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Longview, click here.
- Even if you have time, the least recommended way to find and compare rates is to spend your day driving to insurance agents’ offices. Quoting online eliminates the middleman unless you’re the type of person who wants the professional abilities of a licensed agent. It is possible to price shop online and still use a local agent.
Whichever method you choose, be sure to compare the same deductibles and coverage limits with each company. If each company quotes higher or lower deductibles it will be very difficult to decipher which rate is best in Longview. Having just a slight variation in coverages could skew the results. Just keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes gives you a better chance of getting a lower rate than you’re paying now.
Discount Longview auto insurance rates
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there could be significant discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically at the time you complete a quote, but once in a while a discount must be requested specifically prior to receiving the credit.
- Paperwork-free – Many companies will provide an incentive for buying your policy on your computer.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may qualify for lower premium rates.
- Passive Restraints – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
- Federal Government Employee – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your auto insurance provider.
- Cautious Driver Discount – Drivers who don’t get into accidents could pay up to 40% less than less cautious drivers.
- Payment Method – If you can afford to pay the entire bill as opposed to paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
It’s important to note that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will cut the cost of coverage.
If you would like to see a list of auto insurance companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Longview, click this link.
Auto insurance quotes from local neighborhood Longview car insurance agents
Some people would prefer to visit with an insurance agent and often times that is recommended An additional benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that you can obtain cheap rate quotes and also buy local.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your information is emailed to insurance agents in Longview who want to provide quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You never need to do any legwork because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. You can find lower rates without having to waste a lot of time. If you want to get a rate quote from a particular provider, you can always navigate to their website and submit a quote form there.
Selecting an provider needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price quote. Some important questions to ask are:
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- What insurance companies do they work with in Longview?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Is the agency active in community causes in Longview?
- How long has their agency been open in Longview?
- Will the company cover a rental car if your car is getting fixed?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
When looking for an insurance agent, you should know the types of insurance agents and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Agents in Longview can be described as either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Captive Auto Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be captive generally can only insure with one company and some examples include Allstate and State Farm. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which aids in selling service over price.
The following are captive insurance agencies in Longview that can give you price quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 2318 Judson Rd # A – Longview, TX 75605 – (903) 663-4176
Farm Bureau Insurance – 716 Glencrest Ln # C – Longview, TX 75601 – (903) 757-5797
Allstate Insurance – 512 Pine Tree Rd – Longview, TX 75604 – (903) 297-5500
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be independent do not sell for just one brand so as a result can place your coverage with any number of different companies and find you cheaper rates. If they find a cheaper price, your agent can switch companies and you stay with the same agent.
When comparison shopping, you will definitely want to compare quotes from several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison.
The following is a list of independent agents in Longview willing to provide price quotes.
Riley Insurance Agency – 2512 Airline Rd – Longview, TX 75605 – (903) 753-5678
Stark Insurance – 911 W Loop 281 # 211-43 – Longview, TX 75604 – (903) 295-1406
Direct General Ins Agency – 1201 E Marshall Ave – Longview, TX 75601 – (903) 238-9796
Direct General Ins Agency – 1409 W Loop 281 # D – Longview, TX 75604 – (903) 291-8140
Riley Insurance Agency – 2512 Airline Rd – Longview, TX 75605 – (903) 753-5678
To view additional licensed insurance agents in Longview, link to this directory of Longview insurance agencies.
Additional detailed information can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can find disaster information, download brochures, view agent and company licensing information, and discover disciplinary actions.
The following information may also be useful.
- Methods for Lowering Your Longview Washington Car Insurance Rates
- Best Auto Insurance Exclusively for Longview Residents
- Find an Auto Insurance Agent in Longview
Keep this in mind
We just showed you many ideas to save on auto insurance. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get premium rates for, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the most savings is with a lesser-known regional company. Regional companies can often provide lower premium rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like Progressive or Geico.
As you , it’s a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that they should have had better coverage. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at the lowest possible cost while not skimping on critical coverages.