Paying for high-priced car insurance can drain your funds and put the squeeze on your family’s finances. Doing a rate analysis can lower your rates and help to tighten up your finances.
Insurance companies such as State Farm, Progressive and Geico promote their brand names with ads and it is challenging if not impossible to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
Consumers need to compare rates every six months because prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Just because you found the best deal a couple years back you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the proper way to properly buy coverages while reducing your premium.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to cut costs considerably using this information. Choosing the best insurance company for you in New Braunfels is easy if you know what you’re doing. But Texas vehicle owners must learn how insurance companies sell online.
Discounts can really help lower premiums
Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise every possible discount in an easy-to-find place, so the list below contains a few of the more well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits that may apply to you. If you do not double check each discount you deserve, you may be paying too high a price.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll and complete driver’s education if offered at their school.
- Cautious Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can pay as much as 50% less as compared to drivers with claims.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Low mileage vehicles could be rewarded with discounted prices on garaged vehicles.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags can receive discounts of 20% or more.
- Discounts for Federal Employees – Employees or retirees of the government may qualify for a discount when you with a few car insurance companies.
- Discount for New Cars – Buying a new car model can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for newer vehicles.
- One Accident Forgiven – This one isn’t a discount, but certain companies allow you one accident before they charge you more for coverage as long as you don’t have any claims prior to being involved in the accident.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Insurance carriers who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
You should keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Even though the math looks like you could get a free car insurance policy, it’s just not the way it works.
A few companies that possibly offer these money-saving discounts are:
When getting , it’s a good idea to each company which credits you are entitled to. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not be available in your state.
When shopping for , there are a couple of ways to compare rate quotes from many car insurance companies in Texas. The best method to find affordable insurance rates is to get quotes online. This can be accomplished in several different ways.
If you are pressed for time, the simplest way consumers can analyze rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison click here to open form in new window. This easy form keeps you from doing separate quotes for every prospective company. Just one form gets insurance cost estimates from many national carriers.
A less efficient way to shop for car insurance online requires a trip to each company website to request a price quote. For example, let’s say you want to see prices from Progressive, Liberty Mutual and Geico. To get each rate you have to spend time on each company’s site and enter your policy data, which can take a lot of time. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in New Braunfels, click here.
The most time-consuming method to shop rates is to drive around to local insurance agencies. The fact that you can get quotes online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the professional abilities that you can only get from talking to an agent. Drivers can comparison shop online and have a local agent actually service the policy.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but make sure you compare identical information with each company. If you have unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be next to impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in New Braunfels. Just slight variations in limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. Keep in mind that comparing more rates from different companies will increase your chances of finding the best price. Some smaller insurers to not give online price quotes, so you should also compare rates from them as well.
Make good decisions and reduce your rates
Many things are used when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are obvious like your driving record, but some are more transparent such as your credit history or how safe your car is. Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that play a part in calculating your car insurance rates. If you know what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you lower rates.
The following are some of the factors companies use to determine your premiums.
- Less chance of injury means lower rates – Vehicles that have high safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and reduced instances of injuries means less claims paid and cheaper rates on your policy.
- Certain employers pay higher rates – Occupational choices like lawyers, architects and emergency personnel usually pay higher premiums than the average policyholder attributed to intense work requirements and lots of time spent at work. Other professions such as actors, students and performers get better rates.
- Where do you drive? – The more you drive your car in a year the more it will cost to insure it. Most insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Cars and trucks that sit idle most of the time get more affordable rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Double check that your vehicle rating properly reflects annual mileage.
- Credit rating impacts prices – Your credit score is likely to be a major factor in determining premium rates. Therefore, if your credit rating leaves room for improvement, you could pay less to insure your vehicle by taking the time to improve your credit score. Drivers with high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with lower credit scores.
When do I need an agent’s advice?
When it comes to buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Every insured’s situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions can help discover if you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Do no-fault laws apply in Texas?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required Texas minimum liability coverage?
- Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
- Do I need higher deductibles?
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in Texas?
If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.
Local insurance agents
A lot of people still prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is OK! One of the benefits of price shopping on the web is you can get cheap car insurance quotes but also keep your business local. Putting coverage with local insurance agents is important especially in New Braunfels.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, your information gets sent to local insurance agents that give free quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You don’t have to contact any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent instantly to you. You can find the lowest rates and work with a local agent. In the event you want to quote rates from a specific company, just search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
When researching a reputable insurance agent or broker, it’s important to understand the different types of agents from which to choose. Agents in New Braunfels are categorized either independent agents or captive agents depending on their employer.
Independent Car Insurance Agents
Agents that elect to be independent can sell policies from many different companies so as a result can place your coverage with a variety of different insurance companies and get the cheapest rates. If prices rise, your agent can switch companies and the insured can keep the same agent.
When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to get several quotes from multiple independent agents to maximize your price options.
Shown below is a list of independent agencies in New Braunfels that may be able to provide comparison quotes.
Dan Liberatore Agency – 205 S Business Ih 35 – New Braunfels, TX 78130 – (830) 624-2733
Randy Kasbert Insurance – 1423 N Walnut Ave – New Braunfels, TX 78130 – (830) 629-9387
Lapaz Insurance Agency – 2010 Farm 2673 Canyon Lake – New Braunfels, TX 78132 – (830) 964-3444
Howell Agency – 215 S Seguin Ave – New Braunfels, TX 78130 – (830) 620-4224
South Texas Insurance – 235 Hampe St – New Braunfels, TX 78130 – (830) 629-6878
Captive Agencies
Agents of this type normally can only provide a single company’s rates and examples are Farmers Insurance and State Farm. Captive agents cannot provide prices from multiple companies so you might not find the best rates. Captive insurance agents receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage.
Below is a list of captive insurance agents in New Braunfels that can give you comparison quotes.
State Farm Ins Bert Powell – 1578 Farm 2673 Canyon Lake – New Braunfels, TX 78132 – (830) 964-2212
Allstate Hill Country Ins – 1387 Sattler Rd # C – New Braunfels, TX 78132 – (830) 964-5004
To locate agencies near you, please visit this directory of car insurance providers in New Braunfels.
Selecting a insurance agency should include more criteria than just a cheap price quote. Some important questions to ask are:
- What companies can they write with?
- Does their agency support local causes in New Braunfels?
- Will they give you a referral list?
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
- Can glass claims be handled at your home?
- Are they involved in claim handling?
- How is replacement cost determined on your vehicle?
Be skeptical of car insurance ads
Popular car insurance providers such as Geico, State Farm and Progressive seem to constantly run ads on TV and radio. They all seem to seem to make the promise of big savings after switching your coverage. That’s great but how can every company charge you a lower premium? You have to listen carefully.
Car insurance companies quote their cheapest rates for the type of customer that is profitable for them. A good example of a preferred risk may need to be a female over age 40, has never had a policy lapse, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured that matches those criteria receive the lowest rate quotes and will save when switching.
Insureds who do not fit the “perfect” profile will probably have to pay higher premiums and the customer not buying. The trick companies use is to say “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much when switching. This is how companies can truthfully make claims like that.
Different companies use different criteria so you really should get as many as possible. Because you never know which car insurance company will have the best prices for your profile.
Find cheaper rates by being thorough
More affordable car insurance is available both online and from local agencies, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who do not provide rate quotes online and most of the time these smaller providers sell through independent agencies.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are many occasions where consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage and learned later they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
Online resources for education
Additional information is located on the located here. Texas consumers can learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view agent and company licensing information.