Feel like you’re a prisoner to overpriced auto insurance? Believe me, you’re not the only one.
Having so many options when it comes to auto insurance, it can be impossible to locate the most affordable insurer.
Finding affordable coverage in Murphy is not that difficult. Just about everyone who is shopping for auto insurance should be able to reduce their rates. But Texas vehicle owners must understand how insurance companies compete online because it can help you find the best coverage.
These nine discounts can lower your rates
Car insurance companies don’t list every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the more common and the more hidden auto insurance savings.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
- Senior Citizens – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
- Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags can receive discounts of more than 20%.
- Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application online.
- Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off with a few auto insurance companies.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.
Online quotes with a local Murphy insurance agent
A small number of people prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is just fine! The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find better rates and still have an agent to talk to.
After completing this simple form, your information is sent to local insurance agents in Murphy who will compete for your business. There is no need to leave your house as quotes are delivered to your email. You can find the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.
Selecting an insurer shouldn’t rely on just a low price. These are valid questions to ask:
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
Best auto insurance agent in Murphy
When searching for a reputable insurance agent or broker, you must know there are a couple different agency structures from which to choose. Murphy agents are classified as either independent or captive.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agents have only one company to place business with and some examples include Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm and AAA. They usually cannot give you multiple price quotes so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agents receive extensive training on the products they sell which can be an advantage.
Listed below are Murphy captive insurance agencies that can give you comparison quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 111 S Murphy Rd – Murphy, TX 75094 – (972) 633-9919
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If you are not satisfied with one company, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part. When searching for an agent, you should always include several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison.
Upon receiving positive feedback for all questions you ask and a low price estimate, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agency that can adequately provide auto insurance. Keep in mind you can always cancel your coverage at any time so don’t think you are locked into any particular company for the entire policy term.
Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?
21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the companies say the same thing of big savings if you move to them. How do they all make the same claim?
All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.
Potential customers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile must pay higher premiums which leads to business not being written. The ads state “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. This is how companies can make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why it’s extremely important to compare as many rates as you can. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.
More sites with auto insurance information
More detailed Texas auto insurance information is located at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas drivers can find out industry alerts, view agent and company licensing information, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Learn about auto insurance coverages
Knowing the specifics of your auto insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Shown next are typical coverages offered by auto insurance companies.
Medical payments coverage and PIP – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for expenses like surgery, X-ray expenses, doctor visits, chiropractic care and ambulance fees. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover all vehicle occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – This provides protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (30/60/25 in Texas), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Liability coverages – Liability coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show policy limits of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering, medical expenses and legal defense fees. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but you should buy as much as you can afford. Texas requires drivers to carry at least 30,000/60,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing more liability than the minimum.
Comprehensive coverage – This covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like fire damage, hitting a deer and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The most a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Collision – Collision coverage covers damage to your vehicle caused by collision with an object or car. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, scraping a guard rail and hitting a parking meter. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Smart shoppers get results
Cost effective auto insurance is possible from both online companies in addition to many Murphy insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.
When buying insurance coverage, never buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.