Do you get exhausted from not being able to scrape enough together to make your auto insurance payment? You are in the same boat as many other Texas consumers. Lots of insurers contend to insure your vehicles, so it can be very hard to choose a insurer to find the absolute lowest price
Lower rate quotes by receiving these nine discounts
Some insurers do not list the complete list of policy discounts very clearly, so here is a list a few of the more well known and the harder-to-find discounts that you can inquire about if you . If you are not receiving all the discounts possible, you are just wasting money.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Maintaining low annual mileage can earn lower premium rates due to less chance of an accident.
- Early Payment Discounts – If paying your policy premium upfront as opposed to paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles have fewer accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Driver Education Discount – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver’s education as it can save substantially.
- Telematics Data Discounts – Fort Worth drivers who agree to allow their company to scrutinize when and where they use their vehicle by using a telematic data system such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate could see a rate decrease if they show good driving skills.
- Defensive Driver – Participating in a course in defensive driver could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
- Active Service Discounts – Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower auto insurance rates.
- Multiple Cars – Buying a policy with multiple cars with one company can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% for Sonic coverage with a few auto insurance companies.
Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, nobody gets a free ride.
Popular auto insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer include:
- GEICO has discounts for multi-vehicle, daytime running lights, anti-theft, federal employee, and military active duty.
- MetLife offers premium reductions for good driver, defensive driver, good student, accident-free, multi-policy, and claim-free.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including online signing, good student, multi-policy, homeowner, online quote discount, and multi-vehicle.
- Travelers discounts include home ownership, save driver, new car, hybrid/electric vehicle, and multi-policy.
- SAFECO may have discounts that include safe driver, teen safety rewards, homeowner, teen safe driver, and anti-lock brakes.
- AAA offers discounts including anti-theft, AAA membership discount, pay-in-full, education and occupation, multi-car, and multi-policy.
Check with all companies you are considering how you can save money. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be available to policyholders in your state.
Your auto insurance coverage should be tailored to you
When choosing adequate coverage, there is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
- Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Fort Worth?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- When should I not file a claim?
- Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- Am I covered when driving a rental car?
- What are the financial responsibility laws in Texas?
If you can’t answer these questions, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Save $492 a year? Really?
Well-known auto insurance companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm seem to constantly run television and radio advertisements. All the companies have a common claim about savings if you move to their company. But how can every company offer drivers better rates?
Auto insurance companies offer their best rates for the right customer that earns them the highest profit. For example, this type of insured could be over the age of 45, has no claims, and has a short commute. Any customer who fits that profile receive the lowest rate quotes and will most likely save a lot if they switch.
Consumers who don’t meet this stringent profile will get higher rates and ends up with the customer buying from a different company. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” not “all people who quote” save money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings.
This really drives home the point why you really should do a rate comparison at every renewal. You cannot predict which insurance companies will be your best fit.
More information can be read on the . Click here for link. Texas consumers can read state legal mandates and laws, discover disciplinary actions, learn about specific coverages, and view a list of available companies.
The articles below may also help you learn more about auto insurance in Fort Worth
Auto insurance coverage breakdown
Having a good grasp of your policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find the normal coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Liability
Liability coverage protects you from damage or injury you incur to people or other property in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see values of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability insurance covers things like legal defense fees, medical expenses, emergency aid and repair costs for stationary objects. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but you should buy higher limits if possible. Texas state law requires minimum liability limits of 30,000/60,000/25,000 but you should consider buying more coverage.
Medical expense insurance
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for expenses for things like chiropractic care, nursing services and ambulance fees. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers
This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Chevy Sonic.
Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (which is 30/60/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Normally these limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Coverage for collisions
Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as hitting a mailbox, crashing into a building, sustaining damage from a pot hole and crashing into a ditch. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as falling objects, damage from flooding, vandalism and hitting a bird. The maximum payout a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Be persistent and save
Some auto insurance companies don’t offer rates over the internet and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent insurance agencies. Low-cost Chevy Sonic insurance is definitely available from both online companies in addition to many Fort Worth insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates.
While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. Too many times, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.