Paying for high-priced auto insurance can empty your bank account and force you to prioritize other expenses. Comparison shopping is free and is an excellent way to slash your bill and have more diposable income. Because there are so many auto insurance companies to choose from, it can be challenging to choose the best car insurance company.
It is always a good idea to compare prices once or twice a year because insurance rates change regularly. Even if you think you had the best deal a couple years back other companies may now be cheaper. Starting now, forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you’re going to learn one of the quickest ways to find better rates and still maintain coverage.
This information will help you learn the most effective way to quote insurance and some money-saving tips. If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to save some money using this information. Texas drivers just need to know how to compare prices over the internet.
Which Auto Insurance is Cheapest in Uvalde, TX?
There are several ways to compare auto insurance prices but some are easier and takes less work. You can waste a lot of time discussing policy coverages with agents in Uvalde, or you could use the internet to get rates in a matter of minutes.
Many companies belong to an insurance system where insurance shoppers send in one quote, and each company then returns a price quote for coverage. This eliminates the need for quote requests to every company.
To access this free quoting program, click here to start a free quote.
The only drawback to pricing coverage this way is you can’t choose the insurers you want to price. So if you prefer to choose specific providers for rate comparison, we have a listing of auto insurance companies in Texas. Click here to view list.
Which method you use is up to you, but make darn sure you compare identical information on every quote. If each company quotes different deductibles you will not be able to decipher which rate is best in Uvalde.
More discounts equal less premium
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically prior to getting the savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.
- Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
- Safety Course Discount – Successfully completing a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more if you qualify.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
- Good Students Pay Less – Getting good grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
- College Student – Kids in college who are attending college and don’t have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
- No Charge for an Accident – Certain companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower rates.
- 55 and Retired – If you’re over the age of 55, you may be able to get better auto insurance rates.
- Seat Belt Usage – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you’re out of luck. But any discount will bring down your premiums.
To see a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Texas, click here.
Make smart decisions and save
Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
The list below includes some of the factors that factor into rates.
- With age comes lower rates – Older drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Teenage drivers are known to be more careless behind the wheel and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
- Safer occupants lowers premiums – Cars with high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Safer cars protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates.
- Your location affects your rates – Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas has it’s advantages when buying auto insurance. Lower population means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers in populated Texas areas tend to have congested traffic and longer commute times. Longer commute distances can result in more accidents.
- Your credit rating is important – Your credit score is a important factor in determining your rates. Therefore, if your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your by repairing your credit. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than those with poor credit.
- Women pay lower rates – Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Men and women cause accidents at about the same rate, but the males have costlier accidents. They also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
- Low deductibles can be expensive – Physical damage deductibles define the amount you are required to spend in the event of a claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply could be running into the backend of another car, damage caused by hail, and burglary. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
- Lower rates with optional equipment – Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart your car from being stolen.
It’s not one size fits all
When buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Every situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions can aid in determining whether or not you could use an agent’s help.
- Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Uvalde?
- Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
- What discounts do I qualify for?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.
Additional information can be found on the website for the Texas Department of Insurance through this link. Visitors are able to report car insurance fraud, get help finding coverage, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest
We covered a lot of information how to get a better price on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even find the best price on auto insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies. These smaller insurers can often provide lower rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
As you shop your coverage around, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many situations where someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.