I really doubt anyone looks forward to paying for auto insurance, particularly when their premiums are through the roof. Big-name insurance companies like State Farm and GEICO persitently shower you with TV and radio ads and it is difficult to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and find the best price available.
If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to reduce your rates substantially using these techniques. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Austin is easy if you know what you’re doing. Nevertheless, Texas drivers need to have an understanding of the methods companies use to market insurance on the web and take advantage of how the system works.
Auto insurance policy discounts you can’t miss
Auto insurance is expensive, but there may be some discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be asked about prior to getting the savings. If you do not double check each discount possible, you are throwing money away.
- Theft Deterent Discount – Cars optioned with advanced anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will qualify for a discount on a .
- Cautious Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates on Corolla insurance than less cautious drivers.
- Professional Memberships – Having an affiliation with specific professional or occupational memberships or organizations may earn a discount on your next auto insurance statement.
- Data Collection Discounts – Drivers who elect to allow data collection to track vehicle usage by using a telematic data system like Allstate’s Drivewise might get better premium rates if they show good driving skills.
- Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government may qualify for a discount when you on Corolla insurance but check with your company.
One last thing about discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, nobody gets a free ride.
Insurance companies that may include these discounts include:
Before buying, ask all companies you are considering how you can save money. Discounts may not apply to policies in your state.
Buy Austin auto insurance online
Shopping for lower auto insurance rates can take time and effort if you aren’t aware of the best way to get rate quotes. You could spend your day talking to agents in Austin, or you could save time and use online quoting for quick rates.
All the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace where insurance shoppers submit their information once, and each participating company can provide price quotes for coverage. This system prevents you from having to do quote requests for each company you want a rate for.
To access this free quoting program, click here to start a free quote.
The only downside to using this type of form is buyers cannot specifically choose the companies you will receive quotes from. So if you prefer to pick specific insurance companies to compare, we put together a list of companies who write auto insurance in Texas. Click here to view list.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but compare the same deductibles and coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you compare differing limits it will be impossible to decipher which rate is best in Austin. Just a small difference in coverage limits can result in a big premium difference. And when quoting auto insurance, remember that comparing a large number of companies helps increase your odds of locating more affordable rates. Not every company provides rate quotes online, so it’s important to compare rates from the smaller companies as well.
Decisions You Make Can Impact Your Insurance Prices
Many different elements are taken into consideration when you get a price on insurance. Some factors are common sense such as traffic violations, but other factors are less apparent like your continuous coverage or your vehicle rating. One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of some of the things that help calculate auto insurance rates. If you know what controls the rates you pay, this enables informed choices that can earn you cheaper rates.
Listed below are a few of the “ingredients” used by insurance companies to determine your prices.
- Responsible drivers pay the best premiums – Drivers who don’t get tickets pay lower auto insurance prices than people who have multiple driving citations. Even a single ticket may cause rates to rise substantially. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to complete a SR-22 with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
- Don’t skimp on liability protection – The liability section of your policy will protect you if ever you are responsible for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Low mileage costs less – The higher the mileage driven every year the higher the price you pay to insure it. The majority of insurers charge rates based on their usage. Vehicles that have low annual miles qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Having the wrong rating on your Corolla may be costing you higher rates. Verify your policy is rated on the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
- Rates can drop if you have more than one policy – Most larger insurers apply a discount to clients that buy multiple policies, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. The discount can add up to ten or even fifteen percent. Even though this discount sounds good, you may still want to check prices from other companies to help ensure you have the lowest rates.There is a good possibility that you can save even more than the discount by insuring with multiple companies.
- Rates can change based on your address – Living in smaller towns and rural areas of the country can save you money when trying to find low car insurance rates. Urban drivers have to deal with much more traffic and much longer commute distances. Fewer drivers on the road means less chance of accidents in addition to lower liability claims
- Only buy what you need – There are a lot of extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying but may not be useful. Insurance for things like rental car reimbursement, accidental death, and motor club memberships are probably not needed. These coverages may sound good at first, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
- Insurance prices and vehicle performance – The performance of the vehicle you need insurance for makes a big difference in the rate you pay. Since the Toyota Corolla is considered a sedan, rates will be about the same compared to average rates in Austin. The lowest performance passenger vehicles usually have the lowest premiums, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
When should I discuss my situation with an agent?
When buying the right insurance coverage, there is no cookie cutter policy. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions may help highlight whether or not you may require specific advice.
- What discounts do I qualify for?
- Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
- Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
- Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
- How much liability coverage do I need in Texas?
If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Can’t I compare prices from local Austin insurance agencies?
A lot of people just prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and that can be a great decision One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is you may find cheap auto insurance quotes and still have an agent to talk to.
By using this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is instantly submitted to agents in your area that give free quotes to get your business. There is no need to contact an agency since rate quotes are delivered to you directly. You can most likely find cheaper rates without a big time investment. If you have a need to get a rate quote from a specific insurance company, feel free to find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
Finding the right insurer should depend on more than just the premium amount. Here are some questions you should ask.
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- How long has the business existed?
- How often do they review policy coverages?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- What insurance companies do they work with in Austin?
Auto insurance agents in Austin come in two varieties
If you are searching for a local Austin insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the types of insurance agents and how they operate. Auto insurance agencies are classified as either independent agents or captive agents depending on their employer.
Captive Auto Insurance Agents
These agents can only quote rates from one company such as State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. Captive agents cannot provide other company’s prices so always compare other rates. Captive agents are trained well on sales techniques and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.
Independent Agents
Agents in the independent channel are not employed by one company so they have the ability to put coverage through many different auto insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If they find a cheaper price, they simply move your policy to a different company and you won’t have to switch agencies.
If you are comparing auto insurance prices, we recommend you compare prices from multiple independent agents to have the most options to choose from.
Tricks in auto insurance advertising
21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the companies advertise the message about savings if you just switch your coverage to them. How can each company lower your rates?
Auto insurance companies have underwriting criteria for the type of driver that will add to their bottom line. A good example of a profitable insured might have to be between 30 and 50, has never had a policy lapse, and has a short commute. Anybody who meets those qualifications will get the preferred prices and therefore will cut their rates substantially.
Potential customers who fall short of those criteria will be quoted a more expensive rate which results in the customer buying from a different company. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That is how insurance companies can make the claims of big savings. Because every company is different, you need to quote coverage with many companies. Because you never know the company that will have the lowest rates.
Don’t give up on lower rates
While you’re price shopping online, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The aim is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest cost, but do not skimp to save money.
We’ve covered many tips how you can save on Toyota Corolla insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding . You may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from an unexpected company. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower premium rates on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as GEICO and State Farm.
To learn even more about auto insurance
More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, find disaster information, and read consumer alerts.
The articles below may also help you learn more about auto insurance in Austin