Nobody I know enjoys paying for car insurance, especially knowing the cost is way too high. Big-name insurance companies like Progressive, State Farm and GEICO continually hit you with ad campaigns and it can be hard to separate fact from fiction and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
If you have insurance now or are just looking to switch companies, you can use these tips to shop for the lowest rates while maintaining coverages. Finding the best rates is not that difficult. Texas drivers only need an understanding of the tricks to shop their coverage around online.
Fast and Easy Texas Car Insurance Quotes
Reducing your Nissan Sentra insurance rates can be relatively painless. Just take time comparing rate quotes provided by online insurance companies. This can be done using a couple different methods.
- One of the best ways consumers can analyze rates would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form prevents you from having to do separate quotation requests for each company. In just a few minutes this one form compares rates .
- Another way to find lower rates requires a visit to the website for each individual company and request a quote. For example, we’ll assume you want comparison quotes from Nationwide, 21st Century and GEICO. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in your area, click here.
However you get your quotes, be sure to compare apples-to-apples coverage information for every quote you compare. If you compare higher or lower deductibles it will be next to impossible to make an equal comparison.
These factors can influence Nissan Sentra insurance rates
It’s important that you understand the factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to better car insurance rates.
- Special features that cut premiums – Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.
- Increase deductibles and save – The deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your car insurance pays a claim. Physical damage insurance, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, covers damage that occurs to your car. A few examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. The more you have to pay, the bigger discount you will receive for Sentra coverage.
- Do you have enough liability coverage? – Liability coverage is the protection if a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Discounts for married couples – Being married can get you a discount when buying car insurance. Marriage usually means you are more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Little extras can really add up – There are a ton of extra coverages that can waste your money on your Sentra policy. Coverages for roadside assistance, accident forgiveness and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment at first, but if you don’t need them eliminate them to save money.
- Tickets mean higher rates – A bad driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even one ticket may increase your cost forty percent or more. Drivers with clean records receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. If you have severe violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.
- Type of vehicle determines base rates – The performance level of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in your rates. The lowest rates are for low performance passenger vehicles, but other factors influence the final cost greatly. Since the Nissan Sentra is considered a sedan, insuring your vehicle will cost about the same when compared to the average rates.
- Don’t let your coverage lapse – Having an insurance coverage lapse is a quick way to bump up your car insurance costs. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage will get you a steep fine or even jail time.You may need to file a SR-22 with the Texas department of motor vehicles.
Discounts are basically free money
Car insurance can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you complete an application, but less common discounts must be asked for prior to receiving the credit. If you don’t get every credit possible, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Employee of Federal Government – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% for Sentra coverage with certain companies.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Low mileage vehicles could qualify for a substantially lower rate.
- Sign Online – A handful of insurance companies will give a small break just for signing your application online.
- Discount for Good Grades – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less when compared to accident-prone drivers.
Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way. But all discounts will bring down your overall premium however.
Keep this in mind
You just read a lot of information how to lower your Nissan Sentra insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the best price on car insurance is with a small mutual company. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
Budget-conscious Nissan Sentra insurance can be found from both online companies and with local Texas insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who do not offer online quoting and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
More information can be found on the website for the Texas Department of Insurance located here. Texas consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, learn about insurance regulations, and learn about specific coverages.
Other informative sites include this page for car insurance prices in Texas and this helpful list of insurance agents in Texas.