Scraping up a payment for overpriced Buick LaCrosse insurance can overdraw your savings account and put the squeeze on your family’s finances. Doing a price comparison is a great way to make sure you’re not throwing money away.
There is such a variety of insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and even though it’s nice to have a selection, it can be more challenging to compare company pricing.
This information will teach you the best way to quote coverages. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these methods. But Texas vehicle owners do need to understand how insurance companies market insurance on the web and apply this information to your search.
Cheap Texas Car Insurance Comparisons
To find the best car insurance prices, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from car insurance companies in your area. The recommended way to compare insurance prices is to get quotes online. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.
- The single most time-saving way consumers can make multiple comparisons is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This form keeps you from doing repetitive form entry for each company you want a rate for. Just one form gets you price quotes direct from many companies.
- A slightly less efficient method to analyze rates is going to each individual company website to request a price quote. For example, let’s say you want to compare Liberty Mutual, Safeco and GEICO. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company’s site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in your area, click here.
- The hardest method to get comparison rates is to spend your day driving to local insurance agencies. The internet has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the professional guidance only provided by licensed agents. However, consumers can compare the best prices online and get advice from an agent in your area and you’ll learn how to do that later.
However you get your quotes, be sure to compare exactly the same deductibles and coverage limits on every quote. If your comparisons have different liability limits it’s impossible to truly determine the lowest rate. Having just a slight variation in coverages can make a big difference in price. Just keep in mind that getting more free quotes provides better odds of finding the best offered rates.
Do you qualify for a discount?
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there could be available discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for before being credited.
- No Claims – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially when compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Air Bag Discount – Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on one policy qualifies for this discount.
- Accident Waiver – A few companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up if you are claim-free prior to the accident.
- Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
- Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more on LaCrosse coverage than drivers with accidents.
- Bundle and Save – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
- Federal Government Employee – Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% on LaCrosse coverage with select insurance companies.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way. But all discounts will help reduce your overall premium however.
Compare online but buy from a local Texas agent
A small number of people would rather talk to a local agent. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is that you can obtain the lowest rates and still choose a local agent. And supporting local agencies is important particularly in smaller rural communities.
By using this short form, your insurance coverage information is transmitted to companies who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to even leave your home since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. How cool is that?! You’ll get the best rates AND a local agent.
The difference between Texas auto insurance agents
When finding a good insurance agency, there are two different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Texas are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive).
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These agents are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part. When shopping rates, it’s recommended you contact at a minimum one independent agency for maximum quote selection.
Captive Insurance Agents
These agents work for only one company and some examples include AAA, Allstate and State Farm. These agents are unable to shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents receive extensive training on the products they sell which can be an advantage.
To view a complete directory of Texas insurance agents, click here.
Choosing an insurance agency requires more thought than just the price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
After receiving positive feedback for all questions you ask and an acceptable price quote, it’s possible that you found an insurance agent that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles.
Buick LaCrosse premiums are determined by many factors
Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that could result in big savings.
The list below includes a partial list of the pieces car insurance companies consider when setting premiums.
- Keep rates low by being claim-free – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in Texas provide better rates to people who file claims infrequently. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Pay less after the wedding – Being married helps lower the price on car insurance. Marriage usually means you are more mature it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Safer cars are cheaper to insure – Safer cars are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and lower rates for you. If the Buick LaCrosse has ratings of a minimum four stars on Safercar.gov you may qualify for a discount.
- Liability insurance protects assets – The liability section of your policy is the protection when a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
Better coverage you can count on
Cheaper Buick LaCrosse insurance can be bought from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Texas, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and these smaller companies work with independent agents.
When trying to cut insurance costs, do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
Additional car insurance information is available on the website for the Texas Department of Insurance located here. Texas consumers can report car insurance fraud, read industry bulletins, and view agent and company licensing information.
Additional helpful sites include this resource for Texas car insurance prices and this page where you can find a Texas insurance agent.