Tired of being strong-armed to buy car insurance? You are in the same boat as many other Texas consumers.
You have so many insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, having more auto insurance companies makes it harder to compare rates and cut insurance costs.
It’s a good idea to do rate comparisons occasionally because rates tend to go up over time. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price last year a different company probably has better rates today. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding car insurance online, so I’m going to show you some good information on how to slash your car insurance rates.
Vehicle Insurance Comparison
There are a variety of methods to shop for car insurance, but there is one way that is more efficient than others. You can spend your afternoon talking about coverages with agents in Bryan, or you could save time and use online quotes to maximize your effort.
All the larger companies take part in a program where prospective buyers submit their information once, and at least one company then gives them pricing based on that data. This prevents consumers from doing quote forms for every car insurance company. To compare pricing click here (opens in new window).
The one downside to using this type of system is you are unable to specify the providers to receive prices from. So if you want to select specific providers to request quotes from, we have assembled a list of car insurance companies in Texas. Click here to view list.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just compare the exact same quote information with each company. If each company quotes different values for each quote it will be very difficult to determine the lowest rate in Bryan. Just a small difference in coverage limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. Keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes will enable you to find the best price.
Don’t overlook these discounts
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you can get discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Some discounts apply automatically when you complete an application, but less common discounts must be inquired about prior to getting the savings.
- Use Seat Belts – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies with the same company you may earn up to 20% off your total premium.
- Anti-theft System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Resident Student – Youth drivers living away from home attending college and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.
- E-sign – Certain companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application on their website.
Consumers should know that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your premiums.
To choose insurers with the best car insurance discounts in Bryan, follow this link.
But buying car insurance online seems impersonal
Certain consumers would prefer to sit down with an agent and that is just fine! One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is you may find the lowest rates and still choose a local agent. Buying from local businesses is important especially in Bryan.
After filling out this simple form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to participating agents in Bryan who will give you bids for your coverage. There is no need to drive around as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. Now that’s easy! Get lower rates and a licensed agent to work with.
Different types of Bryan insurance agents
When researching a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of types of agencies from which to choose. Insurance agencies in Bryan are either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
These agents are not locked into one company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent.
When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to include several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison.
The following is a list of independent agents in Bryan that can give you price quote information.
A D S Insurance Agency – 3412 E 29th St – Bryan, TX 77802 – (979) 846-7376
Jimmy D Ford Insurance – 2104 E Wm J Bryan Pkwy – Bryan, TX 77802 – (979) 776-8111
Bevil Insurance – 4012 Stillmeadow Dr – Bryan, TX 77802 – (979) 846-9799
Agency Captives
Captive agents work for only one company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.
Shown below are Bryan captive insurance agencies that are able to give comparison quotes.
Southern Farm Bureau Casualty – – Bryan, TX 77802 – (979) 260-2011
State Farm Insurance – 1737 Briarcrest Dr # 11 – Bryan, TX 77802 – (979) 776-1300
Allstate Insurance – 110 E Villa Maria Rd # B – Bryan, TX 77801 – (979) 823-3759
Farmers Insurance Group – 2219 Booneville Rd – Bryan, TX 77802 – (979) 774-5669
For a full directory of captive agents in Bryan, click here to link.
Choosing an auto insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- How long has their agency been in business in Bryan?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
Once you have answers to your satisfaction for all questions you ask and an acceptable price quote, you’ve probably found an insurance agency that meets your needs to adequately provide car insurance.
Educated Consumers Know How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper
It’s important that you understand some of the elements that play a part in calculating car insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.
Shown below are a partial list of the pieces that factor into prices.
- Performance makes a difference – The performance of the vehicle you own makes a significant difference in your rates. Lower performance four cylinder passenger vehicles usually have the lowest rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
- Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are quite a few extra coverages that you can buy on your policy. Coverages for personal injury protection, towing coverage and membership fees may be costing you every month. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so eliminate them to save money.
- Liability coverage is cheap – The liability section of your policy provides coverage when a jury decides you are liable for damages caused by your negligence. It will provide for a legal defense starting from day one. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
- Being married is a good thing – Having a wife or husband can actually save you money when buying car insurance. Having a significant other is viewed as being more mature and responsible and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Men pay higher rates – Statistics demonstrate that women are safer drivers than men. Now that doesn’t mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. They also have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI.
- A lapse in coverage is a bad thing – Letting your insurance expire will be a sure-fire way to trigger a rate increase. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a license revocation or jail time.
- Careful drivers pay lower rates – Your driving citation history has a huge affect on how much you pay. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Only having one moving violation can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Drivers who have flagrant citations like DUI or reckless driving may need to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
- Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.
More quotes mean more savings
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
Cheaper car insurance can be bought both online in addition to many Bryan insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.
Additional information is available on the website for the Texas Department of Insurance located here. Visitors are able to get help finding coverage, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, download brochures, and report car insurance fraud.