Are you a victim of high-priced car insurance? Believe me when I say many Carrollton consumers feel financially strained by their car insurance policy.
Many auto insurance companies compete for your insurance dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates and get the definite best price available.
You need to get comparison quotes yearly because rates change regularly. Even if you got the lowest rates two years ago you will most likely find a better rate today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because we’re going to demonstrate one of the easiest ways to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.
If you have car insurance now, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using these tips. Finding affordable coverage in Carrollton is not rocket science. But Texas drivers must understand how big insurance companies sell insurance online and take advantage of how the system works.
You probably qualify for some discounts
Car insurance companies don’t always list all available discounts very clearly, so the following is a list of both well-publicized as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.
- Good Students Pay Less – Performing well in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you will save at least 10% off all policies.
- No Accidents – Claim-free drivers can save substantially when compared with frequent claim filers.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a home in Carrollton can save you money because owning a home shows financial diligence.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.
- Driver Safety – Taking part in a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
It’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To choose providers offering car insurance discounts in Carrollton, click this link.
Comprehensive Car Insurance Comparison in Carrollton, TX
To find the best car insurance prices, there are several ways to get quotes from local in Carrollton, TXcar insurance companies. One of the best ways to find the cheapest insurance rates is to perform an online rate comparison. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
- Probably the best way to find low rates would be an industry-wide quote request form click here to open form in new window. This form keeps you from doing separate quote forms to each individual car insurance company. One simple form will return quotes instantly.
- Another way to find lower rates is going to each individual company website and complete a new quote form. For example, let’s assume you want to compare State Farm, Farmers and Progressive. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker.
To view a list of companies in Carrollton, click here.
- The most time-consuming way to compare rates is driving around to and from local Carrollton insurance agencies. Buying insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you require the professional guidance of a licensed agent. However, consumers can obtain prices from the web and still use a local agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.
Whichever method you choose, ensure you are comparing exactly the same deductibles and coverage limits on every quote you get. If you use unequal deductibles or liability limits you can’t possibly determine the lowest rate in Carrollton. Just a small difference in insurance coverages may result in a large different in cost. And when comparison shopping, comparing more company’s prices helps you find the best price.
How your Carrollton rates are determined
It’s important that you understand the rating factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that could result in big savings.
- Don’t buy coverages you don’t need – There are a ton of extra coverages that you can buy if you aren’t careful. Coverages for vanishing deductibles, towing coverage and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but if you don’t need them eliminate them to save money.
- Increase deductibles and save – Insurance for physical damage to your car, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, vandalism, and burglary. Physical damage deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend before your car insurance pays a claim. The more money you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
- How credit affects car insurance rates – Having a bad credit rating is a important factor in determining your rates. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have lower credit scores. So if your credit rating can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your credit score.
- Always keep insurance in force – Allowing your car insurance policy to lapse will be a fast way to bump up your car insurance costs. Not only will you pay more, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you a revoked license or a big fine.You may need to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Texas DMV.
- Are you male or female? – Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean men are worse drivers. Men and women tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI.
- Protect your assets with liability insurance – The liability section of your policy will protect you if a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. It will provide legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Small claims can cost you – Insurance companies in Texas award discounts to drivers who do not file claims often. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Your location is important – Choosing to live in less populated areas can be a good thing when buying car insurance. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Drivers in populated Texas areas tend to have much more traffic to deal with and a longer drive to work. Longer commute distances means more change of being in an accident.
Price shop online but buy from a local Carrollton agent
Certain consumers would rather buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent.
By using this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents who will compete for your business. There is no need to leave your house since price quotes are sent directly to your email. How cool is that?! It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with.
Picking an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just the premium amount. These questions are important to ask:
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
What types of auto insurance agents are in Carrollton?
When researching a local agent, there are a couple of different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Carrollton agents are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agencies write business for a single company such as Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm and AAA. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.
Listed below are captive agencies in Carrollton who can help you get comparison quotes.
Farmers Insurance Group – 1930 E Rosemeade Pkwy # 206 – Carrollton, TX 75007 – (972) 395-4848
Allstate Insurance – 2220 Marsh Ln # 112 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (972) 418-9652
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 4125 Fairway Dr # 132 – Carrollton, TX 75010 – (972) 242-2255
State Farm Insurance – 1060 W Frankford Rd # 110 – Carrollton, TX 75007 – (972) 394-3700
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company but instead can place your coverage with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you won’t have to switch agencies. When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you contact multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.
Below is a short list of independent agents in Carrollton that can give you rate quotes.
Caballero Insurance Agency – 1925 E Belt Line Rd # 209 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (214) 390-8066
Direct General Ins Agency – 1910 E Trinity Mills Rd # 102 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (214) 483-3475
Segler-Smith Agency – 2340 E Trinity Mills Rd # 110 – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (972) 416-1149
Business Insurance Benefits – 2201 Midway Rd – Carrollton, TX 75006 – (972) 661-2000
Pierce Insurance – 2625 N Josey Ln # 220 – Carrollton, TX 75007 – (972) 323-0692
To view a complete directory of insurance agents in Carrollton, visit this site.
Once you have received answers to your satisfaction to all your questions and a low price estimate, you have narrowed it down to an auto insurance agent that is a good match to adequately provide car insurance.
Is there truth in advertising?
Car insurance providers like Allstate and Progressive consistently run ads on television and other media. They all make the same claim of big savings if you change to their company. But how can every company make the same claim? This is how they do it.
All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver they prefer to insure. An example of a desirable insured might be between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has great credit. Any new insured who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential insureds who don’t measure up to this ideal profile must pay more money which leads to the customer not buying. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can truthfully state the savings. This illustrates why drivers must quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.
More comparisons equals lower rates
Affordable car insurance is available from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Carrollton, so compare prices from both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
When shopping online for car insurance, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that they should have had better coverage. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate.
Additional resources for Texas consumers
Even more information can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to find a variety of consumer forms, download brochures, and learn about insurance regulations.
Other useful links include this site for Texas car insurance information and this page of Carrollton insurance agents.