Are you a victim of overpriced auto insurance? Believe me, you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse.
Since consumers have many choices, it can be impossible to locate the most affordable company.
Pricing the cheapest auto insurance coverage is simple if you know the tricks. Essentially everyone who shops for auto insurance will most likely be able to find better rates. Nevertheless, Texas consumers can benefit by having an understanding of the way insurance companies compete online.
Compare the Market for Auto Insurance in Texas
Most companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive allow you to get prices online. Getting quotes doesn’t take much effort as you simply enter the amount of coverage you want into a form. When complete, their rating system automatically orders your driving record and credit report and returns pricing information based on many factors. This makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the process of having to visit a lot of sites and fill out multiple forms is monotonous and tiresome. But it is imperative to perform this step if you are searching for the best price possible.
The easy way to compare rates
The preferred way to locate the lowest prices uses one form to return rates from a bunch of companies at once. The form is fast, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes online quotes much more enjoyable. As soon as you send your information, it is rated and you can select any one of the quote results.
If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can click and sign and purchase the new policy. This process takes 15 minutes at the most and can result in significant savings.
To save time and find out how much you’re overpaying now, click here to open in a new tab and submit the form. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you duplicate the limits and deductibles as close as possible to your current policy. This ensures you will have an apples-to-apples comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.
Buick Verano insurance rates are influenced by…
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.
- Equipment add-ons that lower auto insurance rates – Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.
- High crash test scores lower rates – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates. If your Buick has ratings of a minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website or four stars on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it is probably cheaper to insure.
- Rates may be lower depending on your job – Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Jobs such as doctors, executives and dentists have the highest average rates attributed to stressful work requirements and long work days. Other professions such as pilots, historians and performers get better rates for Verano insurance.
- High performance equals high price – The performance level of the vehicle you own makes a huge difference in how high your rates are. The lowest rates tend to be for low performance passenger models, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors. Due to the fact that the Buick Verano is considered a passenger car, insuring your vehicle will cost similar in price or lower than the average rate where you live.
Take advantage of discounts
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, buy you may qualify for discounts to help offset the cost. Some discounts apply automatically at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be specially asked for before they will apply.
- Good Student – Performing well in school can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Driving fewer miles could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Sign Early and Save – Select companies give a discount for signing up prior to your current policy expiring. It can save you around 10%.
- Save over 55 – Older drivers can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10% for Verano insurance.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- No Accidents – Claim-free drivers pay much less as compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates for Verano insurance than less cautious drivers.
It’s important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.
To choose companies with discount auto insurance rates in Texas, follow this link.
Do I need a local agent?
A small number of people would rather get advice from a local agent. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is you can get the best rates and still choose a local agent. Supporting local insurance agencies is important particularly in small towns and cities.
After filling out this quick form, your insurance data is emailed to companies who will give you bids to get your business. You never need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. It doesn’t get any easier! Get lower rates AND a local agent.
What type of Texas auto insurance agent is right for you?
When looking for a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents can either be independent or captive.
Independent Agents
Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When comparing rates, it’s recommended you include several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents write business for a single company and examples are Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They usually cannot place coverage with different providers so they have no alternatives for high prices. They receive extensive training on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage.
To view a full list of insurance agencies in Texas, click here.
Choosing a car insurance agent should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- How are they compensated?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Texas?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- How are claims handled?
Once you have good answers in addition to an acceptable price estimate, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to adequately provide auto insurance.
Shop smart and save
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, an insured dropped liability coverage limits only to regret that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price while still protecting your assets.
We just covered a lot of techniques to save on Buick Verano insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even find the best price on auto insurance is with a small local company. These companies often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like GEICO and State Farm.
Additional auto insurance information is available on the website for the Texas Department of Insurance through this link. Visitors are able to download brochures, report car insurance fraud, find out which companies have the most complaints, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.