No one cherishes buying auto insurance, particularly when their premiums are too high.
With consumers having so many choices, it’s nearly impossible to find the right car insurance company.
Finding affordable coverage is quite easy. Basically, every vehicle owner who buys auto insurance stands a good chance to be able to reduce their rates. Nevertheless, Texas drivers can benefit from knowing the way companies price online insurance because it can help you find the best coverage.
Compare the Market for Auto Insurance in Texas
There are several ways to compare quotes from local in Texasauto insurance companies. The simplest method to compare insurance prices consists of shopping online. It is quite easy and can be accomplished using a couple different methods.
- The first (and easiest) way to get quotes for comparison would be an industry-wide quote request form click to view form in new window. This easy form prevents you from having to do separate forms for every auto insurance company. Taking the time to complete one form gets rate comparisons from many national carriers.
- A more time consuming way to find lower rates requires you to visit the website for each individual company to request a price quote. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you want to compare Progressive, Esurance and Liberty Mutual. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.
However you get your quotes, double check that you are using identical deductibles and coverage limits for each price quote. If each company quotes different limits and deductibles on each one you will not be able to make an equal comparison. Just a small difference in coverage limits may cause a big price difference. And when quoting auto insurance, remember that getting more free quotes will increase your chances of finding a lower rate.
How much can you save with discounts?
Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise every available discount very well, so the following is a list of some of the more common as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.
- New Car Discount – Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Drive Safe and Save – Safe drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates for CX-7 coverage than less cautious drivers.
- Accident Forgiveness – Some insurance companies allow you one accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
- Paperwork-free – A few companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application on their website.
- Life Insurance – Some companies give a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Defensive Driver – Successfully completing a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more depending on where you live.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
These factors can influence Mazda CX-7 insurance rates
It’s important that you understand the rating factors that go into determining auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.
- Safer occupants lowers premiums – Vehicles with good safety scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and fewer injuries translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders. If your Mazda CX-7 has ratings of a minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website it may be receiving lower rates.
- Battle of the sexes – Statistics have proven that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Women and men have accidents in similar numbers, but the males have costlier accidents. They also get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
- Your location affects your rates – Residing in a rural area can save you money when it comes to auto insurance. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. City drivers have to deal with traffic congestion and longer commutes to work. More time on the road translates into higher accident risk.
- Save money with special equipment – Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping car theft.
- Proper usage rating affects rates – Driving more miles every year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage based upon how you use the vehicle. Autos that are left in the garage can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Having the wrong rating on your CX-7 can result in significantly higher rates. Verify your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
How much car insurance do I need?
When choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions can help discover if your insurance needs would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
- How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
- Does my Mazda CX-7 qualify for pleasure use?
- Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
If you can’t answer these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can read industry bulletins, report car insurance fraud, get help finding coverage, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Can you really save $410 a year?
Allstate, GEICO and Progressive consistently run ads on TV and radio. All the companies make the same claim about savings if you change your coverage to them. How do they all say the same thing?
Insurance companies can use profiling for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a preferred risk might be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no prior claims, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save when switching.
Consumers who don’t meet this ideal profile will be quoted higher rates which leads to business not being written. The ads say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. That is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings. This emphasizes why it is so important to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s not possible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Smart shoppers get results
We just presented some good ideas how to get a better price on Mazda CX-7 insurance. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from an unexpected company. These smaller insurers often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate or State Farm.
When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced full coverage to discover at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price.