Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of auto insurance company choices in Del Rio? You’re not alone. There are so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a lot of work to find the perfect company for you.
Consumers need to get comparison quotes occasionally since rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the lowest rates a couple years back you can probably find a better price now. So block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re going to learn the best methods to lower your annual insurance bill.
Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates
Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that play a part in calculating your auto insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better auto insurance rates.
- Consolidate policies to earn discounts – Some companies provide better rates to customers who carry more than one policy. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even with this discount, you still need to compare other company rates to make sure you are getting the best deal.
- How credit affects auto insurance rates – Having a bad credit rating is a large factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with lower ratings. If your credit score can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit.
- Performance level impacts rates – The make and model of the car you drive makes a substantial difference in determining your rates. The most favorable rates are for small economy passenger models, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
- Car features impact rates – Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder your car from being stolen.
Cut your auto insurance rates with discounts
Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find both the well known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.
- Accident Waiver – Some insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a home in Del Rio can save you money because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
- Sign Early and Save – Select companies give a discount for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. It can save you around 10%.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase life insurance.
- Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing on their website.
- Multi-car Discount – Insuring more than one vehicle with the same company qualifies for this discount.
- Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
It’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.
For a list of insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Texas, click this link.
Save $392 a year? Really?
Companies like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm continually stream television and radio advertisements. All the ads have a common claim of big savings after switching to their company. But how can every company make the same claim?
Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a preferred risk could possibly be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and has great credit. A customer who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.
Potential customers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will be charged a more expensive rate and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ads state “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can make those claims. That is why it is so important to compare many company’s rates. Because you never know the company that will fit your personal profile best.
You are unique and your auto insurance should be too
When buying the best auto insurance coverage, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Each situation is unique.
For instance, these questions can aid in determining whether or not you could use an agent’s help.
- Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
- Do no-fault laws apply in Texas?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Does my vehicle qualify for pleasure use?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
Even more information is available at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can discover disciplinary actions, find out which companies have the most complaints, find disaster information, and file complaints about a company.
Affordable insurance is out there
Throughout this article, we presented a lot of information how to lower your auto insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premiums are with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, an insured dropped collision coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
Cost effective auto insurance can be found on the web and also from your neighborhood Del Rio agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some auto insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.