Beginners to price shopping insurance online can find finding the lowest-priced The Colony auto insurance is not as easy as it seems.
You need to compare prices on a regular basis because prices are constantly changing. If you had the lowest price last year the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So just forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because it’s time to teach you the tricks you need to know to lower your annual insurance bill.
Informed Drivers can Cut Their Rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that go into determining your auto insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.
Listed below are some of the factors companies use to determine prices.
- Lower rates with optional equipment – Driving a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your car from being stolen.
- Rates may be higher depending on your occupation – Occupations such as doctors, architects and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates due to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. Other occupations such as pilots, historians and retirees have the lowest average rates.
- What are your deductibles? – Insurance for physical damage to your car, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply could be a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, or theft. Deductibles for physical damage are how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your auto insurance will be.
- Choose a safe vehicle and save – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company passed on to you as lower rates.
Compare Quotes for The Colony Auto Insurance
There are a lot of ways to shop for auto insurance, but there is one way that is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You could waste a few hours discussing policy coverages with local insurance agents in The Colony, or you could save time and use online quotes to get prices fast.
Many popular insurance companies participate in a marketplace that allows shoppers to enter their coverage request one time, and at least one company can provide price quotes. This saves time by eliminating form submissions for each company you want a rate for.
To access this free quoting program, click to open in new window.
The only downside to pricing coverage this way is that you can’t choose the insurers you will receive quotes from. So if you prefer to pick specific insurance companies to compare rates, we put together a list of companies who write auto insurance in Texas. Click to view list.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just ensure you’re using exactly the same coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you enter different limits and deductibles on each one you can’t possibly make an equal comparison in The Colony. Just a small difference in coverages could mean much higher rates. Keep in mind that getting more free quotes will improve the odds of getting a better price.
Switch companies and save? Really?
GEICO, State Farm and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. All the companies say the same thing of big savings after switching to them. How can each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.
All companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that makes them money. For instance, a driver they prefer could be over the age of 40, has no driving citations, and has excellent credit. Any new insured who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.
Potential customers who are not a match for these standards will be quoted a higher premium and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ads say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. This emphasizes why you should get quotes from several different companies. It’s just too difficult to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Pay less by taking advantage of discounts
Companies don’t list all their discounts very well, so we researched some of the more common as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver’s ed class in school.
- Discount for Good Grades – A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- Anti-theft System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Claim Free – Claim-free drivers pay much less when compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Multi-policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
- Employee of Federal Government – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off with a few auto insurance companies.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a home in The Colony may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
- Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way.
To see a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Texas, click here.
Car Insurance through a local agent
Some consumers would rather sit down with an agent and that is just fine! One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain the lowest rates but also keep your business local.
After completing this quick form, the quote information is instantly submitted to companies in The Colony who will compete for your business. You never need to leave your house since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. How cool is that?! Get lower rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.
Deciding on an provider needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
Insurance agent types
When finding an insurance agent, there are two different agency structures to choose from. The Colony agents are categorized either captive or independent (non-captive).
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents write business for a single company and examples are Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so always compare other rates. Captives receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers sometimes buy from captive agents partially due to high brand loyalty and strong financial ratings.
Listed below are captive agents in The Colony willing to provide price quote information.
- Farmers Insurance Group – 3700 Standridge Dr # 202 – The Colony, TX 75056 – (972) 625-6099
- Allstate Insurance – 6700 Main St # 128 – The Colony, TX 75056 – (972) 624-0239
- State Farm Insurance – 3751 Main St # 900 – The Colony, TX 75056 – (972) 370-3276
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies and that require little work on your part.
When comparing rates, it’s recommended you get quotes from at least one independent agent to get the best comparison. They often place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.
Listed below are The Colony independent insurance agencies that can give you price quote information.
- Nationwide Insurance – 7512 Main St – The Colony, TX 75056 – (972) 625-9400
- Gordon and Gordon Insurance – 6805 Main St # 120 – The Colony, TX 75056 – (972) 625-3633
For a full directory of The Colony insurance agents, view this link.
Once you have received reasonable responses to your questions and a good coverage price, you may have just found a car insurance agent that will adequately provide auto insurance.
When should I use an insurance agent?
When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique.
For example, these questions could help you determine whether or not you will benefit from professional help.
- What are the best liability limits?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
- What is the minimum liability in Texas?
- Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
- What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form.
Even more information is available at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas drivers can read consumer alerts, read state legal mandates and laws, discover disciplinary actions, and find a variety of consumer forms.
Affordable insurance is out there
We’ve covered a lot of tips how to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even find the most savings is with a small local company.
Low-cost auto insurance is definitely available online and also from your neighborhood The Colony agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. A few companies may not provide online price quotes and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to regret they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate.