Comparing car insurance companies in Richardson, Texas can be challenging because you have many choices and choosing the right Richardson car insurance agent takes more work than just calling the closest agent. There is a good chance you want a great agent that can assess your needs, but also the lowest possible price.
With Allstate, Farmers, State Farm and many independent agents having offices in Richardson, consumers have a hard time knowing which car insurance agent will provide you with the best service and rates. To begin, consumers can use insurance quotes online to assemble a group of agencies from which to choose.
Price shop online but buy from a local Richardson agent
Professional agents can point out coverage gaps and give you peace of mind. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you may find lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. Supporting local agencies is important particularly in Richardson.
Upon completion of this simple form, the quote information is submitted to local insurance agents who will give you bids for your business. You won’t need to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. How cool is that?! Get lower rates and work with a local agent.
The difference between Richardson car insurance agents
When researching an insurance agent, there are a couple of types of insurance agents that you can select. Richardson agents are either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
These agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part. When shopping rates, we recommend you include multiple independent agents to get the best comparison. They also have the ability to place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.
Shown below are Richardson independent agencies who can help you get rate quotes.
- Sandy Garza Agency – 212 W Campbell Rd – Richardson, TX 75080 – (972) 889-1833
- Martin Agency – 1411 E Campbell Rd # 1800 – Richardson, TX 75081 – (972) 437-2401
- American Southwest Insurance – 269 W Renner Rd – Richardson, TX 75080 – (972) 231-4679
- Don Carroll Agency – 2007 N Collins Blvd – Richardson, TX 75080 – (972) 669-1980
- Montgomery Insurance Svc – 1350 E Arapaho Rd # 226 – Richardson, TX 75081 – (972) 671-7039
Captive Insurance Agents
These agents can only place business with one company and examples are AAA, Allstate and State Farm. They usually cannot place coverage with different providers so they have to upsell other benefits. Captives are well schooled on the products they sell which can be an advantage. Some consumers prefer to choose to use a captive agent mainly due to high brand loyalty and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Listed below are Richardson captive insurance agencies willing to provide price quotes.
- Farmers Insurance Group – 377 W Campbell Rd – Richardson, TX 75080 – (972) 644-5665
- Allstate Insurance – 333 W Campbell Rd – Richardson, TX 75080 – (972) 437-1073
- State Farm Insurance – 800 E Campbell Rd # 203 – Richardson, TX 75081 – (972) 231-1480
To view a complete directory of captive insurance agents in Richardson, please go to this site.
Deciding on an insurance agency needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- How are claims handled?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
After getting good answers as well as a affordable price, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agency that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.
Alternatives to buying from an agent
Insurance agents can be invaluable at times, but Texas car insurance can also be bought directly from online companies. Some companies, such as Farmers Insurance and State Farm, that are more known for using agents, also permit you to buy direct on their websites, and that is helpful if the lowest rate is your goal.
If you’re uneasy about not having someone to ask questions when buying direct, this really isn’t an issue. Online insurance companies that require consumers to choose their own coverages all have toll-free customer service to answer your questions. You can also use extensive coverage information and 24/7 assistance so you can feel comfortable buying online.
For price-conscious consumers, the only way of knowing if the best rates are online or from local agents is to get free quotes from both and compare them. It’s not unheard of to actually get different prices from online quotes as they do from local agents from exactly the same company.
Will buying online save you money? It’s difficult to provide an answer due to the fact that there are many factors which can raise or lower premium rates. You may think that a shopper who purchases direct cuts out the agent as a middleman. But the fact is, promoting brand recognition is pricey so rates may not be all that different from traditional agents.
What is YOUR best insurance company?
People change insurance companies for any number of reasons including high prices, delays in responding to claim requests, high rates after DUI convictions or even unfair underwriting practices. No matter why you want to switch, switching car insurance companies is less work than it seems.
When trying to cut insurance costs, do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.
More information is located on the Texas Department of Insurance website. Click here for link. Texas drivers can view agent and company licensing information, find out which companies have the most complaints, and find a variety of consumer forms.
Additional helpful sites include this resource for Texas car insurance prices and this page for help finding agents in Richardson, TX.