It's a fact that insurance companies don't want you quoting rates from other companies. Consumers who shop around for a cheaper policy are inclined to buy a new policy because there are good odds of finding coverage at a cheaper rate. A recent insurance study revealed that people who shopped around saved on average $3,500 over four years as compared to drivers who never shopped around.
If finding the lowest price on auto insurance in El Paso is why you're reading this, then having a grasp of how to get free comparison quotes and analyze cheaper coverage can save time and make the process easier.
To save the most money, the best way to get more affordable car insurance rates in El Paso is to start doing an annual price comparison from providers that insure vehicles in Texas. Price quotes can be compared by following these steps.
First, try to understand how insurance works and the measures you can control to prevent high rates. Many things that increase rates like inattentive driving and an imperfect credit rating can be eliminated by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. Keep reading for the details to help prevent costly coverage and earn a bigger discount.
Second, obtain price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from one company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes for many different companies.
Third, compare the new rates to your existing rates to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find a lower rate quote and change companies, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
Fourth, give notification to your current company to cancel your current coverage. Submit the completed application along with a down payment to the newly selected company. Immediately upon receiving it, keep your new certificate of insurance along with your vehicle registration.
A valuable tip to remember is that you use the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every quote and and to get prices from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this guarantees a fair price comparison and a good representation of prices.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in El Paso is actually quite simple. Virtually each driver who compares rates for auto insurance will probably be able to lower their premiums. Although Texas vehicle owners can benefit by having an understanding of how the larger insurance companies market insurance on the web and take advantage of how the system works.
Smart Consumers Can Slash Their Insurance Premiums
Many different elements are part of the equation when quoting car insurance. Some of the criteria are obvious like your driving record, but other criteria are less apparent like your vehicle usage or your commute time.
Getting married equates to better costs - Walking down the aisle may cut your premiums on your car insurance policy. Having a significant other generally demonstrates drivers are less irresponsible and it's statistically proven that married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
Rates can be impacted by your job - Occupations such as military generals, social workers, and emergency personnel tend to pay higher rates than average because of stressful work requirements and extremely grueling work hours. Other careers such as farmers, historians and homemakers have the lowest average rates.
Lower miles equals lower premium - Driving more miles in a year's time the more it will cost to insure it. Almost all companies calculate rates partially by how you use the vehicle. Vehicles that sit idle most of the time can get a lower rate than those that get driven frequently. It's always a good idea to double check that your vehicle rating shows the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money. A policy that improperly rates your Stinger may be wasting your money.
Only buy what you need - Insurance companies have many extra bells and whistles that you can buy but may not be useful. Coverages like roadside assistance, high-cost glass coverage, and motor club memberships are examples of these. The coverages may be enticing initially, but your needs may have changed so think about removing them and cutting costs.
Gender and insurance - Over time, data shows that females tend to be a little less risky than males. However, don't assume that men are worse drivers. They both are responsible for fender benders in similar percentages, but the men tend to have higher claims. Men also tend to get ticketed for serious violations like reckless driving and DUI.
Too many claims will drive premiums up - If you're an insured who likes to file claims don't be surprised to see either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance companies in Texas generally give cheaper rates to insureds who file claims infrequently. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
Cautious drivers have lower prices - Attentive drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than their less careful counterparts. Having a single speeding ticket or other violation can increase rates by as much as twenty percent. People who have careless citations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? - The majority of companies provide a discount to insureds who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Discounts can be anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. If you currently are using one company, it's in your best interest to get quotes from other companies to ensure the best deal.
El Paso car insurance discounts
Car insurance is not inexpensive, but you might be missing out on some discounts to help bring down the price. Many discounts should be triggered at quote time, but a few must be asked about before you will receive the discount.
- 55 and Retired - Seniors can possibly qualify for better car insurance rates.
- Military Rewards - Having an actively deployed family member could qualify you for better premium rates.
- Telematics Devices - Insureds who allow data collection to analyze when and where they use their vehicle by using a telematic data system like Drivewise from Allstate or In-Drive from State Farm may get a rate reduction if their driving habits are good.
- Bundle and Save - If you combine your home and auto policies with the same insurance company you could earn a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags may qualify for discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
- Sign Online - Some insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying your policy over the internet.
One thing to note about discounts is that some credits don't apply to the entire cost. Most only cut specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Even though the math looks like it's possible to get free car insurance, you're out of luck.
Popular car insurance companies and a selection of discounts are shown below.
- Farm Bureau policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, driver training, youthful driver, 55 and retired, renewal discount, and good student.
- Liberty Mutual may include discounts for exclusive group savings, teen driver discount, newly married, multi-policy, safety features, and newly retired.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for defensive driving training, accident-free, driver's education, anti-theft, multiple autos, and safe vehicle.
- Auto-Owners Insurance includes discounts for paperless, anti-lock brakes, safe vehicle, teen driver, mature driver, company car, and multi-policy.
- GEICO offers discounts including military active duty, multi-vehicle, federal employee, five-year accident-free, driver training, and membership and employees.
- SAFECO has savings for accident prevention training, multi-car, drive less, teen safety rewards, homeowner, and safe driver.
When getting free El Paso auto insurance quotes, it's a good idea to every company which discounts can lower your rates. All car insurance discounts might not be offered in your area. For a list of companies that offer some of these discounts in El Paso, follow this link.
You can lower your car insurance rates
Drivers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, not issuing a premium refund, high rates after DUI convictions or even unfair underwriting practices. It doesn't matter what your reason, switching car insurance companies is not as difficult as it may seem.
We covered some good ideas how to lower your Kia Stinger insurance rates in El Paso. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get auto insurance rates for, the better likelihood of getting affordable Kia Stinger insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from some of the smallest insurance companies.
When getting El Paso auto insurance quotes online, it's a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced collision coverage only to find out they didn't have enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to get the best coverage possible at the best cost, not the least amount of coverage.
Helpful learning opportunities
- What is Full Coverage? (Allstate)
- Automakers compete to add autobraking (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Five Tips to Save on Auto Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)
- What is a Telematics Device? (Allstate)
- How Much Auto Coverage do I Need? (Insurance Information Institute)