Expert Advice on Saving Money on Austin Texas Auto Insurance

People not familiar with buying insurance online can find buying cheap Austin auto insurance nearly impossible.

You need to do rate comparisons quite often due to the fact that insurance rates change frequently. Just because you found the best price a few years ago a different company probably has better rates today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding auto insurance online but by reading this article, you’re going to learn some guaranteed methods to find cheap auto insurance.

If you are insured now or are just looking to switch companies, you will benefit by learning to find better prices and possibly find even better coverage. The purpose of this post is to help educate you on the best way to quote coverages and some money-saving tips. Texas consumers just need to learn the best way to compare rates over the internet.

How to Get Cheap Auto Insurance in Austin

There are multiple methods you can shop for auto insurance but one way is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You can spend countless hours driving to local insurance agents in Austin, or you can stay home and use online quoting to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.

Most car insurance companies participate in a marketplace that enables customers to complete one form, and each participating company can provide price quotes based on the submitted data. This prevents consumers from doing form submissions for each company.

To find out how much you’re overpaying now click here to open in new window.

The only downside to doing it this way is buyers cannot specifically choose the insurers you will receive quotes from. If you wish to select from a list of companies to receive pricing from, we have a page of companies who write auto insurance in Texas. Click here for list of insurance companies in Texas.

It’s up to you which method you use, but make sure you use exactly the same coverage information for every quote you compare. If you enter differing limits you can’t possibly determine which rate is truly the best in Austin.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Auto insurance companies don’t always list every discount very clearly, so the following is a list of some of the best known and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance. If you’re not getting every credit available, you’re just leaving money on the table.

Military Rewards – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Drive Less and Save – Low mileage vehicles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Club Memberships – Being a member of a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break on auto insurance.
More Vehicles More Savings – Buying coverage for multiple cars or trucks on the same auto insurance policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house requires personal responsibility.
New Vehicle Savings – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.
Defensive Driving Course – Taking part in a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck.

To choose providers with discount auto insurance rates in Texas, click here to view.

But buying car insurance online seems impersonal

Some people just want to sit down with an agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Educated insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and give you peace of mind. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is you can get better rates and still have an agent to talk to.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, your information is immediately sent to local insurance agents who will compete for your coverage. There is no reason to visit any agencies as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. How’s that for easy!

Picking a company should depend on more than just a low price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions: Car insurance in Austin

Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
Do they assist clients in filing claims?
Does the agency support the community they serve?
Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
Is assistance available after office hours?
Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?

Insurance agent types

When finding a reliable agent, there are a couple of different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Austin agents are either independent (non-captive) or captive. Either one can insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know the difference between them since it can impact your agent selection.

Captive Insurance Agents

This type of agents have only one company to place business with such as AAA, Allstate and State Farm. They generally cannot give you multiple price quotes so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agents receive extensive training in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers frequently buy insurance from these agents mainly due to the brand legacy and solid financial strength.

Below is a short list of captive agents in Austin who can help you get price quotes.

State Farm Insurance – 9222 W Parmer Ln # C – Austin, TX 78717 – (512) 345-5127
Southern Farm Bureau Casualty – 911 W Anderson Ln – Austin, TX 78757 – (512) 340-0108
Allstate Insurance – 8830 Business Park Dr # 800 – Austin, TX 78759 – (512) 451-6571
Farmers Insurance Group – 5910 Courtyard Dr # 160 – Austin, TX 78731 – (512) 343-2071
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 12129 Ranch Road 620 N # 450 – Austin, TX 78750 – (512) 258-1267

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agents are not required to write business for one company but instead can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When comparing rates, it’s recommended you include at least one independent agent for the best price selection.Most can insure with smaller companies which may provide better rates.

Listed below are Austin independent insurance agencies that are able to give rate quotes.

Insurance Co Of N America – 7021 Tanaqua Ln – Austin, TX 78739 – (512) 394-1489
Clark Agency – – Austin, TX 78759 – (512) 345-6575
Michele Henry Beltz Agency – 13552 N Highway 183 – Austin, TX 78750 – (512) 335-0503
Sentry Insurance Agency – 4425 S MO Pac Expy # 208 – Austin, TX 78735 – (512) 452-2911
Bellamy Insurance Group – 2110 Slaughter Ln W # 140 – Austin, TX 78748 – (512) 280-5123

To view a complete directory of auto insurance agents in Austin, please view this page.

After getting positive responses for all questions you ask and an acceptable price quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage.

Which policy gives me the best coverage?

When choosing adequate coverage, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Every insured’s situation is different.

Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if your situation will benefit from professional help.

What are the financial responsibility laws in Texas?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
How much liability coverage do I need in Texas?
Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
Am I covered when driving a rental car?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.

Informed Drivers can Cut Their Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

Shown below are some of the items used by your company to calculate premiums.

High numbers of claims are not good – If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Auto insurance companies in Texas give better rates to insureds who file claims infrequently. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of larger claims.
Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and lower rates for you.
Do you know you’re credit rating? – Having a bad credit score is a big factor in your rate calculation. If your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could pay less to insure your by repairing your credit. People with good credit tend to be more responsible as compared to drivers with poor credit.
Never allow your policy to lapse – Driving without insurance is against the law and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance lapse. Not only will rates go up, failure to provide proof of insurance will get you a license revocation or jail time.You may need to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Texas motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
Where you live – Being located in less populated areas can save you money when insuring your vehicles. City drivers have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents.
Lower rates come with age – Youthful drivers in Texas tend to get distracted easily when behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. Older insureds are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers.
Men pay higher rates – Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. They both tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get more serious tickets such as reckless driving. Youthful male drivers tend to get in the most accidents and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.

Misconceptions in auto insurance advertisements

Consumers in Texas constantly see and hear ads for the lowest price auto insurance from the likes of Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. All the ads have a common claim about savings if you change your coverage to them.

How do they all claim to save you money?

All the different companies can use profiling for the right customer they prefer to insure. An example of a desirable insured could possibly be between 25 and 40, a clean driving record, and has excellent credit. A driver who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and most likely will save quite a bit of money when switching.

Potential insureds who don’t meet the requirements must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. This illustrates why it is so important to get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Final considerations

Low-cost auto insurance can be sourced on the web as well as from independent agents in Austin, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

Consumers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, high prices or even questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason, finding a great new company can be easy and end up saving you some money.

As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many instances, an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price.

Some additional reading

Additional detailed information is available at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas drivers can read industry bulletins, file complaints about a company, and download brochures.

Additional helpful sites include this online resource for free quotes in Texas and this link where you can make Austin auto insurance comparisons.