Dallas Car Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

People who are new to shopping for insurance online can find purchasing affordable Dallas car insurance nearly impossible.

It's important to price shop coverage occasionally because rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal two years ago you can probably find a better price now. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you're going to learn the proper way to lower your annual insurance bill.

Learn How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining your car insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better car insurance rates.

How's your driving record? - Drivers with clean records get better rates than bad drivers. Just one moving violation may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who get serious violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
Better credit scores mean better rates - Your credit score is a big factor in determining your rates. If your credit rating is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by repairing your credit. Consumers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have poor credit.
Multi-policy discounts can save money - Most companies give discounts to policyholders who have multiple policies with them. It's known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can be anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you're getting this discount it's still a good idea to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
Lower deductibles cost more - Physical damage insurance, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered are collision with another vehicle, collision with an animal, or theft. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay before a claim is paid by your company. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, buy you may qualify for discounts that many people don't even know exist. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but some must be specially asked for before you will receive the discount. If they aren't giving you every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.

Early Signing - Some companies give discounts for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
Anti-theft System - Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Homeowners Savings - Being a homeowner may trigger a car insurance policy discount because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
Passive Restraints - Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.
Payment Discounts - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free car insurance policy, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will cut the amount you have to pay.

To choose providers offering car insurance discounts in Dallas, follow this link.

Is there truth in advertising?

Consumers can't ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as State Farm and Allstate. All the ads say the same thing about savings if you switch your policy.

How do they all make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk could be a mature driver, owns a home, and chooses high deductibles. A customer who fits that profile will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who don't measure up to the "perfect" profile will be charged more money which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully state the savings.

That is why you should compare as many rates as you can. Because you never know which company will give you the biggest savings.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no best way to insure your cars. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's.

For example, these questions might point out whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.

Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you don't have a local agent, fill out this quick form. It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.

Additional information is available on the North Carolina Department of Insurance website found here. Consumers can file complaints about a company, find out industry alerts, and read consumer alerts.

And the best car insurance company is...

We just showed you a lot of tips how to save on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the best price on car insurance is with a small mutual company.

When buying insurance coverage, never buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheaper car insurance can be found from both online companies in addition to many Dallas insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not provide online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.