Tightwads Guide for Saving on Madisonville Auto Insurance

Nobody I know looks forward to paying for auto insurance, in particular when the cost is too high. Insurance companies such as GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with ads and it is difficult to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but companies offer discounts that you may not even be aware of. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be asked for before you get the savings. If you aren't receiving every discount you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

  • Federal Employees - Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with a few auto insurance companies.
  • Braking Control Discount - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Passive Restraint Discount - Cars that have air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
  • No Claims - Good drivers with no accidents pay less when compared to drivers who are more careless.
  • Military Discounts - Having a family member in the military could mean lower rates.
  • Distant Student - Any of your kids living away from home attending college and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.

A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will reduce the cost of coverage.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

  • Keep rates low by being claim-free - Companies in Texas give cheaper rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Your insurance policy is designed for larger claims.
  • Clean credit earns discounts - Having a bad credit score is a important factor in determining your rates. If your credit history is lower than you'd like, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your credit score. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have poor credit.
  • Your occupation can affect rates - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like real estate brokers, executives and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates because of high stress levels and long work days. Other occupations such as scientists, historians and homemakers pay the least.
  • Traffic violations increase rates - Even one ticket may increase your cost forty percent or more. Drivers with clean records have lower premiums than bad drivers. If you have serious violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to continue driving.

Tailor your coverage to you

When it comes to buying coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions might point out whether you would benefit from professional advice.

  • Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
  • Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
  • Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
  • Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
  • Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?

If it's difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It's fast, doesn't cost anything and can help protect your family.

How can Progressive, Allstate and GEICO save drivers who switch?

Texas consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance from companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO. They all make the same claim about savings if you switch your policy.

How can each company make almost identical claims?

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a driver they prefer could possibly be a mature driver, owns a home, and drives newer vehicles. A driver who matches those parameters receives the best rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Drivers who are not a match for the requirements will be quoted a higher premium which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully claim big savings.

This emphasizes why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

For more Texas car insurance information

Additional information can be read on the website for the Texas Department of Insurance located here. Texas consumers can download brochures, find out industry alerts, read industry bulletins, and file complaints about a company.

Madisonville auto insurance quote

In the end, you save

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where an insured cut full coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

In this article, we presented many ideas to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the best price on auto insurance is with the least-expected company. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as .