If online auto insurance comparisons are new to you, you can be overwhelmed due to the large number of companies all offering big savings in Mesquite.
It’s important to do rate comparisons once or twice a year because insurance rates are usually higher with each renewal. If you had the best price on your last policy you may be paying too much now. There is a lot of bad advice regarding auto insurance online but I’m going to show you some great ideas on how to buy auto insurance cheaper.
If you have insurance now or are just looking to switch companies, you can use these techniques to find better prices and still get good coverage. This article will let you in on how to get online quotes and some money-saving tips. Texas drivers just need to know how to compare rates online.
Factors that affect insurance rates
Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what determines base rates enables informed choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.
The following are a partial list of the pieces auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.
- Drive a safer car and pay less – Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Higher deductibles cost less – Physical damage deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay before your auto insurance pays a claim. Physical damage coverage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, or theft. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
- Big city or small town – Living in less populated areas is a positive aspect when it comes to auto insurance. Lower population translates into fewer accidents. Urban drivers have to deal with more traffic problems and much longer commute distances. More time on the road can result in more accidents.
- Men fork out a little more – Statistics demonstrate that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean women are better drivers. Both sexes tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but the men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI.
- More than one policy can earn a discount – Some companies will give a discount to people who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even with this discount, you may still want to comparison shop to ensure the best deal.
Mesquite Auto Insurance Quote Comparison
Cutting your Mesquite auto insurance rates can be surprisingly simple. The only requirement is to spend a few minutes to get quotes provided by online insurance companies. This can be done in a couple of different ways.
- One of the best ways consumers can analyze rates would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form eliminates the need for separate quotes to each individual auto insurance company. Completing one form gets you coverage quotes from many national carriers. Just one form and you’re done.
- A more time consuming way to obtain and compare quotes online requires a visit to the website of each company to complete a price quote. For sake of this example, let’s say you want to compare USAA, Safeco and Allstate. You would have to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in Mesquite, click here.
Whichever way you use, compare identical deductibles and coverage limits with every price quote. If each company quotes different deductibles it will be next to impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Mesquite.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Auto insurance companies do not list every discount very clearly, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance. If you’re not getting every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
- Theft Prevention System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
- E-sign – A handful of insurance companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
- Seat Belt Usage – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than less cautious drivers.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one company you will save at least 10% off all policies.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks on the same auto insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
- Lower Rates for Military – Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.
Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck.
To see a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Mesquite, click this link.
Tailor your coverage to you
When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different.
For example, these questions might help in determining whether you could use an agent’s help.
- How much liability coverage do I need in Texas?
- Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
- Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
- What are the best liability limits?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
- Are my friends covered when driving my vehicle?
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, free and can provide invaluable advice.
More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Texas consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, discover disciplinary actions, read industry bulletins, and read state legal mandates and laws.
The following information may also be useful.
Quote often and quote early
Cheap auto insurance can be sourced on the web and also from your neighborhood Mesquite agents, so compare prices from both to have the best selection. A few companies may not provide online quoting and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.
People who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including high prices, delays in paying claims, not issuing a premium refund and policy cancellation. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching companies is actually quite simple.
Throughout this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to lower your auto insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even find the best prices are with the least-expected company.