Are you intimidated by the number of car insurance companies in Grand Prairie? You’re not alone. People have so many options available that it can be a real challenge to find better rates.
These discounts can slash car insurance rates
Companies offering auto insurance do not list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both well-publicized and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using.
- Life Insurance Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with lower rates if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
- Anti-theft System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Braking Control Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
- Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way.
Learn How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that go into determining the price you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get lower car insurance prices.
Listed below are a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine your rates.
- Policy add-ons can waste money – There are a lot of extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t careful. Things like personal injury protection, accidental death and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but if you don’t need them remove them from your policy.
- More claims means more premium – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance companies in Texas give lower rates to drivers who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Auto insurance is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- More miles equals more premium – The higher the mileage driven each year the more you will pay for car insurance. The majority of insurers price each vehicle’s coverage determined by how the vehicle is used. Vehicles not used for work or commuting can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your car insurance declarations sheet is showing the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
- Men fork out a little more – Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. Both sexes have accidents at a similar rate, but the men cause more damage. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 tend to get in the most accidents and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
- Careful drivers pay lower rates – Drivers with clean records get better rates than their less careful counterparts. Just one moving violation may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who have dangerous citations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to submit a SR-22 form to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
When might I need the advice of an agent?
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if your situation would benefit from professional advice.
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
- Do I need higher deductibles?
- Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
- Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
- Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
Read more about Texas car insurance
Additional detailed information can be read at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, read industry bulletins, and download brochures.
More related Grand Prairie car insurance information:
Smart consumers save more
When shopping online for car insurance, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, consumers will sacrifice full coverage to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your strategy should be to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.
We’ve covered quite a bit of information on how to get a better price on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even find the most savings is with some of the smallest insurance companies.
Drivers switch companies for a variety of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, lack of trust in their agent, delays in responding to claim requests or policy cancellation. Whatever your reason, switching car insurance companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.