Are you overwhelmed by the number of auto insurance company choices in Odessa? Many other drivers are as well. People have so many options available that it can turn into a big hassle to find the perfect company for you.
You should take the time to do rate comparisons at least once a year because rates change regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates two years ago you can probably find a better price now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re about to find out how to quote online to get good coverage at a lower rate.
If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this strategy. The purpose of this post is to introduce you to how to effectively get price quotes and some money-saving tips. Although Texas vehicle owners benefit from understanding how companies price insurance differently and take advantage of how the system works.
How to Get Auto Insurance in Odessa, TX
There are a lot of ways to shop for auto insurance, but one way is more efficient than others. You could waste a few hours driving to local insurance agents in Odessa, or you can stay home and use online quoting for quick rates.
Most major companies take part in a program where insurance shoppers enter their coverage request one time, and every company then returns a price quote for coverage. This eliminates the need for quotation requests for each company you want a rate for.
To find out what other companies charge click here to start a free quote.
The one downside to getting quotes like this is that you can’t choose which carriers you want pricing from. So if you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to compare prices, we have a page of the cheapest auto insurance companies in Texas. Click here to view list.
However you get your quotes, make absolute certain that you use exactly the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote. If you use different limits and deductibles on each one it will be next to impossible to determine the best price in Odessa. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits can result in a big premium difference. Keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies provides better odds of finding a lower rate.
Do you really save 40% when you switch?
State Farm, Geico and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. All the companies say the same thing about savings if you switch to their company. But how can every company make almost identical claims?
Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a desirable insured might be between 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A propective insured who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and as a result will probably pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Drivers who are not a match for the requirements must pay a higher premium and ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can truthfully claim big savings.
This illustrates why it is so important to compare many company’s rates. You cannot predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.
Smart Buyers can Save Money
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that could result in big savings.
The list below includes some of the factors that factor into premiums.
- Your location affects your rates – Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Drivers who live in large cities have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Fewer people means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
- Type of vehicle determines base rates – The make and model of the car you are insuring makes a big difference in how high your rates are. The lowest base rates tend to be for small economy passenger models, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
- Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are quite a few add-on coverages you can purchase when buying auto insurance. Things like personal injury protection, better glass coverage and additional equipment coverage are some examples. These may sound like a good investment initially, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.
- Please use or commuting – Driving more miles every year the higher your rate. Most companies rate vehicles based on their usage. Cars and trucks that are left in the garage get more affordable rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Verify your auto insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage.
- Do you know you’re credit rating? – A driver’s credit score is a important factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. People with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than those with poor credit. If your credit history is low, you could save money insuring your by improving your credit score.
- Older drivers save more – Older drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Youthful drivers are known to be careless and easily distracted behind the wheel therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
Discounts are available to cut your rates
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts that you may not know about. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of purchase, but a few need to be asked for in order for you to get them.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
- Braking Control Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Auto/Life Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy life insurance.
- Distant Student – Youth drivers living away from home attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
- Sign Early and Save – A few companies offer discounts for switching policies before your current policy expires. It can save you around 10%.
It’s important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, you won’t be that lucky. But any discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.
For a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Texas, follow this link.
Everyone needs different coverages
When it comes to choosing the best auto insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
For instance, these questions may help you determine if you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Texas?
- Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
- Is my teen driver covered when they drive my company car?
- Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Texas?
- Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form.
Affordable insurance is out there
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. Too many times, an insured cut physical damage coverage only to find out that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your strategy should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
In this article, we covered some good ideas how you can lower your auto insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may discover the biggest savings come from the smaller companies.
Drivers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including delays in paying claims, poor customer service, policy non-renewal and even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. It doesn’t matter what your reason, choosing a new company is actually quite simple.
More resources for learning
More information is available on the Texas Department of Insurance website found here. Texas consumers can get help finding coverage, file complaints about a company, and read consumer alerts.
Additional helpful sites include QuoteClickInsure.com and this page of insurance agents in Odessa.