Tightwads Guide to Saving on Carthage Car Insurance

Tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul each month for car insurance? You're in the same situation as the majority of other car owners in Texas.

Because you have many choices, it's nearly impossible to locate the lowest cost car insurance company.

It's important to price shop coverage once or twice a year due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the lowest price a few years ago a different company probably has better rates today. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding car insurance on the web, but we're going to give you some great ways to find cheap car insurance.

Buying car insurance in Carthage is easy if you know what you're doing. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. But Texas consumers do need to know the methods companies use to market on the web because it can help you find the best coverage.

Save big with these discounts

Companies don't always list every available discount very well, so we researched both the well known as well as the least known ways to save on car insurance.

Theft Prevention Discount - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
Driver's Ed - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver's ed class in high school.
Employee of Federal Government - Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
Braking Control Discount - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
Low Mileage - Keeping the miles down could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.
No Claims - Claim-free drivers pay much less compared to drivers who are more careless.
Homeowners Pay Less - Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
Clubs and Organizations - Being a member of a professional or civic organization could trigger savings on your policy.
Defensive Driving Course - Successfully completing a defensive driving course could save 5% or more if you qualify.

Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn't make money that way.

Learn How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces that factor into your rates.

Discounts for multiple policies - The majority of car insurance companies give discounts to insureds who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, you still need to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. Consumers may find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
Keep rates low by being claim-free - If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in Texas give discounts to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Men fork out a little more - The statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, don't assume that men are WORSE drivers than women. Both sexes tend to get into accidents in similar numbers, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving.
Safe vehicles cost less to insure - Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims passed on to you as lower rates.
Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Occupations like judges, executives and stock brokers are shown to have the highest rates because of stressful work requirements and long work days. On the other hand, professions such as farmers, students and the unemployed pay the least.
Don't sacrifice liability coverage - The liability section of your policy will protect you in the event that you are found liable for damages caused by your negligence. It will provide legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Liability is cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
Extra coverages can waste money - There are a lot of extra bells and whistles you can purchase when buying car insurance. Things like roadside assistance, better glass coverage and membership fees may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Companies like Allstate and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the ads make the same claim that you'll save big if you move your policy. But how can every company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a preferred risk might be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and has a short commute. Any driver who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Drivers who fall outside this ideal profile will be charged a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That's why companies can make the claims of big savings. That is why drivers should compare many company's rates. You cannot predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

More Texas car insurance information

More detailed Texas car insurance information is located at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, download brochures, learn about insurance regulations, and find disaster information.

Also read more on BankRate.com's Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this Carthage agent directory.

Do the work, save more money

As you shop your coverage around, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, an insured dropped collision coverage and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Budget-conscious car insurance is definitely available both online in addition to many Carthage insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. Some insurance providers do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.