Tightwads Guide for Saving on El Paso Car Insurance

Having to pay for overpriced car insurance can empty your savings account, especially in this economy. Comparing price quotes is a smart way to lower your monthly bill.

Big companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually hit you with ads and it is difficult to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

It's important to compare prices on a regular basis since rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the best deal six months ago you can probably find a better price now. Starting now, ignore everything you know about car insurance because we're going to show you the proper way to find lower rates on car insurance.

If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using these methods. Buying car insurance in El Paso is quite easy. Nevertheless, Texas consumers do need to know the way insurance companies sell insurance online and take advantage of how the system works.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that may reward you with better car insurance rates.

Where do you drive? - The more miles you rack up on your car in a year's time the more you will pay for car insurance. Most insurance companies charge to insure your cars determined by how the vehicle is used. Vehicles that are left in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Verify your car insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
Are you male or female? - Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. Men and women tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage. They also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are the most expensive to insure and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
Poor credit can mean higher rates - Credit score is a big factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. So if your credit score is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by improving your credit score. Drivers who have good credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers with poor credit.
Special features that cut premiums - Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
Marriage pays dividends - Being married can actually save you money when buying car insurance. It means you're more mature and responsible and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Safer occupants lowers premiums - Safer cars are cheaper to insure. These vehicles reduce injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders.

Take advantage of discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you can get discounts that you may not even be aware of. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but some must be requested specifically prior to getting the savings.

Discount for Life Insurance - Larger companies have better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
Accident Waiver - A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don't have any claims for a certain period of time.
Passive Restraints - Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
Payment Discounts - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
Own a Home - Owning a house in El Paso may trigger a car insurance policy discount because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
Drive Less and Save - Driving fewer miles can qualify you for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Defensive Driver - Taking a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.

It's important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like you could get a free car insurance policy, it doesn't quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your overall premium however.

To choose companies offering car insurance discounts in El Paso, follow this link.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

Car insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing of big savings if you switch to their company. How can each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. An example of a desirable insured might be a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured who fits that profile receives the best rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't qualify for the requirements will have to pay a higher premium which usually ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much. This is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

Because of the profiling, you should get quotes from several different companies. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Additional car insurance information is available on the website for the Texas Department of Insurance found here. Visitors are able to file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, learn about insurance regulations, find out industry alerts, and view a list of available companies.

Affordable insurance is out there

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at the best price.

Low-cost car insurance is available both online and also from your neighborhood El Paso agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

We just covered many ways to save on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the best price on car insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like .