Easy Tips to Save Money on Harlingen Car Insurance

Purchasing the cheapest Harlingen car insurance online may be challenging for consumers new to online price comaprisons. With dozens of companies competing online, how can consumers even start to compare the different rates to find the cheapest available price?

If you currently have car insurance, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. Pricing the cheapest protection in Harlingen is quite easy. But Texas car owners do need to know how big insurance companies sell online and apply this information to your search.

How to Buy Harlingen Car Insurance Online

The are a couple different ways to compare quotes from local Harlingen car insurance companies. The recommended way to find the lowest rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This can be accomplished in several different ways.

The first (and easiest) way to compare a lot of rates at once is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This type of form keeps you from doing separate forms for each company. One form gets you price quotes from several companies.It's the quickest way to get rates.

Another way to shop for car insurance online requires visiting the website for every company you want to comare and fill out their own quote form. For sake of this example, let's say you want comparison quotes from , and . You would have to spend time on each company's site and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Harlingen, click here.

However you get your quotes, make darn sure you compare exactly the same quote information for each comparison quote. If you enter mixed coverages it will be next to impossible to determine the lowest rate in Harlingen. Slightly different insurance coverages may cause a big price difference. And when comparison shopping, obtaining a wide range of quotes will improve the odds of getting the best offered rates.

car insurance in Harlingen

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

It's important that you understand the factors that help determine your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that could result in better car insurance rates.

  • Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are a ton of add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem like a good idea at first, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • Older drivers save more - More mature drivers are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers. Young drivers are known to be careless and easily distracted when driving and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
  • Increase deductibles and save - The deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend before your car insurance pays a claim. Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, insures against damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and windstorm damage. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
  • Small claims can cost you - If you file claims often, you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance companies in Texas generally give cheaper rates to people who are claim-free. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.
  • How's your driving record? - Careful drivers receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. Even a single ticket can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers with flagrant tickets like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. A few discounts will automatically apply when you purchase, but less common discounts must be asked for before being credited.

  • Driver Safety - Taking a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
  • Student in College - Youth drivers who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
  • Own a Home - Owning a home in Harlingen can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Government Employees - Simply working for the federal government can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
  • Good Student Discount - Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
  • Early Switch Discount - A few companies offer discounts for switching to them before your current policy expires. It's a savings of about 10%.
  • Service Members Pay Less - Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
  • Anti-lock Brakes - Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
  • Accident Waiver - A handful of insurance companies permit an accident without raising rates so long as you haven't had any claims for a certain period of time.
  • Auto/Home Discount - When you have multiple policies with one company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.

Drivers should understand that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates you could get a free car insurance policy, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will reduce the amount you have to pay.

For a list of insurers who offer car insurance discounts in Harlingen, click here.

Insurance agents can help

When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Each situation is unique.

For example, these questions may help you determine whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.

  • Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
  • Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Harlingen?
  • Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
  • Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Texas?
  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
  • Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?

If you can't answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

Much more information about car insurance in Texas can be found on the Texas Department of Insurance website through this link. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and report car insurance fraud.

Harlingen car insurance comparison

Shop smart and save

Budget-conscious car insurance can be sourced from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Harlingen agents, so compare prices from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, it's a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

Drivers change insurance companies for many reasons like delays in responding to claim requests, not issuing a premium refund, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and extreme rates for teen drivers. No matter why you want to switch, finding the right car insurance provider is not as hard as you think.