Easy Methods to Pay Less on Hico Car Insurance

Consumers who are new to the process of shopping for insurance online can find purchasing low-cost Hico car insurance to be a formidable task.

It's important to compare prices periodically because rates are constantly changing. If you had the best price two years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because I'm going to let you in on the secrets to one of the easiest ways to get good coverage at a lower rate.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Auto insurance companies do not list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find some of the more common as well as the least known car insurance savings. If they aren't giving you every credit you qualify for, you're paying more than you need to.

Sign Early and Save - Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.
Student Driver Training - Have your child take driver's ed class in high school.
Defensive Driving Course - Completing a driver safety course can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Good Student - A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up to age 25.
Accident Forgiveness - A few companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums if you are claim-free prior to the accident.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous.

To see a list of providers with the best car insurance discounts in Hico, follow this link.

How to Get Hico Car Insurance Comparison Quotes

Finding cheaper car insurance prices doesn't have to be difficult. Consumers just need to spend a little time getting comparison quotes from different insurance companies. This is very easy and can be done using a couple different methods.

The best way to compare a lot of rates at once is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This method eliminates the need for multiple quote forms for every car insurance company. Just one form will return price quotes from multiple low-cost companies. It's the fastest way to compare.
Another way to shop for car insurance online consists of visiting each company website and request a quote. For instance, let's assume you want to compare , and . To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular.

For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Hico, click here.
The least efficient method of comparing rate quotes is to spend your day driving to different Hico agent offices. Buying insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the trained guidance of a local Hico agent. You can, however, obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent and we'll talk about that later.

Whichever way you use, be sure to compare the exact same deductibles and coverage limits with every price quote. If you use different values for each quote it will be impossible to find the best deal in Hico.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that can help you get lower car insurance prices.

Type of vehicle determines base rates - The type of vehicle you drive makes a big difference in determining your rates. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars usually have the lowest rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
Poor credit can mean higher rates - Your credit rating is a important factor in determining your rates. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have lower credit scores. If your credit rating can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your by repairing your credit.
Equipment add-ons that lower car insurance rates - Owning a car with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent your car from being stolen.
Policy add-ons can waste money - There are a lot of additional coverages you can purchase on your policy. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, better glass coverage and term life insurance are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but if they're wasting money get rid of them and save.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone's needs are different.

For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation will benefit from professional help.

Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Texas?
Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Consumers can't get away from ads for cheaper car insurance by State Farm and Allstate. All the ads say the same thing about savings if you move to their company.

How do they all make the same claim?

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk could be between the ages of 40 and 55, a clean driving record, and chooses high deductibles. A customer who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential customers who don't qualify for the "perfect" profile will be charged a more expensive rate which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. That is how companies can truthfully state the savings. That is why drivers must quote coverage with many companies. Because you never know which company will give you the biggest savings.

In the end, you save

We just showed you many ways to compare car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from a small local company.

Consumers who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as high prices, poor customer service, extreme rates for teen drivers or questionable increases in premium. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is actually quite simple.

Cheap car insurance is possible from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Hico agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

Additional Texas consumer information

Even more information can be found at the Texas Department of Insurance website. Consumers can learn about specific coverages, find out industry alerts, and view a list of available companies.