The words “cheap” and “insurance” probably shouldn’t be used together, especially when you are shopping around for the lowest insurance rates for 4×4 vehicles. To help control this cost, let’s lead off by showing you some of the things that influence auto insurance prices, and come up with some ways to cut the cost of the next policy you buy.
The vehicle model requiring insurance is probably the biggest factor when shopping for the most economical coverage for 4×4 vehicles. Vehicles with high performance features, poor safety features, or an increased likelihood of liability claims will cost much more to insure than more economical and safe models.
The next list illustrates coverage premiums for a handful of the most affordable vehicles to buy insurance for.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $1,203 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,332 |
| Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $1,380 |
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,386 |
| Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,395 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SE 2.5 Station Wagon | $1,407 |
| Ford Fusion S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,422 |
| Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $1,432 |
| Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | $1,422 |
| Ford Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $1,469 |
| Toyota Corolla XRS | $1,524 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 4WD | $1,530 |
| Ford F-150 FX2 Super Cab 2WD | $1,547 |
| GMC Sierra 3500HD SLE Extended Cab 2WD | $1,552 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLT Extended Cab 4WD | $1,599 |
| Ford Edge SE AWD | $1,604 |
| Hyundai Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,609 |
| Kia Optima SX | $1,631 |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid | $1,640 |
| Toyota RAV4 2WD | $1,634 |
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Prices based on single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Table data does not factor in specific Houston, TX garaging location which can modify coverage rates considerably.
Looking at the numbers, you can presume that models like the Ford Escape, Toyota Prius, and Honda CR-V should be a few of the most affordable vehicles to insure for off-road vehicles.
For off-road vehicles, one of the big components that are used to help calculate the cost of insurance is the neighborhood you call home in Houston. Cities with larger populations tend to have higher auto insurance costs, whereas less populated areas benefit from lower prices.
The information below ranks the most expensive cities in Texas for 4×4 vehicles to purchase auto insurance in. Houston is ranked at #3 with the yearly price of $1,909 for the average insured, which is around $159 monthly.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAllen | $1,956 |
| 2 | Brownsville | $1,927 |
| 3 | Houston | $1,909 |
| 4 | Laredo | $1,889 |
| 5 | Dallas | $1,837 |
| 6 | Grand Prairie | $1,811 |
| 7 | Amarillo | $1,804 |
| 8 | Garland | $1,796 |
| 9 | Irving | $1,772 |
| 10 | Pasadena | $1,758 |
| 11 | Mesquite | $1,753 |
| 12 | Beaumont | $1,720 |
| 13 | San Antonio | $1,688 |
| 14 | Lubbock | $1,682 |
| 15 | Arlington | $1,658 |
| 16 | Fort Worth | $1,653 |
| 17 | Carrollton | $1,647 |
| 18 | Corpus Christi | $1,636 |
| 19 | Austin | $1,627 |
| 20 | Plano | $1,608 |
| 21 | El Paso | $1,584 |
| 22 | McKinney | $1,561 |
| 23 | Waco | $1,522 |
| 24 | Abilene | $1,499 |
| 25 | Killeen | $1,488 |
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Rate quotes are approximated as vehicle location can increase or decrease rates noticeably.
Finding decent, reasonably-priced auto insurance is confusing at best, and determining which companies quote the cheapest car insurance rates for 4×4 vehicles may require even more work. Each insurance company has their own guidelines for filing rates in each state, so let’s begin by taking a look at the lowest cost car insurance companies in Texas.
It’s important that readers know that Houston car insurance rates are calculated based on many things that may substantially change the price you have to pay. Simply turning a year older, moving to a different location, or getting a ticket for careless driving can trigger changes in premium that can make some companies cheaper than competitors.
Best Car Insurance Prices for 4×4’s
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travelers | $1,021 |
| 2 | USAA | $1,084 |
| 3 | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,199 |
| 4 | Germania Mutual | $1,282 |
| 5 | Esurance | $1,379 |
| 6 | California Casualty | $1,396 |
| 7 | Mercury | $1,506 |
| 8 | State Farm | $1,510 |
| 9 | Nationwide | $1,600 |
| 10 | Safe Auto | $1,613 |
| 11 | Allstate | $1,701 |
| 12 | Progressive | $1,715 |
| 13 | Amica | $1,757 |
| 14 | Home State | $2,071 |
| 15 | GEICO | $2,135 |
| 16 | MetLife | $2,161 |
| 17 | Encompass | $2,301 |
| 18 | Unitrin | $2,333 |
| 19 | 21st Century | $2,469 |
| 20 | Titan | $2,594 |
| Get Personalized Rates Go | ||
Travelers quotes some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Houston at around $1,021 a year. This is $883 less than the average policy premium paid by Texas drivers of $1,904. USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Germania Mutual, and Esurance also make the cut as some of the cheapest Houston, TX car insurance companies.
As illustrated above, if you are currently insured with Texas Farm Bureau and switched to Travelers, you might achieve an annual premium reduction of in the vicinity of $178. Policyholders with Germania Mutual might save as much as $261 a year, and Esurance policyholders might lower prices by $358 a year.
To see if your current coverage is too expensive, click here to start your custom quote or quote rates from the companies below.
These prices are averages for all insureds and vehicles and do not take into consideration a specific vehicle garaging location for 4×4 vehicles. So the car insurance company that can offer you the best price may not even be in the top 23 companies shown above. That points out the importance of why you need to get quotes using your own driver and vehicle profiles.
Rate difference between full and liability-only coverage
Reducing premiums for car insurance is probably important to the majority of people, and a good way to reduce the cost of insurance for 4×4 vehicles is to only pay for liability coverage. The diagram below shows the comparison of insurance costs with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The data is based on a clean driving record, no claims, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are applied.
As an average for all age groups, full coverage costs $2,000 per year more than just insuring for liability. That amount may make you wonder when is the right time to remove full coverage. There is no definitive formula of when to phase out physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are a few cases where dropping physical damage coverage is not financially feasible. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not remove full coverage.
Get discount Houston auto insurance rates
Insurance companies that offer cheap quotes for 4×4 vehicles may also provide discounts that can lower rates by as much as 30% if you are eligible to receive them. Large car insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are outlined below.
- Farm Bureau discounts include multi-policy, 55 and retired, safe driver, driver training, good student, renewal discount, and youthful driver.
- State Farm may include discounts for driver’s education, safe vehicle, anti-theft, good driver, passive restraint, multiple policy, and Drive Safe & Save.
- Progressive offers discounts for online quote discount, good student, continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and online signing.
- Allstate may offer discounts for new car, utility vehicle, anti-lock brakes, EZ pay plan discount, and farm vehicle.
- Nationwide includes discounts for defensive driving, accident-free, good student, family plan, easy pay, business or organization, and Farm Bureau membership.
- MetLife may have discounts that include accident-free, defensive driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and good driver.
The diagram below visualizes the comparison of car insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the premium. The data is based on a male driver, no claims or violations, Texas state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second bar shows the rates with accident-free, marriage, passive restraint, homeowner, multiple policy, and vehicle safety discounts applied. When discounts are factored in, theaverage amount saved on car insurance for 4×4 vehicles is 28% or $606.
How to find the cheapest car insurance for 4×4 vehicles
The list below summarizes many thrifty ideas that can help drivers get cheap car insurance.
- At-fault accidents will increase rates
- Do not get tickets or violations
- Vehicles with good safety ratings have lower liability rates
- Earn discounts for being claim-free
- Remove physical damage coverage on older vehicles
- Buy your homeowners policy from the same company as your auto insurance
- Shop around for cheaper prices
The final tip is remarkably significant, as was discussed in this piece. Coverage prices vary considerably, so don’t be tentative to switch to a new company if you can save money. Staying with the same car insurance company is fine, but it’s not recommended if that stubbornness costs you money that could be going to better use. In just a couple of minutes you could compare prices and find cheaper auto insurance for 4×4 vehicles in Houston.