The make and model of vehicle to be insured is a significant factor when shopping around for cheap coverage for good drivers. Vehicles with higher performance characteristics, poor crash test ratings, or a high likelihood of having liability claims will cost more to insure than more economical and safe models.
The next list features insurance rates for a handful of the cheaper vehicles to insure.
| Insured Vehicle | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Toyota Prius | $1,359 |
| Toyota Tacoma 4WD | $1,379 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD | $1,387 |
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,427 |
| Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD 2-Dr | $1,459 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $1,482 |
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $1,505 |
| Ford Escape XLS 2WD | $1,514 |
| Ford F-150 XL Regular Cab 2WD | $1,557 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE Extended Cab 4WD | $1,567 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LTZ Crew Cab 2WD | $1,615 |
| Honda Accord EX 2-Dr Coupe | $1,633 |
| Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab Hybrid 2WD | $1,640 |
| Kia Optima EX | $1,661 |
| Toyota Camry Hybrid | $1,667 |
| Start a Quote Go | |
Data variables include single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and claim-free. Price estimates do not factor in specific Houston, TX garaging location which can lower or raise prices substantially.
Based upon the table data, you can conclude that vehicles like the Toyota Prius, Toyota Tacoma, and Ford Explorer should be some of the cheapest vehicles to insure for safe drivers.
Determining which companies offer the cheapest auto insurance rates for good drivers will take a tad more effort than just quoting one company’s rates.
Each insurance company uses a different method for determining rates, so we’ll go over the overall cheapest auto insurance companies in Texas. It’s important that readers know that Houston, TX auto insurance rates are impacted by many things that may substantially change the cost of having a policy. Simply turning a year older, buying a home, or getting caught speeding can cause premium changes that may make certain companies cheaper than competitors.
Best Auto Insurance Prices for Good Drivers
Travelers offers some of the best car insurance rates in Houston at around $1,021 each year. USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Germania Mutual, and Esurance also rank well as some of the cheaper Houston, TX auto insurance companies.
As depicted above, if you have coverage with Texas Farm Bureau and switched to Travelers, you could see an annual premium reduction of approximately $214. Insureds with Germania Mutual might save as much as $223 a year, and Esurance policyholders might see rate reductions of $344 a year.
If you want to see how much you could save, click here to start your custom quote or visit any of the low-priced companies below.
It’s important to note that these policy rates are averaged for all insureds and vehicles and do not take into consideration a specific location for good drivers. So the car insurance company that is most affordable for your situation may not even be in the top 23 companies shown above. That points out the importance of why you need to compare rates from multiple companies using your own personal information and vehicle type.
Bad driving habits will cost you more
A great way to maintain cheap auto insurance rates in Texas for safe drivers is to drive safe and maintain a clean driving record. The diagram below highlights how speeding tickets and accidents influence yearly insurance costs for each different age group. The data is based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.
In the prior example, the average cost of car insurance per year with no accidents and a clean driving record is $1,807. Get one speeding ticket and the average cost hikes up to $2,082, an increase of $276 each year. Then include one accident along with the one speeding ticket and the yearly cost of auto insurance for good drivers jumps again to an average of $2,850. That’s an increase of $1,043, or $87 per month, just for not paying attention while driving!
The illustration below shows how different deductible levels can affect yearly insurance costs when searching for cheap insurance for good drivers. The premiums assume a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.
As shown above, a 50-year-old driver could save $260 a year by changing their physical damage coverage from a $100 deductible up to a $500 deductible, or save $394 by selecting a $1,000 deductible. Youthful drivers, like the Age 20 chart data, have the ability to save up to $646 annually by selecting a higher deductible.
If you make the decision to raise deductibles, it is important to have enough savings to be able to pay the extra out-of-pocket expense, which is the primary disadvantage of high deductibles.
Get discount Houston auto insurance
Insurance companies that offer coverage for good drivers may additionally offer discounts that may potentially lower prices by 35% or more if you meet certain criteria. A few of the larger companies and a selection of discounts can be read below.
- GEICO has savings for good student, five-year accident-free, daytime running lights, multi-policy, and anti-lock brakes.
- Travelers has discounts for multi-policy, new car, early quote, multi-car, and continuous insurance.
- Nationwide offers discounts for family plan, accident-free, easy pay, Farm Bureau membership, good student, business or organization, and multi-policy.
- Farmers Insurance offers premium reductions for distant student, early shopping, good student, bundle discounts, and youthful driver.
- Esurance may have discounts that include DriveSense, Switch & Save, defensive driver, multi-policy, and anti-theft.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including multiple policy, Drive Safe & Save, multiple autos, student away at school, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and good student.
- Progressive may offer discounts for homeowner, online signing, online quote discount, multi-vehicle, and continuous coverage.
- Mercury Insurance offers discounts including annual mileage, professional/association, low natural disaster claims, good driver, anti-theft, ease of repair, and accident-free.
The illustration below illustrates the comparison of insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. The data assumes a female driver, no violations or accidents, Texas state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $100 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows the average annual price with no discounts. The lower bar shows the rates with anti-theft, safe-driver, multiple policy, marriage, vehicle safety, and passive restraint discounts applied. When these discounts are applied to the policy premium, the average amount saved each year on auto insurance for good drivers is 28% or $782.
Don’t stick with an overpriced policy
Houston auto insurance rates are determined by lots of factors that control the policy premium. Simply getting older, filing a claim, or getting a DUI can trigger changes in premium that can make some companies more affordable than competitors.
Not only may things change on your end, but insurance companies change rates every year or even multiple times each year in order to offset underwriting gains or losses. Heavier than normal losses may result in higher rates, while profitable underwriting can result in more affordable Houston car insurance rates.
To illustrate this example, the data below shows rates for the cheapest car insurance in Houston, TX for a 40-year-old male driver with a clear driving record, no claims, and good financial standing. When comparing rates based on his personal risk profile, Travelers might quote the best car insurance rates in Houston at $1,323 a year. This is $581 less than the average price paid by Texas drivers of $1,904. USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Germania Mutual, and California Casualty are also included in the cheapest Houston, TX auto insurance companies.
The chart below compares rates after we give the driver in the first example a claim, a lower credit score, and a blemish on his driving record. Since every car insurance company has a different formula to determine rates, comparing rates may now show a completely different list of cheap Houston auto insurance companies as shown below.
State Farm now has the cheapest insurance rate in Houston, TX with USAA, Mercury, Nationwide, and Safe Auto now being in the top five. This example illustrates why it is important to compare lots of rates when trying to get the most affordable auto insurance quotes for good drivers. Insurance prices are determined by many different factors and can change substantially, so the best company the last time you shopped your coverage around may now not even be in the top five.