Scraping up a payment for high-priced Chevrolet Cruze insurance in Houston can draw down your checking account and force you to make tough financial choices.
It’s amazing but a large majority of consumers renewed their policy with the same company for a minimum of four years, and approximately 38% of consumers have never compared rates from other carriers. Texas consumers could save themselves 70% a year by just comparing quotes, but most undervalue how much they could save if they just switched companies.
Due to the abundance of online and local companies to choose from, it can be challenging to choose the lowest cost car insurance company.
It’s a good idea to do rate comparisons at least once a year because insurance rates are usually higher with each renewal. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal on Chevy Cruze insurance in Houston at your last renewal there is a good chance you can find better prices now. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the right way to lower your annual insurance bill.
This article’s intent is to tell you how insurance works and how you can save the most money. If you have a current car insurance policy, you will surely be able to cut your premiums using this information. But Texas consumers should learn how big insurance companies price insurance differently and use it to find better rates.
How to compare Chevy Cruze insurance rate quotes in Houston
The are a couple different ways to compare prices from auto insurance companies in your area. The recommended way to find competitive Chevy Cruze insurance rates consists of obtaining rate quotes online.
Doing price comparisons online is so simple that it makes it obsolete to drive around to insurance agents’ offices. The fact that you can get quotes online makes this unnecessary unless you require the guidance that only an agent can give. It is possible with some companies compare online quotes but purchase the actual policy in an agency.
Just remember that quoting more gives you a better chance of getting lower pricing. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide online Houston Cruze insurance quotes, so it’s important to compare quotes on coverage from those companies, too.
The auto insurance companies shown below provide free rate quotes in Texas. If the list has multiple companies, we recommend you visit several of them in order to find the most affordable rates.
Choosing Chevy Cruze insurance is an important decision
Despite the potentially high cost of Chevy Cruze insurance, auto insurance serves an important purpose.
First, almost all states have minimum liability requirements which means the state requires specific limits of liability insurance coverage in order to license the vehicle. In Texas these limits are 30/60/25 which means you must have $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if you have a loan on your vehicle, most banks will require you to carry insurance to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may buy a policy for your Chevy at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over for the much more expensive policy.
Third, auto insurance preserves both your Chevy and your personal assets. Insurance will pay for hospital and medical expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability insurance will also pay to defend you if you are sued as the result of your driving. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of buying enough insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially when you need to use it. According to a recent study, the average American driver is currently overpaying as much as $800 each year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison once a year at a minimum to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Why Your Insurance Prices might be higher
Many different elements are taken into consideration when you quote your car insurance policy. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving history, although some other factors are more transparent like your vehicle usage or how safe your car is. Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that are used to determine the level of your policy premiums. If you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables you to make decisions that will entitle you to big savings.
- Insure your auto and home with one company – Many insurers apply lower prices to policyholders that purchase more than one policy. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. The amount of the discounts can be as much as ten percent or more Even if you already get this discount, consumers should still compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still be able to find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
- Protect yourself with liability protection – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance provides coverage in the event that you are ruled to be at fault for damages caused by your negligence. It will provide for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.
- Always have car insurance – Driving your car without having proper coverage is a misdemeanor and companies may charge more for letting your coverage lapse. In addition to paying higher rates, failure to provide proof of insurance may result in a revoked license or a big fine.
- Tough employer may mean higher rates – Do you work in a high-stress field? Occupational choices like doctors, executives and accountants have higher premium rates due to intense work situations and lots of time spent away from family. Other careers like actors, athletes and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
- Careless drivers pay higher premiums – Just one ticket may cause rates to rise substantially. Careful drivers tend to pay less for car insurance as compared to those with violations. Drivers unfortunate enough to have license-revoking tickets like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find that they have to to complete a SR-22 with their state’s licensing department in order to prevent a license revocation.
- Chevy Cruze insurance claim data – Car insurance companies analyze historical claim data to help calculate premium rates. Models that the data determines to have higher claim frequency or loss amount will be charged more to insure. The next table shows the loss history for Chevy Cruze vehicles.
For each coverage category, the statistical loss for all vehicles, without regard to make or model, is set at 100. Numbers shown that are under 100 represent a good loss history, while values that are 100 or greater show a trend for more claims or statistically larger losses.
Chevrolet Cruze Insurance Claim Statistics
Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Chevrolet Cruze 96 132 87 136 153 152 Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Auto insurance rates and discounts
Auto insurance is not inexpensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available to reduce the price significantly. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you get a quote, but some discounts are required to be specifically requested before you will receive the discount.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS braking systems or traction control can stop better under adverse conditions and the ABS can save up to 10%.
- Defensive Driver – Completing a class that teaches driver safety techniques could possibly earn you a 5% discount and also improve your driving technique.
- Life Insurance Discount – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a lower rate if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying a policy with primary and secondary vehicles on the same auto insurance policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Discount for Swiching Early – A few companies allow discounts for switching policies prior to the expiration date on your current Cruze insurance policy. You may see this discount when you get Houston car insurance quotes online.
- Student Discount for Driver Training – Teen drivers should enroll and complete driver’s education as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
- New Vehicle Savings – Buying a new car model can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles keep occupants safer.
- No Claims – Drivers with accident-free driving histories get the best auto insurance rates when compared with frequent claim filers.
- Anti-theft System – Cars and trucks optioned with advanced anti-theft systems help deter theft so companies will give you a small discount.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of 25 to 30%.
Discounts save money, but please remember that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don’t profit that way.
Car insurance companies that may include these money-saving discounts include:
Before buying, ask all companies you are considering which credits you are entitled to. A few discounts may not apply to policies in Houston. To find providers with significant discounts in Texas, click here.
Which is the best car insurance?
When it comes to choosing coverage for your vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and your car insurance should unique, too.
For instance, these questions could help you determine whether or not you may require specific advice.
- Why do I need rental car insurance?
- Am I covered if hit by an uninsured driver?
- Is my trailer covered?
- What does medical payments cover?
- Where can I find high-risk insurance?
- Do I need an umbrella policy?
- Is other people’s property covered if stolen from my vehicle?
- Should I pay a claim out-of-pocket?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Car insurance agents are professional risk managers
A lot of people just prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and often times that is recommended The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is that you can find the lowest rates and still buy from a local agent. Buying from and supporting small agencies is important particularly in Houston.
After filling out this short form, the coverage information is emailed to participating agents in Houston who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You never need to search for an agent as quotes are delivered instantly to you. You can find lower rates without requiring a lot of work. If you have a need to get a price quote from one company in particular, don’t hesitate to find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.
If you’re trying to find a local Houston insurance agent, there are two types of insurance agents and how they can write your policy. Insurance agents can be classified as either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies and find the cheapest rate. If premiums increase, your policy is moved internally which is easy for the insured. When comparing rate quotes, we recommend you get several quotes from several independent agencies in order to have the best price comparison.
Featured below is a small list of independent insurance agencies in Houston who may be able to give you rate quotes.
Moon Insurance Agency
360 FM 1959 – Houston, TX 77034 – (281) 484-8320 – View Map
R.Y.A. Insurance Agency, Inc.
12155 Jones Rd #300 – Houston, TX 77070 – (281) 469-6286 – View Map
Texas Insurance Agency
719 Shotwell St – Houston, TX 77026 – (713) 675-2626 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be exclusive can only provide one company’s prices like Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They are unable to provide rate quotes from other companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents are highly trained on their company’s products and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.
Below is a short list of exclusive agencies in Houston willing to provide comparison quotes.
Felicia Boudreaux – State Farm Insurance Agent
14901 TX-249 #105 – Houston, TX 77086 – (713) 464-2077 – View Map
James Banks – State Farm Insurance Agent
4809 Main St – Houston, TX 77002 – (713) 523-7100 – View Map
Lucrecia Jasminoy – State Farm Insurance Agent
223 Cavalcade St – Houston, TX 77009 – (713) 884-1442 – View Map
Choosing an auto insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price quote. Some important questions to ask are:
- Is auto insurance their primary focus in Houston?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- What discounts might you be missing?
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- Does the agency have a current Errors and Omissions policy?
Upon getting good answers and inexpensive Chevrolet Cruze insurance in Houston quotes, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that is reputable and can insure your vehicles.
How much can you save?
We just presented many ideas to shop for Chevy Cruze insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding cheaper Houston car insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with a smaller regional carrier. They may have significantly lower prices on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as GEICO and State Farm.
When you buy Houston car insurance online, it’s a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
Some insurance companies may not provide online quoting and these small insurance companies work with independent agents. Cheaper auto insurance in Houston can be found on the web and from local agencies, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture.
More information is available below:
- Understanding your Policy (NAIC.org)
- How Much is Car Insurance for a Ford Fusion in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance After a Speeding Ticket in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Houston Car Insurance Rates for a Ford F-150? (FAQ)
- How Much are Houston Auto Insurance Rates for a Hyundai Sonata? (FAQ)
- Air Bags: Potential Dangers to Your Children (Insurance Information Institute)
- Rearview cameras reduce backing crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)