Having to pay for expensive auto insurance in Houston can draw down your family’s budget and make it hard to pay other bills. Performing a price comparison can be a smart way to tighten up your finances.
Unthinkable but true, nearly 70% of consumers renewed their policy with the same company for over three years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never compared quotes from other companies. Drivers in America could save themselves roughly 47% a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they feel it’s too difficult to compare rates and save money. Companies like State Farm and GEICO all claim big savings, bombarding you with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
If you already have coverage or need a new policy, you can follow these tips to lower your rates without reducing protection. Finding the cheapest auto insurance coverage in Houston is actually quite easy if you know where to start. Drivers just need to use the fastest way to compare rates instantly.
Car insurance providers offering competitive prices in Texas
The providers in the list below have been selected to offer price comparisons in Houston, TX. If the list has multiple companies, we recommend you get prices from several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Score discounts on Houston car insurance
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you might be missing out on some discounts that you may not even be aware of. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at quote time, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for before being credited. If you’re not getting every credit available, you are just wasting money.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for more than one vehicle with one company could earn a price break for each car.
- Paper-free Discount – Some of the larger companies will give you a small discount for buying your policy on their website.
- Senior Discount – Seniors may receive a small discount on rates.
- Home Ownership Discount – Simply owning a home can save you money because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
- Data Collection Discounts – Insureds who allow their insurance company to scrutinize driving manner by installing a telematics device such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate may get a rate reduction if their driving habits are good.
A quick disclaimer, most discount credits are not given to the whole policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though the math looks like all the discounts add up to a free policy, nobody gets a free ride. Any amount of discount will reduce the cost of your policy.
To see insurers who offer cheap Honda CR-Z insurance quotes in Houston in Texas, follow this link.
Auto insurance is available from your local insurance agencies
Many drivers prefer to go talk to an agent and often times that is recommended Agents can help you choose the best coverages and help file insurance claims. One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is you can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, your information is sent to insurance agents in Houston who want to provide quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to even leave your home since rate quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. If you have a need to get a rate quote from a specific company, just search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
Finding the right insurer requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. The following questions are important to ask.
- Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in Houston?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Can you choose the body shop in case repairs are needed?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Houston?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
If you want a reliable insurance agent, it helps to know the two different types of agents and how they work. Auto insurance agents in Houston can be categorized as either exclusive agents or independent agents. Both can insure your vehicles, but it’s a good idea to understand why they differ since it may influence the selection process.
Exclusive Agencies
These type of agents can only write with one company like State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agents cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so they have to upsell other benefits. They are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive agencies in Houston who may provide you with price quote information.
Anna Santa Ana – State Farm Insurance Agent
7710 Cherry Park Dr d – Houston, TX 77095 – (281) 550-0333 – View Map
Donald Malveaux – State Farm Insurance Agent
12001 Richmond Ave #6 – Houston, TX 77082 – (281) 679-7155 – View Map
State Farm: Al Johnson
8121 Broadway St #230 – Houston, TX 77061 – (281) 481-5778 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be independent are not restricted to one company and that allows them to write policies through many companies and get the cheapest rates. If they quote lower rates, they simply move the coverage in-house and you won’t have to switch agencies. If you need lower rates, you definitely need to compare prices from a few independent agents to have the most options to choose from.
Listed below are independent insurance agents in Houston willing to provide rate quotes.
Hispanos Insurance Agency
8624 Long Point Rd – Houston, TX 77055 – (713) 827-1277 – View Map
Craig Insurance Agency
1020 Bay Area Blvd # 100 – Houston, TX 77058 – (281) 488-2733 – View Map
Texas Prime Insurance Agency, LLC
6750 West Loop S #430 – Bellaire, TX 77401 – (713) 750-9000 – View Map
Auto insurance coverage basics
Learning about specific coverages of your policy aids in choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Listed below are typical coverages available from auto insurance companies.
Liability car insurance
Liability coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see policy limits of 30/60/25 which means $30,000 bodily injury coverage, $60,000 for the entire accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers things such as loss of income, pain and suffering and bail bonds. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. Texas state minimum liability requirements are 30/60/25 but you should think about purchasing more liability than the minimum.
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision
This coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as damage from flooding, fire damage, damage from getting keyed and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum amount your auto insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Collision insurance
This will pay to fix damage to your CR-Z caused by collision with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for things such as driving through your garage door, sustaining damage from a pot hole, rolling your car and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. Another option is to raise the deductible on your CR-Z to save money on collision insurance.
UM/UIM Coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Honda CR-Z.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law (Texas limits are 30/60/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Medical costs insurance
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for short-term medical expenses such as dental work, nursing services, doctor visits and X-ray expenses. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
In the end, you can save money
The cheapest Honda CR-Z insurance in Houston can be sourced from both online companies and with local Houston insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. A few companies may not offer price quotes online and these small, regional companies sell through independent agencies.
While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your objective should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
We covered some good ideas how to save on Honda CR-Z insurance in Houston. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get premium rates for, the better chance you’ll have of finding cheaper Houston auto insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the best price on car insurance is with the least-expected company. Some small companies can often provide lower premium rates in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
Helpful information
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- How Much is Car Insurance for Good Drivers in Houston? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for Veterans in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Houston Auto Insurance Quotes for Real Estate Agents? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with Bad Credit in Houston? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a GMC Sierra in Houston? (FAQ)
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)
- New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)