I really doubt anyone is fond of buying car insurance, particularly when their premiums are through the roof.
Unthinkable but true, most car insurance buyers have remained with the same car insurance company for over three years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never even compared quotes to find affordable rates. The average driver in Texas could save themselves 70% a year, but they don’t know the rate savings if they switched to a more affordable policy. Drivers have multiple insurers to choose from, and although it’s a good thing to have a selection, more options can take longer to adequately compare rates for Toyota Highlander Hybrid insurance in Houston.
It is always a good idea to do price comparisons periodically since insurance prices trend upward over time. Just because you found the lowest rates on Toyota Highlander Hybrid insurance in Houston at your last renewal you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because we’re going to show you how to use the internet to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.
All major car insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO make it easy to get insurance quotes directly from their websites. Doing online quotes for Toyota Highlander Hybrid insurance in Houston is possible for anyone because you just enter the coverage amounts you desire into the form. Upon sending the form, the company’s rating system sends out for your driving and credit reports and gives you a price quote based on the data you entered. This streamlines rate comparisons, and it is imperative to do this if you want to get a lower rate.
To save time and get comparison pricing now, take a look at the companies shown below. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you type in your coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will have comparison quotes based on similar coverages.
The companies in the list below have been selected to offer quotes in Houston, TX. If more than one company is shown, it’s a good idea that you visit as many as you can in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Houston insurance discounts for a Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Car insurance can cost a lot, but you may qualify for discounts to help bring down the price. Certain reductions will be credited when you complete an application, but some need to be specifically requested before they will apply. If you are not receiving all the discounts possible, you are just wasting money.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Multi-car Discount – Insuring more than one vehicle on the same car insurance policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Clubs and Organizations – Participating in specific professional or occupational memberships or organizations is a simple method to lower premiums on your next car insurance statement.
- Data Collection Discounts – Drivers who elect to allow companies to track driving patterns through the use of a telematics system such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate could save a few bucks if they have good driving habits.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may get savings of 25 to 30%.
- Distant College Student Discount – Older children who live away from home to go to college and do not have access to a covered vehicle could get you a discount.
Policy discounts save money, but most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though you would think you could get a free car insurance policy, it’s just not the way it works.
A list of car insurance companies and their possible discounts are outlined below.
- American Family includes discounts for TimeAway discount, accident-free, defensive driver, air bags, bundled insurance, and early bird.
- Farm Bureau offers discounts including multi-policy, multi-vehicle, youthful driver, 55 and retired, and renewal discount.
- State Farm has discounts for safe vehicle, passive restraint, defensive driving training, multiple autos, student away at school, and anti-theft.
- Travelers discounts include home ownership, IntelliDrive, hybrid/electric vehicle, driver training, and early quote.
- The Hartford offers discounts for bundle, driver training, good student, anti-theft, and air bag.
- GEICO may include discounts for anti-lock brakes, air bags, multi-vehicle, anti-theft, and defensive driver.
- Progressive has savings for online signing, multi-vehicle, good student, online quote discount, homeowner, and continuous coverage.
When getting a coverage quote, ask all companies you are considering which discounts can lower your rates. All car insurance discounts may not apply to policyholders in your area. If you would like to choose from a list of insurance companies with the best Toyota Highlander Hybrid insurance discounts in Houston, click here.
Shop online but buy locally
Many drivers still prefer to have an agent’s advice and doing so can bring peace of mind Good insurance agents are very good at helping people manage risk and will help you if you have claims. The biggest benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that you can find the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to.
Once you complete this quick form, your insurance data is submitted to local insurance agents who will give you quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t even need to contact any agents as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. If you have a need to get a rate quote from a specific auto insurance provider, feel free to go to their quote page and fill out their quote form.
Picking the best insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a cheap quote. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- Does the company have a local claim office in Houston?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
Two different types of car insurance agents
When looking for local Houston agents, there are two types of insurance agents that you can choose from. Auto insurance agencies can be described as either exclusive or independent. Both can provide auto insurance policies, but it’s a good idea to understand the subtle differences since it can affect buying decisions.
Exclusive Agencies
Exclusive agents can only provide pricing for a single company and some examples include Allstate and State Farm. They usually cannot place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. These agents are trained well on the products they sell which helps them compete with independent agents.
Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Houston that can give you rate quotes.
Armando Valdez – State Farm Insurance Agent
12941 North Fwy #608 – Houston, TX 77060 – (281) 537-7890 – View Map
Scott McNab – State Farm Insurance Agent
1005 Waugh Dr b – Houston, TX 77019 – (713) 520-5556 – View Map
Joy Knox State Farm Insurance Agency
1510 Eldridge Pkwy #108 – Houston, TX 77077 – (281) 759-4300 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be independent often have many company appointments so they can quote policies through many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to switch agencies. When comparison shopping, you should always compare quotes from independent agents in order to have the best price comparison.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agents in Houston who can help you get price quotes.
TDECU INSURANCE AGENCY, LLC
1235 N Loop W Fwy #1100 – Houston, TX 77008 – (979) 238-8283 – View Map
Baxter Insurance Agency, Inc.
450 North Sam Houston Pkwy E #103 – Houston, TX 77060 – (281) 445-1381 – View Map
Allrisc Insurance Agency
6918 Corporate Dr – Houston, TX 77036 – (713) 771-6000 – View Map
There’s no such thing as the perfect insurance policy
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing the best insurance coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Each situation is unique.
For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required Texas minimum liability coverage?
- Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- What is roadside assistance coverage?
- Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- When should I buy a commercial auto policy?
- Does coverage extend to my business vehicle?
- Are rental cars covered under my policy?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can provide invaluable advice.
Educate yourself about auto insurance coverages
Knowing the specifics of a auto insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision
Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like hitting a deer, a broken windshield and damage from getting keyed. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Medical costs insurance
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for immediate expenses like funeral costs, pain medications, nursing services, EMT expenses and X-ray expenses. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
UM/UIM Coverage
This gives you protection from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 30/60/25), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.
Liability insurance
Liability coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property that is your fault. It 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: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have limits of 30/60/25 that translate to a limit of $30,000 per injured person, a total of $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.
Liability coverage protects against things such as medical services, structural damage, emergency aid and medical expenses. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford. Texas state minimum liability requirements are 30/60/25 but you should consider buying better liability coverage.
Auto collision coverage
Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Highlander Hybrid from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers things like scraping a guard rail, damaging your car on a curb, hitting a parking meter and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible on your Highlander Hybrid to get cheaper collision coverage.
Be persistent and save
As you quote Houston auto insurance, you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at the best price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
People switch companies for a variety of reasons including delays in paying claims, poor customer service, being labeled a high risk driver and high prices. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
We just covered quite a bit of information on how to find affordable Toyota Highlander Hybrid insurance in Houston. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of getting low cost Houston auto insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with some of the smallest insurance companies.
More resources
- Electronic Stability Control FAQ (iihs.org)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Toyota RAV4 in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Hyundai Elantra in Houston? (FAQ)
- Vehicle Size and Weight FAQ (iihs.org)
- Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Does Hitting a Deer Impact Insurance Rates? (Allstate)