Wish you could get out of overpriced Toyota Yaris insurance in Houston? Don’t feel bad because you’re not alone.
It’s amazing but the vast majority of consumers renewed their policy with the same company for at least four years, and approximately 38% of consumers have never even shopped around for affordable coverage. Many consumers in Texas can cut their rates by approximately 70% a year just by shopping around, but they just assume it takes a lot of time to compare rate quotes.
Multiple car insurance companies compete for your business, so it can be very hard to choose a insurance company and get the definite lowest rate possible on Toyota Yaris insurance in Houston.
Consumers need to compare premium rates before your next renewal since insurance rates are usually higher with each renewal. Just because you found the lowest rate on Toyota Yaris insurance in Houston a year ago you can probably find a better price now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the things you must know in order to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.
If you already have coverage, you will surely be able to reduce premiums using these methods. Finding the cheapest coverage in Houston can be easy if you know a few tricks. But Texas vehicle owners need to have an understanding of the way companies determine what you pay.
Get Cheap Insurance Costs by Understanding These Factors
The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at some of the factors that help determine your policy premiums. If you have a feel for what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings. Lots of things are used when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are obvious like a motor vehicle report, but other criteria are less apparent such as your credit history or your financial responsibility.
How much liability insurance – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance will provide protection if you are found to be at fault for physical damage or personal injury to other. It will provide you with a defense in court which can cost a lot. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
Good drivers have lower prices – Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Only having one ticket can boost insurance rates substantially. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates as compared to careless drivers. Drivers unfortunate enough to have severe violations like reckless driving or DUI may face state-mandated requirements to file a SR-22 with their state’s licensing department in order to continue driving.
Multiple policies with one company – Lots of insurance companies will give better rates to policyholders that have more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you qualify for this discount already, it’s always a smart idea to compare other Houston Yaris insurance rates to help guarantee you have the best rates.
Credit history impacts premium premiums – Credit score factor in your rate calculation. People that have excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with lower credit ratings. So if your credit can be improved, you could be paying less to insure your Toyota Yaris by improving your credit score.
Annual mileage and car insurance costs – The higher the miles on your Toyota annually the more it will cost to insure it. The majority of insurers calculate rates based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks that do not get driven very much can get a lower rate than those that get driven frequently. Ask your agent if your policy correctly shows annual mileage, because improper ratings can cost you money. Incorrect rating for your Yaris can cost quite a bit.
The type of car you drive affects your costs – The performance level of the car or truck you are insuring makes a substantial difference in your premium level. The lowest premiums are for economy passenger vehicles, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors. Because the Toyota Yaris is a compact car, insuring your vehicle will cost the same to a little lower than the average rate where you live in Houston.
Get cheaper premiums if you’re married – Your spouse may cut your premiums on your auto insurance bill. Having a spouse usually means you are more stable financially and insurance companies like that married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
Toyota Yaris claim data – Insurance companies use claims history to calculate a rate that offsets possible losses. Vehicles that the data shows to have a higher amount or frequency of claims will cost more to insure. The next table shows the historical loss data for Toyota Yaris vehicles.
For each policy coverage, the statistical loss for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is represented as 100. Numbers under 100 are indicative of better than average losses, while values that are above 100 indicate more frequent losses or an increased chance of a larger loss.
Toyota Yaris Insurance Claim Statistics
Specific Toyota Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toyota Yaris | 94 | 88 | 92 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
The are a couple different ways to compare quotes from many insurance companies in Texas. The easiest way by far to comparison shop is to get quotes online.
Comparing free rate quotes online is easy and it, makes it obsolete to drive around to each insurance agency near you. Quoting Toyota Yaris insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless your situation requires the professional advice of a local agency. Drivers can comparison shop your insurance online and get advice from an agent in your area.
When price shopping your coverage, comparing more rates from different companies provides better odds of finding the best rates.
The following companies offer price quotes in Houston, TX. If more than one company is shown, we suggest you click on several of them in order to find the most competitive rates.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yaris 2-Dr Hatchback | $220 | $492 | $404 | $24 | $122 | $1,262 | $105 |
Yaris 4-Dr Hatchback | $274 | $670 | $496 | $30 | $148 | $1,618 | $135 |
Yaris 4-Dr Sedan | $246 | $560 | $496 | $30 | $148 | $1,480 | $123 |
Yaris S 2-Dr Hatchback | $156 | $322 | $486 | $28 | $146 | $1,138 | $95 |
Yaris S 4-Dr Hatchback | $206 | $392 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,182 | $99 |
Yaris S 4-Dr Sedan | $176 | $306 | $388 | $24 | $116 | $1,010 | $84 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Premium data assumes married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, and claim-free. Information does not factor in specific Houston garaging location which can modify coverage rates noticeably.
Should you buy full coverage?
The diagram below illustrates the comparison of Toyota Yaris premium costs with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The costs are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, single female driver, and no discounts are factored in.
When to drop comp and collision
There is no written rule of when to eliminate full coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is 10% or more of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Toyota Yaris replacement cost is $7,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most your company will settle for is $6,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are currently paying more than $600 annually to have full coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
There are a few cases where buying only liability insurance is not advised. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should keep full coverage in place.
Toyota Yaris insurance rates by gender
The diagram below compares Toyota Yaris auto insurance costs for male and female drivers. The data is based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, full coverage, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no other discounts are factored in.
Three reasons to not skimp on auto insurance
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Toyota in Houston, auto insurance serves several important purposes.
First, the majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a minimum amount of liability insurance in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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 bought your Yaris with a loan, almost all lenders will make it a condition of the loan that you have insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank may buy a policy for your Toyota for a lot more money and require you to fork over the higher premium.
Third, insurance protects both your assets and your vehicle. It also can pay for hospital and medical expenses incurred in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you are sued as the result of your driving. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, your policy will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of buying enough insurance more than cancel out the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. Unknowingly, the average driver overpays as much as $825 a year so smart consumers compare quotes once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are competitive.
Verify you’re earning every discount
Insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but there are discounts available to help offset the cost. A few discounts will be applied at quote time, but a few must be asked for in order for you to get them.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
- Senior Discount – Mature drivers can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
- Distant Student – Any of your kids who are enrolled in higher education away from home without a vehicle on campus can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS and/or traction control prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Federal Government Employee – Having worked for a branch of the government could qualify for a slight premium decrease depending on your insurance provider.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the whole policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates you could get a free insurance policy, it just doesn’t work that way.
A few popular companies and their possible discounts include:
- Farm Bureau discounts include youthful driver, safe driver, 55 and retired, good student, multi-policy, driver training, and multi-vehicle.
- MetLife may offer discounts for defensive driver, good driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and good student.
- Progressive may have discounts that include homeowner, good student, online signing, multi-vehicle, and continuous coverage.
- AAA offers discounts including anti-theft, good student, pay-in-full, good driver, education and occupation, and multi-car.
- American Family may include discounts for TimeAway discount, bundled insurance, good driver, early bird, multi-vehicle, air bags, and mySafetyValet.
- GEICO has discounts for driver training, anti-theft, seat belt use, defensive driver, and multi-vehicle.
- State Farm has savings for accident-free, Drive Safe & Save, defensive driving training, student away at school, passive restraint, and multiple policy.
If you want affordable Houston auto insurance quotes, ask each company or agent to apply every possible discount. Some discounts listed above may not apply in your state. If you would like to see a list of providers that offer many of these discounts in Houston, click here.
Car insurance agents near you
Many drivers just prefer to go talk to an agent and that can be a great decision The best thing about getting online price quotes is that you can obtain better rates but still work with a licensed agent.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is submitted to companies in Houston that can provide free Houston auto insurance quotes for your coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to visit any agencies since rate quotes are delivered instantly to you. You’ll get the best rates without a big time investment. If for some reason you want to quote rates from one company in particular, you just need to go to their quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding a good insurance company is decision based upon more than just the bottom line cost. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
- Does the company have a local claim office in Houston?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
When narrowing the list to find a local agent, you should know the different types of agents and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Houston are considered either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
These type of agents work for only one company and some examples include Allstate, State Farm and Farm Bureau. They are unable to shop your coverage around so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive agencies are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates.
The following is a list of exclusive agents in Houston willing to provide price quote information.
Ricky Maique – State Farm Insurance Agent
8811 Westheimer Rd #205 – Houston, TX 77063 – (713) 781-6132 – View Map
Lucrecia Jasminoy – State Farm Insurance Agent
223 Cavalcade St – Houston, TX 77009 – (713) 884-1442 – View Map
Ben Speer – State Farm Insurance Agent
1110 E NASA Pkwy Ste 300 – Houston, TX 77058 – (281) 204-8282 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
These agents can quote rates with many companies so they can quote policies with a variety of different insurance companies and find the cheapest auto insurance rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply switch companies in-house and you don’t have to do anything.
If you need cheaper auto insurance rates, it’s recommended you compare prices from several independent insurance agents in order to compare the most rates.
Shown below is a list of independent agents in Houston that are able to give comparison quotes.
Memorial Insurance Agency, LLC
13624 Memorial Dr – Houston, TX 77079 – (713) 461-8272 – View Map
Suzanne Brown Agency-Insurance
11999 Katy Fwy #635 – Houston, TX 77079 – (281) 558-2210 – View Map
Pasadena Insurance Agency, Inc.
99 Detering St #280 – Houston, TX 77007 – (713) 869-6991 – View Map
Smart consumers save more
We covered a lot of ways to compare Toyota Yaris insurance car insurance rates in Houston. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the biggest savings come from an unexpected company. They can often provide lower premium rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
Some insurance providers may not have online quoting and most of the time these regional insurance providers work with independent insurance agencies. Low-cost Toyota Yaris insurance in Houston can be bought both online as well as from independent agents in Houston, and you should compare rates from both to have the best rate selection.
As you quote Houston auto insurance, never buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The aim is to buy enough coverage at the best possible price and still be able to protect your assets.
To read more, feel free to browse these articles:
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much is Car Insurance for Good Drivers in Houston? (FAQ)
- How Much are Houston Car Insurance Rates for Lyft Drivers? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Felons in Houston? (FAQ)
- Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Where can I buy Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)