Save Money on Pontiac Vibe Insurance in Houston

Trying to come up with a payment for overpriced insurance can diminish your budget and force you to cut corners elsewhere. Price shopping at each renewal is a fast and free way to slash your bill and have more diposable income.

Unbelievably, most insurance buyers in Texas have been with the same company for over three years, and 38% of customers have never compared rates from other carriers. Many drivers in the United States could save an average of 47% each year just by getting comparison quotes, but most undervalue the large savings they would see if they bought a different policy. Due to the increasing number of online and local companies to choose from, it’s difficult to find the lowest price insurance company.

Finding more affordable Houston auto insurance rates doesn’t have to be difficult. The only requirement is to invest a little time to compare rates provided by online insurance companies.

Getting rates online is very simple and it makes it obsolete to drive around to different Houston agent offices. The internet makes this unnecessary unless you prefer the personal advice of a licensed agent. It is possible to comparison shop your insurance online and have a local agent actually service the policy.

The companies shown below are ready to provide quotes in Texas. If more than one company is shown, we suggest you get rates from several of them to get the cheapest price.

Data based on married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and claim-free. Estimates do not factor in specific zip code location which can lower or raise insurance rates noticeably.

Full coverage versus liability-only in Houston

The information below visualizes the comparison of Pontiac Vibe car insurance rates with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. The premium estimates are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, married female driver, and no additional discounts are factored in.

When to buy liability coverage only

There is no specific rule for dropping comp and collision coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than around 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s assume your Pontiac Vibe book value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would get paid by your company is $7,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are paying in excess of $700 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.

There are some scenarios where dropping physical damage coverage is not a good idea. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not buy liability only.

Males versus Females

The information below illustrates the comparison of Pontiac Vibe insurance prices for male and female drivers. The premiums are based on no violations or accidents, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are applied.

Here’s why insurance is not optional

Despite the potentially high cost of Pontiac Vibe insurance, insuring your vehicle is required for several reasons.

First, the majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability insurance coverage if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 took out a loan on your Vibe, almost every bank will stipulate that you buy full coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Pontiac at an extremely high rate and force you to pay for the much more expensive policy.

Third, insurance preserves both your assets and your car. It will also pay for all forms of medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability coverage will also pay to defend you if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your insurance policy will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.

The benefits of carrying adequate insurance more than cancel out the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer overpays more than $825 a year so you should quote your policy with other companies each time the policy renews to be sure current rates are still competitive.

Cut Insurance Costs with These Tips

Many different elements are part of the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Most are fairly basic such as your driving history, although others are more obscure such as your marital status or your commute time. One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of some of the things that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. When you understand what influences your rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get lower premium levels.

• Premiums are lower the older you get – Older, more experienced drivers are more responsible, file fewer claims, and are generally more financially stable.Youthful drivers are statistically proven to get distracted easily when driving with friends so they pay higher auto insurance rates.
• Reduce rates by driving vehicles with better crash test results – Safe vehicles cost less to insure. Safer cars help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and lower rates of occupant injuries means less claims paid passed on to you as lower rates. If your Pontiac Vibe has at least four stars on Safercar.gov you may qualify for a discount.
• Rental and towing coverage may not be needed – Policies have additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t diligent. Things like coverage for rental cars, high-cost glass coverage, and additional equipment coverage could be just wasting money. They may seem like a good idea when buying your policy, but your needs may have changed so consider taking them off your policy.
• Marriage discount – Your spouse may cut your premiums on your auto insurance bill. Having a significant other generally demonstrates drivers are less irresponsible and statistics prove drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
• Allowing your coverage to lapse raises premiums – Letting your insurance expire can be a quick way to trigger a rate increase. Not only will you pay higher rates, the inability to provide proof of insurance might get you a license revocation or jail time. You could then be forced to file a SR-22 with the Texas motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.

Affordable Houston car insurance rates with discounts

Companies don’t necessarily list every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down some of the best known and the more hidden discounts that you may qualify for. If you don’t get every credit you qualify for, you could be paying more than you need to.

• Anti-theft Discount – Cars optioned with advanced anti-theft systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• No Accidents – Houston drivers who stay claim-free have much lower rates when compared to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
• Paperwork-free – Some of the larger companies provide a small discount for buying your policy on the web.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS and/or traction control prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags could see savings of more than 20%.
• Drive Safe and Save – Safe drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
• Safety Restraint Discount – Forcing all vehicle occupants to buckle their seat belts can save a little off the medical payments premium.
• Multiple Cars – Drivers who insure primary and secondary vehicles with the same company qualifies for this discount.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying in monthly installments you may have a lower total premium amount.
• Lower Rates for Military – Being on active deployment in the military could be rewarded with lower car insurance rates.

Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.

To view insurance companies offering car insurance discounts in Texas, click this link.

When to talk to an insurance agency

A lot of people would prefer to go talk to an agent and doing that can be a smart decision Licensed agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help submit paperwork. One of the benefits of comparing rates online is the fact that drivers can get cheap auto insurance rates but also keep your business local.

Once you complete this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents who will give you quotes to get your business. You won’t need to search for any insurance agencies because prices are sent straight to your inbox. If you need to get a rate quote from a specific company, you just need to find their quoting web page and complete a quote there.

Picking the best insurer should depend on more than just the premium amount. These are some questions your agent should answer.

• Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
• Will the quote change when the policy is issued?
• How long has their agency been open in Houston?
• Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• Is the agent properly licensed in Texas?

If you are wanting to find an insurance agent, it can be helpful to understand the different agency structures and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are classified as either independent or exclusive. Either one can write auto insurance policies, but it is important to understand how they differ because it can influence which agent you choose.

Exclusive Agencies

Exclusive agencies can only provide pricing for a single company and some examples include AAA, Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers Insurance. These agents are not able to shop your coverage around so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive agents receive a lot of sales training on their products and sales techniques which aids in selling service over price.

The following is a short list of exclusive agents in Houston who may provide you with price quote information.

More Houston agents

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent agents do not have single company limitations and that is an advantage because they can write policies through lots of different companies and find the cheapest rate. If they quote lower rates, your policy is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing rate quotes, we highly recommend that you get several quotes from multiple independent agents to get the most accurate price comparison.

Shown below are Houston independent agencies that can give you price quotes.

More Houston agents

Don’t give up on cheaper rates

When buying insurance coverage, never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many cases, an insured cut liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price, but do not skimp to save money.

We covered many ideas to get a better price on Pontiac Vibe insurance in Houston. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get prices for, the better your chances of lowering your prices. Consumers may even find the lowest priced car insurance comes from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate or State Farm.

Much more information about car insurance in Texas can be found at the links below

• Dangers of fake or stolen airbags (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• Who Has the Cheapest Houston Car Insurance for Single Moms? (FAQ)
• How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for High Mileage Drivers in Houston? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Teenage Males in Houston? (FAQ)
• How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for Business Use in Houston? (FAQ)
• How Much are Houston Car Insurance Quotes for Immigrants? (FAQ)
• Understanding Limits and Deductibles (Allstate)
• Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)