Did budget coverage turn out to be an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you many Houston consumers are in the same pinch.
Sad but true, most consumers kept buying from the same company for a minimum of four years, and just short of a majority have never compared rates with other companies. Many drivers in Texas can cut their rates by up to 70% a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they just assume it takes a lot of time to compare rate quotes. Lots of insurance companies contend to insure your vehicles, and because of this it can be hard to compare car insurance companies to find the cheapest price on Toyota Rav4 Hybrid insurance in Houston.
Buy Houston Toyota Rav4 Hybrid insurance online
The companies shown below provide comparison quotes in Texas. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you get rates from several of them to get the best price comparison.
Do you qualify for these ten discounts?
Not too many consumers would say insurance is affordable, but there could be significant discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically when you quote, but a few must be specifically requested before they will apply. If you do not double check each discount you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Distant Student – Children who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be insured at a cheaper rate.
- Discount for Multiple Policies – If you can bundle your auto and home insurance and insure them both with the same insurance company you may earn up to 20% off your total Rav4 Hybrid insurance premium.
- Low Miles Discount – Low annual miles may allow you to get lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles with one company qualifies for this discount.
- Early Payment Discounts – By making one initial payment as opposed to paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles with ABS and/or traction control can avoid accidents so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- Cautious Driver Discount – Safe drivers can save up to 40% or more on their Houston auto insurance quote than their less cautious counterparts.
- Onboard Data Collection – Policyholders that allow their insurance company to analyze driving habits through the use of a telematics system such as State Farm’s In-Drive could possibly reduce rates if they are good drivers.
- Auto/Life Discount – Larger insurance carriers have a discounted insurance rate on car insurance if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the whole policy. Most cut individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like you can get free auto insurance, you aren’t that lucky.
A partial list of companies who might offer these discounts include:
Before you buy a policy, ask each insurance company what discounts are available to you. Savings might not be available to policyholders everywhere. To see a list of providers who offer cheap Toyota Rav4 Hybrid insurance quotes in Texas, follow this link.
Independent versus exclusive insurance agencies
A small number of people still like to get advice from a local agent. Good insurance agents are very good at helping people manage risk and help submit paperwork. One of the great benefits of comparing car insurance online is you can get cheap car insurance quotes and still buy from a local agent. Buying from neighborhood agents is especially important in Houston.
For easy comparison, once you complete this quick form, your information is instantly submitted to agents in your area who want to provide quotes for your coverage. You won’t even need to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent to you instantly. If you have a need to get a price quote from a specific car insurance provider, you can always search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
The different types of car insurance agents
When researching a reliable insurance agent, there are a couple of different types of agencies and how they function. Car insurance agents are either exclusive or independent. Either type can provide car insurance policies, but it’s important to know the subtle differences because it can impact buying decisions.
Independent Car Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents in the independent channel are not locked into one company so they can insure your vehicles with a variety of different insurance companies and get the cheapest rates. If premiums increase, they simply move your policy to a different company and you can keep the same agent.
If you are trying to find cheaper rates, we highly recommend that you get quotes from several independent insurance agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.
Featured below are independent agents in Houston that may be able to give you pricing information.
Town and Country Insurance Agency – Houston, TX
10575 Katy Fwy # 150 – Houston, TX 77024 – (713) 461-8979 – View Map
Texas Insurance Agency
719 Shotwell St – Houston, TX 77026 – (713) 675-2626 – View Map
Champions Insurance Agency
15327 Gulf Fwy b – Houston, TX 77034 – (281) 484-4870 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
These type of agents can usually just insure with one company and some examples include Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot compare other company’s rates so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agents are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Houston that are able to give rate quotes.
Ricky Maique – State Farm Insurance Agent
8811 Westheimer Rd #205 – Houston, TX 77063 – (713) 781-6132 – View Map
Sean Wong – State Farm Insurance Agent
7035 Hwy 6 N – Houston, TX 77095 – (281) 550-0555 – View Map
State Farm: Jack Wallace
3405 Mercer St – Houston, TX 77027 – (713) 626-7500 – View Map
Finding a good insurance agency should depend on more than just a cheap price quote. Any agent in Houston should be willing to answer these questions.
- Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
Don’t listen to company ads
Texas drivers can’t escape the ads that promise big savings from the likes of GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. All the companies make the same claim about saving some big amount if you just switch your policy.
How does each company make the same claim? You have to listen carefully.
Companies have an ideal profile for the driver that will add to their bottom line. One example of a desirable risk may need to be over the age of 50, has no claims, and drives a vehicle with a low ISO rating. A customer getting a price quote that meets those criteria is entitled to the best price and will cut their Toyota Rav4 Hybrid insurance rates if they switch.
Potential customers who may not quite match those criteria will have to pay a higher premium which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The wording the ads use say “people that switch” not “everyone that quotes” will save that much if they switch. This is how insurance companies can advertise the savings.
Different companies use different criteria so drivers should compare price quotes frequently. It is impossible to guess with any certainty which company will have the lowest rate quotes.
What auto insurance coverages do you need?
Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy can be of help when determining the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. These are typical coverage types available from auto insurance companies.
Auto liability – This coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 30/60/25 that translate to a $30,000 limit per person for injuries, $60,000 for the entire accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged property. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) that pays claims from the same limit without having the split limit caps.
Liability insurance covers things such as loss of income, medical services, legal defense fees, pain and suffering and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Texas state minimum liability requirements are 30/60/25 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Toyota Rav4 Hybrid.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (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. Normally the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liability limits.
Comprehensive auto insurance – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like hitting a deer, rock chips in glass and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Coverage for medical expenses – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for expenses for things like hospital visits, EMT expenses, doctor visits, chiropractic care and dental work. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Collision coverages – Collision coverage covers damage to your Rav4 Hybrid from colliding with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for claims such as scraping a guard rail, driving through your garage door and hitting a mailbox. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Another option is to bump up the deductible on your Rav4 Hybrid in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Cheaper auto insurance premiums are out there
Some companies may not have online rate quotes and usually these regional insurance providers sell through local independent agents. The cheapest Toyota Rav4 Hybrid insurance in Houston can be found on the web and from local insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best rate selection.
While you’re price shopping online, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped liability coverage limits to discover at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost while still protecting your assets.
More detailed auto insurance information is available in the articles below:
- Get the Right Protection (InsureUonline.org)
- How Much are Houston Auto Insurance Rates for a Hyundai Sonata? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for 19 Year Olds in Houston? (FAQ)
- Uninsured Motorist Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)