Wish you could get out of an expensive insurance policy? Say no more because you’re not the only one.
A study showed that almost 70% of insureds have stayed with the same insurance company for four years or more, and 38% of drivers have never compared rates with other companies. Texas insurance shoppers could save an average of $1,770 each year by just comparing rate quotes, but they just don’t understand the amount of savings they would get if they switched to a more affordable policy.
With so many online and local companies to choose from, it’s nearly impossible to locate the most affordable insurance company.
You should make it a habit to quote other rates before your next renewal because prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Even if you got the best price on Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance in Houston six months ago there may be better deals available now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about insurance because you’re about to learn the tricks you need to know to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.
Comparison shopping for the cheapest coverage in Houston is not that difficult. Just about every vehicle owner who shops for car insurance should find better rates. Although Texas consumers can benefit from knowing the methods companies use to market insurance on the web and apply this information to your search.
Car insurance policy discounts you can’t miss
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you can get discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but once in a while a discount must be asked for in order for you to get them.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles can qualify you for slightly better rates than normal.
- New Vehicle Savings – Buying a new car instead of a used Optima Plug-In Hybrid can save you some money because new vehicles keep occupants safer.
- Telematics Devices – Policyholders that allow data collection to monitor where and when they drive by using a telematic data system such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate could possibly reduce rates if they are good drivers.
- Switch and Save Discount – A few larger companies allow discounts for switching policies prior to your current Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance policy expiring. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags can qualify for discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
- Clubs and Organizations – Being in specific professional or occupational memberships or organizations could qualify you for a break on car insurance.
- Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. The discount lasts up to age 25.
- Bundle and Save – If you have multiple policies and insure them with the same company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
- Safety Course Discount – Taking a safe driver course is a good idea and can lower rates depending on where you live.
- Anti-theft System – Cars and trucks equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems are stolen with less frequency and will save you 10% or more on Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance in Houston.
Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Despite the appearance that adding up those discounts means a free policy, you aren’t that lucky. But all discounts will reduce your overall premium however.
The best car insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are detailed below.
- GEICO includes discounts for air bags, driver training, seat belt use, anti-theft, five-year accident-free, defensive driver, and membership and employees.
- MetLife may have discounts that include defensive driver, claim-free, multi-policy, good student, and good driver.
- State Farm has discounts for multiple policy, safe vehicle, multiple autos, passive restraint, and student away at school.
- Progressive offers discounts including multi-policy, good student, continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, and online quote discount.
- Mercury Insurance offers premium reductions for good driver, professional/association, multi-policy, low natural disaster claims, good student, accident-free, and location of vehicle.
- 21st Century discounts include automatic seat belts, student driver, driver training, teen driver, and early bird.
- Allstate may include discounts for resident student, farm vehicle, premier discount, premier plus, defensive driver, and passive restraint.
When quoting, ask each company which discounts you may be entitled to. All car insurance discounts may not apply to policies in every state. For a list of providers with the best Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance discounts in Houston, click here.
Most companies provide coverage prices direct online. Comparing prices online for Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance in Houston is pretty painless as you simply enter the coverage amounts you desire on the page. After the form is submitted, the quote system orders your driving record and credit report and quotes a price based on many factors. This makes it simple to compare prices and it’s absolutely necessary to do this in order to find the lowest payment.
If you want to get comparison pricing now, check out the insurance providers below. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you enter the insurance coverages as close as possible to your current policy. Doing this assures you’re receiving rate quotes using the exact same coverages.
The following companies are ready to provide free rate quotes in Houston, TX. If the list has multiple companies, we recommend you click on several of them to find the cheapest car insurance rates.
Find Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid Insurance for Less
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that are used to determine your premiums. When consumers understand what controls the rates you pay, this helps enable you to make changes that could help you find lower premium levels. Many factors are used when premium rates are determined. Some are obvious such as traffic violations, although some other factors are less obvious like where you live or your financial responsibility.
More people means more accidents – Being located in a rural area is a positive aspect when trying to find low car insurance rates. Urban drivers tend to have more road rage incidents and more severe claims. Less people living in that area means less chance of accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates.
How many miles do you drive? – Driving a lot of miles each year the more you will pay for insurance. Many insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage determined by how the vehicle is used. Autos left parked in the garage can be on a lower rate level than those used for commuting. Having the wrong rating on your Optima Plug-In Hybrid is just wasting money. Double check that your policy is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
Insurance policy lapses lead to higher rates – Driving your car without having proper coverage can get your license suspended and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage cancel without a new policy in place. In addition to paying higher rates, not being able to provide proof of insurance may result in fines or a revoked license.
Drivers with responsible credit save – An insured’s credit history is a large factor in determining premium rates. Therefore, if your credit leaves room for improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid by taking the time to improve your credit score. People that have very good credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with lower ratings.
Driving citations can be expensive – Having a clean driving record impacts premiums far more than you think. Having just one ticket can increase the cost of insurance by as much as twenty percent. Attentive drivers get better prices than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who have multiple citations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive a vehicle.
Cars with good safety ratings cost less to insure – Safer cars tend to have lower insurance rates. The safest vehicles reduce the chance of injuries and lower rates of occupant injuries translates directly to fewer claims and cheaper rates on your policy.
Insurance agencies can help
Some consumers just want to go talk to an agent and that is not a bad decision The biggest benefit of getting free rate quotes online is the fact that drivers can get cheap rate quotes and still have a local agent. Putting coverage with local agencies is especially important in Houston.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, the coverage information is immediately sent to insurance agents in Houston who will gladly provide quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to contact an agency as quotes are delivered directly to you. You can get cheaper car insurance rates and a licensed agent to talk to. If for some reason you want to get a rate quote for a specific company, don’t hesitate to find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.
If you would like to find local Houston agents, there are two different agency structures that you can select. Car insurance agencies may be either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Independent Agents
Independent insurance agents are not limited to a single company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. If premiums increase, they simply switch companies in-house which is easy for the insured.
When shopping rates, you will definitely want to include rate quotes from a few independent agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.
Featured below is a partial list of independent agents in Houston that can possibly get you comparison quotes.
ProTECH Insurance Agency, Inc.
#100, 3120 SW Freeway Service Rd – Houston, TX 77098 – (713) 520-1090 – View Map
Gem Insurance Agencies
3355 W Alabama St #850 – Houston, TX 77098 – (713) 622-2330 – View Map
R.Y.A. Insurance Agency, Inc.
12155 Jones Rd #300 – Houston, TX 77070 – (281) 469-6286 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
These type of agents can only quote rates from one company such as Allstate and State Farm. These agents are unable to compare rates from other companies so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Shown below are Houston exclusive insurance agents that are able to give comparison quotes.
Anna Santa Ana – State Farm Insurance Agent
7710 Cherry Park Dr d – Houston, TX 77095 – (281) 550-0333 – View Map
Bob Goodwin – State Farm Insurance Agent
1616 Clear Lake City Blvd #107 – Houston, TX 77062 – (281) 486-9100 – View Map
Linda Tuck – State Farm Insurance Agent
2402 Bay Area Blvd g – Houston, TX 77058 – (281) 488-9050 – View Map
Choosing the best insurance agent requires more thought than just a cheap quote. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- How often do they review coverages?
- Do they offer rental car reimbursement?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
Auto insurance in Texas serves several purposes
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid in Houston, auto insurance is required by state law in Texas and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
- Most states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires specific minimum amounts of liability 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.
- If your Optima Plug-In Hybrid has a loan, almost all lenders will make it a condition of the loan that you buy full coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If the policy lapses, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Kia at a more expensive rate and force you to pay for the expensive policy.
- Insurance protects both your Kia and your assets. It also can pay for medical expenses that are the result of an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers legal expenses if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of insuring your Optima Plug-In Hybrid more than cancel out the cost, especially if you ever need it. But the average driver in Texas is currently overpaying as much as $869 every year so compare quotes from several companies at every policy renewal to make sure the price is not too high.
Compare but don’t skimp
We just covered some good ideas how to reduce Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid insurance car insurance rates online in Houston. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the biggest savings come from a small mutual company. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
When you buy Houston auto insurance online, never buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to find out that it was a big error on their part. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
Additional learning opportunities
- Event Data Recorders FAQ (iihs.org)
- How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for Business Use in Houston? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for Safe Drivers in Houston? (FAQ)
- Understanding Your Insurance Deductible (Insurance Information Institute)
- Rental Car Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Institute)
- Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- Protecting Teens from Drunk Driving (Insurance Information Institute)