Cheap Quotes for Toyota Tacoma Insurance in Houston

If you’re trying to find cheaper insurance online, are you intimidated by the number of insurance sources in your area? Vehicle owners have such a vast assortment of sources available that it can easily become a burden to compare insurance rates on Toyota Tacoma insurance. Houston is an awesome place to live, but expensive premiums for insurance can make it hard for many residents to purchase enough protection.

Regrettably, almost 70% of insureds renewed their policy with the same company for at least the last four years, and virtually 40% of consumers have never even compared quotes to find cheaper rates. The average driver in Texas could save almost $1,766 each year, but they just don’t understand how easy it is to find cheaper rates by getting comparison quotes.

Consumers need to check insurance prices before your policy renews because insurance prices fluctuate regularly. Just because you had the lowest rate on Toyota Tacoma insurance in Houston on your last policy the chances are good that you can find a lower premium rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about insurance because I’m going to teach you the things you must know in order to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

If you are already insured, you should be able to find better prices using the ideas covered in this article. Our objective in writing this article is to help you learn the best methods to compare rates and also pocket some savings But Texas consumers can benefit by having an understanding of how insurance companies market on the web because it can help you find the best coverage.

It’s important to know that comparing more rates from different companies helps increase your odds of locating the best price.

The following companies are ready to provide quotes in Houston, TX. If multiple companies are shown, we recommend you visit as many as you can in order to get a fair rate comparison.

Data variables include single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, and claim-free. Premium costs do not factor in specific location information which can modify coverage rates significantly.

An analysis of deductible level

The hardest decision when buying coverage is how low should you set your deductibles. The figures shown below may help to illustrate the cost difference when you buy lower versus higher physical damage coverage deductibles. The first rate table uses a $100 deductible for comp and collision and the second pricing table uses a $1,000 deductible.

Table data represents married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, and claim-free. Rate quotes do not factor in vehicle garaging location which can alter premiums substantially.

Based on these figures, using a $100 deductible will cost in the ballpark of $38 more each month or $456 a year than opting for the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $900 more to file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you average more than 24 months between claim filings, you would most likely save money if you elect the higher deductible. The numbers below show how you can decide this on your own policy.

Does full coverage make sense?

The chart below illustrates the comparison of Toyota Tacoma car insurance rates when comparing full coverage to liability only. The premiums assume a clean driving record, no claims, $250 deductibles, single female driver, and no other discounts are factored in.

When to drop full coverage

There is no set guideline for phasing out comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s say your Toyota Tacoma replacement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most you would receive is $8,000 after paying your deductible. If you are currently paying more than $800 a year to have full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

There are some circumstances where removing full coverage is not advised. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest in the vehicle. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not buy liability only.

Protect more than your vehicle

Despite the high insurance cost for a Toyota Tacoma in Houston, paying for car insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.

• Most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific level of liability in order to drive the car legally. 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 you bought your Toyota Tacoma with a loan, most lenders will require that you have insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If the policy lapses, the lender may insure your Toyota at a much higher premium rate and force you to pay the higher price.
• Insurance safeguards not only your vehicle but also your financial assets. It will also provide coverage for many types of medical costs incurred in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay for a defense attorney if you cause an accident and are sued. If you have damage to your Toyota as the result of the weather or an accident, your policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.

The benefits of buying enough insurance outweigh the cost, especially with large liability claims. As of last year, the average driver in Texas is overpaying over $825 a year so it’s important to compare rates at least once a year to make sure the price is not too high.

Discounts mean cheaper rates for Toyota Tacoma insurance in Houston

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there may be some discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Certain reductions will be credited when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for before being credited.

• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS braking systems or traction control have fewer accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Theft Deterrent – Cars and trucks equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and that can save you a little bit as well.
• Resident Student – College-age children who are enrolled in higher education away from home and do not have a car could get you a discount.
• Discount for Low Mileage – Low annual miles may allow you to get substantially lower premium rates.
• Telematics Data – Drivers that enable driving data collection to look at driving habits through the use of a telematics system like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot could possibly reduce rates if they show good driving skills.

Policy discounts save money, but most discount credits are not given to the whole policy. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Despite the fact that it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn’t quite work that way.

Popular insurance companies and a selection of discounts are outlined below.

• State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including student away at school, defensive driving training, multiple policy, multiple autos, good student, and good driver.
• Farmers Insurance offers discounts for early shopping, multi-car, good student, alternative fuel, mature driver, and electronic funds transfer.
• Progressive has discounts for multi-vehicle, good student, online quote discount, continuous coverage, homeowner, and multi-policy.
• GEICO may offer discounts for five-year accident-free, membership and employees, anti-theft, air bags, and seat belt use.
• Auto-Owners Insurance may have discounts that include air bags, paperless, company car, mature driver, and group or association.
• The Hartford offers premium reductions for good student, anti-theft, bundle, defensive driver, driver training, and air bag.
• Farm Bureau offers discounts including good student, multi-policy, youthful driver, safe driver, multi-vehicle, and 55 and retired.
• USAA includes discounts for vehicle storage, safe driver, driver training, annual mileage, multi-policy, and new vehicle.

When getting a coverage quote, ask all companies you are considering the best way to save money. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered on policies in Houston.

Compare prices but work with a local Houston insurance agency

Certain consumers would rather sit down with an agent and that can be a great decision A nice benefit of comparing rate quotes online is the fact that you can find cheaper rates but also keep your business local. Buying insurance from local insurance agents is especially important in Houston.

Once you complete this simple form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to agents in your area that can give you free Houston auto insurance quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You won’t even need to contact any insurance agencies since rate quotes are delivered instantly to you. You can find better rates AND an agent nearby. If you have a need to quote rates from a specific insurance company, you would need to find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.

If you prefer to buy auto insurance from a local Houston insurance agency, it’s important to understand the types of insurance agents and how they work. Auto insurance agents are categorized either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent agents are not locked into one company and that allows them to write policies with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. If they find a lower price, they simply switch companies in-house which requires no work on your part. When comparing rates, we recommend you include price quotes from several independent agencies to have the most options to choose from. Many can place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which can save you money.

Listed below is a small list of independent insurance agencies in Houston that may be able to give you price quotes.

• Jason Jimenez Insurance Agency
  8323 Southwest Fwy #390 – Houston, TX 77074 – (713) 270-0073 – View Map
• Texas Prime Insurance Agency, LLC
  6750 West Loop S #430 – Bellaire, TX 77401 – (713) 750-9000 – View Map
• Texas General Insurance Agency
  2500 West Loop S #210 – Houston, TX 77027 – (713) 622-5977 – View Map

View more Houston agents

Exclusive Insurance Agencies

Exclusive insurance agents write business for a single company such as State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. These agents are not able to provide rate quotes from other companies so always compare other rates. They are very knowledgeable on the products they sell and that allows them to sell at a higher price point. A lot of people buy insurance from these agents primarily because of the brand legacy rather than having low rates.

Shown below are Houston exclusive agencies willing to provide price quotes.

• Donald Malveaux – State Farm Insurance Agent
  12001 Richmond Ave #6 – Houston, TX 77082 – (281) 679-7155 – View Map
• Armando Valdez – State Farm Insurance Agent
  12941 North Fwy #608 – Houston, TX 77060 – (281) 537-7890 – View Map
• Ricky Maique – State Farm Insurance Agent
  8811 Westheimer Rd #205 – Houston, TX 77063 – (713) 781-6132 – View Map

View more Houston agents

Choosing the best car insurance agent is decision based upon more than just the price. You should also get answers to these questions.

• Is the agency active in community causes in Houston?
• Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
• Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents in Houston?
• What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
• If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
• How are they compensated?

More effort can pay off

We’ve covered quite a bit of information on how to find cheaper Toyota Tacoma insurance in Houston. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced insurance comes from some of the lesser-known companies.

Consumers who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as delays in responding to claim requests, policy cancellation, delays in paying claims or poor customer service. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new company is less work than it seems.

There are still a few companies who may not offer the ability to get quotes online and many times these small, regional companies work with local independent agencies. Lower-priced Toyota Tacoma insurance in Houston is attainable from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Houston, so compare prices from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from.

Additional information can be found below:

• Speed and Speed Limit FAQ (iihs.org)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Camry in Houston? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Houston Car Insurance Rates for a Ford F-150? (FAQ)
• How do I File a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Eight Auto Insurance Myths (Insurance Information Institute)
• Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)