Do you get frustrated by the dozens of car insurance choices in Houston? Many other drivers are too. You have such a large number of options that it can easily turn into a real hassle to find the best rates for BMW X5 eDrive insurance in Houston. Everyone knows Houston is a wonderful place to live, but trying to pay high car insurance rates can make it hard for many residents to buy full coverage.
It’s astonishing, but about 70% of customers renewed their policy with the same company for at least four years, and virtually 40% of consumers have never compared car insurance rates at all. Many consumers in Texas could cut their rates by approximately $1,800 a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they don’t understand how simple it is to do a rate comparison.
Car insurance discounts help lower rates for BMW X5 eDrive insurance in Houston
Companies that sell car insurance don’t list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so below is a list both well-publicized and also the lesser-known credits available to you.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Select car insurance companies give a discount for switching to them before your current X5 eDrive insurance policy expires. It can save you around 10%.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars with ABS and/or traction control are much safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive a slight reduction on a Houston auto insurance quote.
- Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
- Multiple Vehicles – Insuring more than one vehicle with the same car insurance company could earn a price break for each car.
While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, that’s just not realistic.
If you would like to view car insurance companies with the best discounts in Texas, follow this link.
Just keep in mind that comparing a wide range of rates will increase your chances of finding the best rates. Some smaller insurers do not give online rate quotes, so it’s important to also get price quotes from the smaller companies as well.
The following companies have been selected to offer price quotes in Texas. If multiple companies are listed, it’s a good idea that you visit several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Lower Your Houston Insurance Premiums
When buying insurance it’s important to understand a few of the rating criteria that play a part in calculating your policy premiums. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in cheaper rates.
Maintain insurance coverage – Driving without insurance coverage in place can get you a ticket and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance can result in a fine, jail time, or a revoked license. Then you may be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Texas department of motor vehicles.
Where do you drive? – Driving a lot of miles annually the higher your rate. Most insurance companies calculate prices based upon how much you drive. Autos that do not get driven very much qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Improper usage on your X5 eDrive can cost quite a bit. It’s always a good idea to double check that your insurance declarations sheet correctly shows the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Higher comp and collision deductibles reduce premiums – Your deductibles state the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Physical damage protection, also called ‘full coverage’, insures against damage to your car. Examples of some claims that would be covered are rearending another vehicle, hail damage, and damage caused by road hazards. The more you have to pay, the less your insurance will be.
Insurance premiums and vehicle performance – The performance of the vehicle you are trying to find cheaper insurance for makes a substantial difference in your auto insurance rates. Since the BMW X5 eDrive falls in the crossover class, insuring your vehicle will cost slightly more as compared to the average rate in Houston. Lower performance four cylinder passenger vehicles generally receive the lowest base rates, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.
Insurance can be complex
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing insurance from an agent or online, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
For instance, these questions could help you determine if your situation may require specific advice.
- How high should deductibles be on a BMW X5 eDrive?
- When should I have rental car coverage?
- Am I covered if my car is in a flood?
- Who sells insurance for high-risk drivers?
- Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
- Does my personal policy cover me when driving out-of-state?
- What is no-fault insurance?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Car insurance is available from your local insurance agencies
Many drivers just prefer to sit down with an agent and doing so can bring peace of mind A good thing about getting free rate quotes online is you can get better rates and also buy local.
After completing this short form, your information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Houston who want to provide quotes to get your business. There is no reason to even leave your home as quotes are delivered to you directly. You can get cheaper car insurance rates without a big time investment. If for some reason you want to compare prices from a particular provider, you would need to navigate to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding the right insurer should include more criteria than just a low price. Any good agent in Houston should know the answers to these questions.
- Is the coverage adequate for your vehicle?
- Are they involved in claim handling?
- What discounts might you be missing?
- What company do they have the most business with?
- Is the agency active in community causes in Houston?
Best car insurance agent in Houston
If you prefer to buy car insurance from a local Houston insurance agency, it can be helpful to understand the different types of agencies and how they are slightly different. Car insurance agents can be described as either exclusive or independent.
Exclusive Car Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies can only provide one company’s prices like State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agents are unable to compare rates from other companies so you need to shop around if the rates are high. They are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps offset the inability to provide other markets. Many people choose to use a exclusive agent mostly because of the prominence of the brand rather than having the cheapest rates.
Listed below is a list of exclusive insurance agents in Houston that can give you rate quotes.
- Joy Knox State Farm Insurance Agency
1510 Eldridge Pkwy #108 – Houston, TX 77077 – (281) 759-4300 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Harris County Insurance Agency
13030 Woodforest Blvd b – Houston, TX 77015 – (713) 451-5716 – View Map - Diego Martinez – State Farm Insurance Agent
2575 S Dairy Ashford Rd m – Houston, TX 77077 – (281) 496-5330 – View Map
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
These type of agents are not restricted to one company and that allows them to write policies with a variety of different insurance companies and get you the best rates possible. If they find a cheaper price, your agent can switch companies and that require little work on your part. When comparing rates, you will want to contact at a minimum one independent agency for maximum quote selection. Most can insure with smaller regional carriers which could offer lower prices.
The following are independent agencies in Houston willing to provide rate quotes.
- Town and Country Insurance Agency – Houston, TX
10575 Katy Fwy # 150 – Houston, TX 77024 – (713) 461-8979 – View Map - Texas Insurance
210 W Greens Rd # B – Houston, TX 77067 – (281) 872-6100 – View Map - Allrisc Insurance Agency
6918 Corporate Dr – Houston, TX 77036 – (713) 771-6000 – View Map
Auto insurance is an important decision
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a BMW in Houston, maintaining insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
First, most states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific level of liability if you want to drive 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.
Second, if your X5 eDrive has a lien holder, almost every bank will force you to have comprehensive coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the bank will be required to insure your BMW for a much higher rate and force you to pay for it.
Third, auto insurance protects both your car and your personal assets. Insurance will pay for most medical and hospital costs for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays expenses related to your legal defense in the event you are sued. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of insuring your car are definitely more than the cost, especially if you ever need it. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is wasting up to $700 annually so you should quote your policy with other companies at every policy renewal to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Get the best coverage at the most affordable price
We just covered some good ideas how to reduce BMW X5 eDrive insurance prices online in Houston. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the lowest priced insurance comes from a small local company.
When shopping online for insurance, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced collision coverage only to regret they didn’t have enough coverage. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
Insureds leave their current company for a variety of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, denial of a claim or even delays in responding to claim requests. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching companies is actually quite simple.
Additional detailed information is located in these articles:
- Determining Your Vehicle’s Value and Repair Cost (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Camry in Houston? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for a Ford Fusion in Houston? (FAQ)
- Alcohol Impaired Driving FAQ (iihs.org)
- Auto Insurance for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)