Can anyone tell me what steps to take to get a lower rate on my Dallas auto insurance rates? I have two cars, both about 5 years old and nothing too fancy, both are American made in good shape and reliable.

Cheryl

Dallas, TX

Answer: Hi Cheryl, you will be happy to know that there are tons of options available to you get help you reduce your current auto insurance premiums. Dallas Texas is a great place to live in terms of negotiating a lower rate and getting better coverage. Do you quality for any of these discount opportunities?

1. Are you in the military or retired military

2. Are you member of a credit union or other large organization like a teachers labor union?

3. Are you a student with good grades

4. Do you have good credit, increasing your credit score can improve your chances of a better auto insurance rate.

5. Are you an AARP member or senior citizen

6. Can you combine your other insurance products into one? Combine home and auto together will reduce your rates generally

7. Are you a good driver, safe drivers obviously will get lower rates

9 .Do you only use your vehicle for driving short distances, like just to go to work. This is called “limited use”.

10. Are you married, make sure your agent knows if you are. Your rates are likely to decrease by getting hitched.

The internet makes things so easy these days, so my recommendation is to start online and compare rates there. Some websites offer multiple rate comparisons at the same time. This is very helpful and will show you very easily and quickly the differences in coverages and costs. I would also recommend you do not use your home phone number or your main email address when you fill out the quote form just so you don’t get hassled with phone and email solicitations.

Increasing your deductible amount is probably the single biggest factor in lowering your rate. Carry a deductible as high as a $1,000 if you can, you will see a dramatic savings over the years. Remember you only pay the deductible amount when you file a claim AND your insurance carrier is responsible for paying out the claim. If you get into an accident and the other driver is responsible, you do not pay a deductible.

If you are a good driver with a clean driving record, you should have nothing to worry about and will enjoy the huge savings on your annual premiums. If you are a high risk driver….you might want to start putting some extra money aside to cover your deductible amount when the time comes.

There is one site that I highly recommend to get a rate quote, and it was the easiest and fastest I found on the Internet….so you might want to try it out for yourself. The economy is tough, but that does not mean you have to pay more than you should, and good chance that is what you have been doing.

By: Shay West

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Read below to identify possible discounts that could help you save on auto insurance this year. Other than discounts, there may be some other ways for you to save on your insurance premiums. We will go over several discounts that can help with your current situation.

First, there are discounts for Auto Safety features. Certain states will give you discounts for anti-lock breaks. Make sure you know if it is two or four wheel anti-lock break vehicle. Automatic seatbelts and airbags are frequently discounted on your insurance premiums. In most states, a defensive driver class discount may apply. If the principal driver usually 55 years old or older has completed an approved defensive driving class a discount could apply. Keep in mind that most states will only approve this class if it is voluntary meaning that it was not the result of a violation or infraction.

Some insurers will give you a discount for having multiple vehicles. In some cases, this will only apply if you have two or more drivers. If you have a clean driving record, meaning you do not have any tickets, accidents or suspensions in the last three years (some companies require five years) then you could be eligible for a safe driver’s discount.

Many companies will reward you with staying with the same insurance company for many years without any accidents reported. They will offer you a renewal discount. It makes sense, you have carried insurance with a company for several years, and have not had an accident, your insurance company likes you and wants to reward and keep your business. Some companies honor you with a discount if you had prior limits on your previous policy. They discount you because they understand you are a better risk.

Conversely, if you do decided to change insurers a proof of prior insurance discount may apply. Most insurers request at least 6 months of consecutive insurance from the previous insurer. If you are a full-time student who meets certain grade requirements and are unmarried and usually under 25 years of age (some states the age is 21) you could be eligible for a good student discount. If you own a home, including condominium, town home, or mobile home, which is used as a principal residence, a discount could apply. Military personnel either currently active or retired from any branch of the US military a discount could apply. If your vehicle is equipped with an anti-theft device, a discount could apply.

You could lower the cost of your insurance in other ways. For people who own older cars, it may not be necessary or cost-effective to protect them with collision and comprehensive coverage. By comparing the book value of your vehicle and the premium that the insurer has offered, you may find that it cost as much for the insurance as it does for the vehicle. If the car is worth less than $2,000, you will probably spend more insuring it than it is worth. The whole idea of driving an older car is to save money, so why not get what is coming to you.

In addition, keep in mind that the type of vehicle you buy could greatly affect your premium. A flashy red sports car is usually going to cost more to insure than a mid sized sedan. This is also true of vehicles that are on the list of most stolen. There are many ways that policyholders can save on their insurance. Knowing more about auto policies and premiums can help consumers take advantage of less obvious discounts while ensuring that they have the appropriate protection for their vehicles. The last way to save is to assume more risk. If you chose higher deductible on your Personal Injury Protection or Comprehensive and collision coverage will lower your premium as well. The deductible is the amount of money you have to pay before your insurance company begins paying the rest.

Understanding how discounts affect your insurance rates is important to save you money.

By: John Tahan

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Senior drivers looking to lower their premiums on auto insurance should review their policies taking the following considerations into mind.

* Driver classification – Commonly described as automobile usage, a driver classification specifically defines the type and amount the auto will be used by the insured senior driver. Types of usage include “to and from work” or “pleasure only.” A senior’s driver classification may also take into account the decreases in mileage annually. Some seniors use their vehicle only on special occasion, which could result in further rate decreases. A senior looking for lower auto insurance rates should make sure the carrier is aware of the actual vehicle usage, and that this factor is being taken into account in the rate calculations.

* Drivers history – Auto insurance carriers in Texas use these three major indicators in underwriting policies and determining rates. It is recommended that all Senior drivers make their driver’s history as “clean” as possible. One should contest all moving violations when possible, and cover others with defensive driving courses.

* Claims history – A Senior’s claims history carries significant weight as well. The Texas Department of Insurance requires carriers to record all claims reported to them by the insured. With this in mind, it is important to understand that when contacting an insurance representative, one should specify whenever the call is for information only. Otherwise, it may be recorded a filed claim, thereby affecting your claims history and possibly rates.

* Financial score – Senior drivers should do whatever they can to improve their financial score when looking for low auto insurance rates. Stability and debt ratio are major factors that carriers take into account when underwriting a Senior’s policy. Seniors that have reduced their financial obligations should make sure their financial scores reflect this, and alert their insurance agents whenever such information has changed.

As with all types of insurance, seniors should feel that their carrier’s representative is willing and able to take the time needed to discuss and adjust the auto insurance policy to their clients benefit. George White understand the importance many seniors place upon the ability to contact a human being that can give them the personal time and attention they need to feel confident and secure about the auto insurance policy they receive. For this reason, George White will make sure to speak with you on an individual basis about your policy, and how lower rates may be attained. If he cannot offer you the lowest possible rate or the best policy appropriate to your situation, he will refer you to someone who can!

Give George White a call today toll free at 866-663-5262 to learn more about how you can lower your auto insurance rates by getting the type of coverage that is right for you!

By: G. M. White

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Now, in the computer age, auto insurance companies have large databases of accident and claims records. By number-crunching these records they can tell what type of person is more likely to be a good driver and what type of person is more likely to be an accident risk. This ‘Black Box’ technology gives them insights into the background and behavior of the people who they think should pay more for their auto insurance. For example, people who carry minimum limits of liability are actually a greater risk than those who carry at least 50/100 ($50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident). And statistics have shown that those with bad credit scores are more likely to be involved in accidents.

In Texas, the minimum liability limit on auto insurance is 20/40. Yep. $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident. Not much is it? And if that weren’t bad enough, the minimum property damage is $15,000. Guess who makes up the difference if you’re in an accident that’s your fault?

In most states, auto insurance is regulated by the state. But that is only the beginning. The state uses tables of ‘loss ratios’, exposure, and other conjuring words, to justify what the auto insurance companies want you to pay. Every once in a while, just to throw you off, they will even announce a state-wide REDUCTION in auto rates. When they do, hold onto your wallet!

After the state sets the base rate, the individual companies negotiate with them to adjust their particular rates, claiming either a better or worse loss ratio than average. So, after the elections are over, the legislature allows exceptions, amendments, and endorsements to jack them back up to something the auto insurance companies can make a ton of money from.

And there’s more. Most states allow individual companies to set their own rules to determine who gets charged what. So, one auto insurance company rates a particular driver one way, while another company rates the same driver differently. Each company sets those underwriting rules.

So how are auto insurance rates determined? First, the state usually gets involved. Then companies toss the dice between staying competitive and making as much profit as they can for their stockholders. And finally, now that the ‘Black Box’ is here, auto insurance companies are taking a closer look at every driver. Career, credit score, past record, even the city you live in helps ‘drive’ the rates. They have even found that those who select low limits of liability are greater risks than those who select higher limits. So, by raising your liability limits, you may actually lower your auto insurance rate.

For some, the new ‘Black Box’ technology reduces rates by as much as 20% over those companies not using it. The bad news is, since credit scoring does play a part in ALL auto insurance rating, the worse your credit score, the higher your auto insurance will go. No more ‘discounts’, no more ‘loyal customer’ credits, and the like. You will be rated right down to your underwear, placed in a group of drivers almost identical to you, and charged accordingly.

By: Gillian Gunner

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