Cheap Insurance for a Chevy Suburban in Houston

There isn’t anyone who anticipates paying for insurance, especially when they know they could find better prices if they shop around.

Remarkably, a study showed that the vast majority of insurance customers in Texas have purchased from the same company for at least four years, and practically 40% of insurance customers have never even compared quotes to find lower-cost rates. American drivers can save hundreds of dollars each year just by comparing rates, but they don’t want to take the time to compare rate quotes online.

Companies like GEICO, 21st Century and Progressive continually bombard you with advertising and consumers find it hard to ignore the flying pigs and cute green geckos and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

It’s smart to shop coverage around at least once a year because insurance prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Even if you got the lowest price on Chevy Suburban insurance in Houston two years ago you will most likely find a better rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the things you must know in order to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.

Do you qualify for discounts on Chevy Suburban insurance in Houston?

Companies offering auto insurance don’t always list the entire discount list very well, so we researched a few of the more well known and the harder-to-find credits available to bring down your rates.

• College Student – Any of your kids who are enrolled in higher education away from home and won’t have access to an insured vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
• Telematics Data Discounts – Insureds who allow their company to spy on when and where they use their vehicle through the use of a telematics system like Drivewise from Allstate or In-Drive from State Farm could save a few bucks if they show good driving skills.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts may get savings of 20% or more.
• Safety Restraint Discount – Forcing all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt can save 10% or more off the medical payments premium.
• Early Switch Discount – A few companies allow discounts for signing up prior to the expiration date on your current Suburban insurance policy. It’s a savings of about 10%.

A quick disclaimer, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.

A few of the larger companies and the discounts they provide include:

• Farm Bureau has savings for good student, 55 and retired, safe driver, youthful driver, and renewal discount.
• State Farm offers discounts for good student, multiple autos, good driver, student away at school, multiple policy, safe vehicle, and Drive Safe & Save.
• Progressive offers discounts including continuous coverage, multi-policy, online quote discount, online signing, homeowner, good student, and multi-vehicle.
• Allstate discounts include multi-policy, teenSMART discount, defensive driver, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft, safe driver, and resident student.
• Nationwide offers premium reductions for multi-policy, defensive driving, anti-theft, business or organization, and easy pay.
• MetLife includes discounts for good driver, defensive driver, multi-policy, accident-free, and claim-free.

It’s a good idea to ask each insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply in every state. For a list of insurance companies that offer discounts in Texas, click here.

The fastest way that we advise to compare policy rates for Chevy Suburban insurance in Houston is to know all the major auto insurance companies have advanced systems to give you rate quotes. To start a quote, the only thing you need to do is provide a little information like if the car is leased, deductibles desired, how you use your vehicles, and whether you are single or married. The data is instantly submitted to multiple companies and you will get price comparisons instantly to find the best rate.

To find lower cheaper Chevy Suburban insurance rates now, click here then complete the form.

The providers in the list below are our best choices to provide quotes in Houston, TX. If the list has multiple companies, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get a more complete price comparison.

Table data assumes married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Price estimates do not factor in vehicle location which can influence coverage rates greatly.

Rate comparison of full coverage and liability-only

The example below shows the comparison of Chevrolet Suburban insurance premiums with full coverage compared to only the Texas minimum liability coverage. The rate quotes are based on a clean driving record, no claims, $100 deductibles, single male driver, and no discounts are applied.

Are you wasting money paying for full coverage?

There is no definitive formula of when to phase out full coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than about 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s assume your Chevrolet Suburban replacement cost is $4,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most your company will settle for is $3,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are currently paying more than $300 a year for your policy with full coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

There are some circumstances where eliminating full coverage is not a good plan. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should keep full coverage.

Impact of speeding/accidents on auto insurance rates

The example below demonstrates how speeding tickets and fender-benders influence Chevrolet Suburban car insurance rates for different age groups. The costs are based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

Raise deductibles and save

One of the most common auto insurance questions is which comprehensive and collision deductibles to buy. The comparison tables below can help you understand the rate fluctuation of buying low and high comp and collision deductibles. The first data table uses a $250 physical damage deductible and the second price grid uses a $500 deductible.

Price data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-policy. Estimates do not factor in specific zip code location which can decrease or increase premium rates substantially.

Based on these figures, using a $250 deductible costs approximately $15 more each month or $180 every year than choosing the higher $500 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $250 more if you file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you normally go at a minimum 17 months between claims, you would probably save some money if you decide on a higher deductible.

Why Your Insurance Prices might be higher

Lots of factors are part of the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some are obvious like your driving record, but other criteria are not quite as obvious such as your credit history or how financially stable you are.

Guys tend to take more risk – Statistics have proven that females tend to be a little less risky than males. Now that doesn’t mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Men and women are in fender benders in similar percentages, but men have costlier accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also get cited for more serious violations like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving.

Decrease prices by maintaining coverage – Driving without insurance is illegal and you will pay a penalty because you let your coverage have a gap. Not only will rates go up, the inability to provide proof of insurance could result in a steep fine or even jail time. You may need to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Texas motor vehicle department.

Cars with good safety ratings cost less to insure – Cars with high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Highly rated vehicles reduce the chance of injuries and fewer injuries means less money paid by your insurance company and thus lower rates.

What type of car do you drive? – The performance level of the car, truck or SUV you are buying insurance for makes a significant difference in determining your rates. Since the Chevrolet Suburban is considered a standard SUV, insuring your vehicle will cost slightly more than the average rate where you live in Houston. Lower cost passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.

Prevent theft and save – Purchasing a vehicle with advanced anti-theft systems can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all help stop vehicle theft.

Insurance loss data for Chevy Suburban vehicles – Auto insurance companies analyze claim trends for every vehicle to calculate a rate that will offset any claims. Vehicles that statistically have higher claim amounts or frequency will have a higher cost to insure. The table below outlines the compiled insurance loss statistics for Chevy Suburban vehicles.

For each policy coverage, the claim amount for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is a value of 100. Percentages below 100 indicate a favorable loss history, while values over 100 point to more losses or a tendency for claims to be larger.

Insurance can get complicated

When it comes to choosing coverage online or from an agent, there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all type of policy. You are unique so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions might point out if you might need professional guidance.

• I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
• Should I waive the damage coverage when renting a car?
• How does medical payments coverage work?
• How do I insure my teen driver?
• Can I get a multi-policy discount?
• Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
• How high should deductibles be on a Chevy Suburban?
• Are combined or split liability limits better?

If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Buying car insurance from Houston auto insurance agents

Certain consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is a personal choice. An additional benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find cheap car insurance quotes and also buy local.

Once you complete this simple form, your coverage information gets sent to agents in your area that can give you free Houston car insurance quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You never need to even leave your home as quotes are delivered to you directly. You’ll get the best rates without having to waste a lot of time. In the event you want to get a price quote from one company in particular, just visit that company’s website and submit a quote form there.

Picking the best insurer is decision based upon more than just the quoted price. Below are some questions you should ask.

• Do you work with a CSR or direct with the agent?
• Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Houston?
• Are they actively involved in the community?
• If you raise deductibles, how much can you save?
• Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
• How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
• Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
• Which companies can they place coverage with?

Is an exclusive or independent auto insurance agent right for you?

When looking for a reputable agency, you must know there are a couple types of insurance agents that you can select. Car insurance agents in Houston are classified as either exclusive or independent.

Exclusive Car Insurance Agents

These agents can only provide pricing for a single company and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm, and AAA. They are unable to compare rates from other companies so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agents receive a lot of sales training on sales techniques which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.

Shown below is a short list of exclusive agents in Houston who may provide you with rate quotes.

More Houston agents

Independent Car Insurance Agents

These agents do not have single company limitations so they have the ability to put coverage with an assortment of companies and find you the best rates. If your premiums go up, they simply move the coverage in-house and you won’t have to switch agencies.

If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you definitely need to include rate quotes from at least one independent agent to maximize your price options.

Shown below are Houston independent insurance agents willing to provide rate quotes.

More Houston agents

Insuring your vehicle just makes sense

Even though Houston Suburban insurance rates can get expensive, maintaining insurance is required in Texas but it also protects you in many ways.

First, the majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to buy 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.

Second, if you have a loan on your vehicle, most lenders will have a requirement that you buy full coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totalled. If you let the policy lapse, the bank will be required to insure your Chevy at a more expensive rate and require you to reimburse them for it.

Third, insurance protects both your car and your assets. It also can pay for medical transport and hospital expenses incurred in an accident. One policy coverage, 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, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.

The benefits of carrying enough insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially for larger claims. The average driver in Texas is overpaying over $830 a year so compare rates every year to make sure the price is not too high.

Frequent quotes can save

When getting Houston car insurance quotes online, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many cases where an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your strategy should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

Cheaper insurance in Houston can be found both online and from local agencies, so you need to shop Houston car insurance with both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies do not offer internet price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers prefer to sell through local independent agencies.

Even more information can be read by following these links:

• Liability Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
• What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Felons in Houston? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Houston Auto Insurance Quotes for a Dodge Ram? (FAQ)
• How Much are Houston Car Insurance Quotes for Immigrants? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Houston Auto Insurance for Homeowners? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Kia Optima in Houston? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Houston Auto Insurance Rates for Unemployed Drivers? (FAQ)
• Think You’re a Safe Driver? (State Farm)
• Booster Seat Ratings (iihs.org)