Best Insurance for a Subaru Tribeca in Houston

Wish you could get out of an overpriced auto insurance policy? Say no more because there are many people just like you.

It’s hard to fathom, but about 70% of customers have bought auto insurance from the same company for four years or more, and nearly the majority have never quoted rates to find cheap coverage. Consumers in Houston could pocket as much as 70% a year, but they won’t spend time to compare other rate quotes.

Insurance companies such as Progressive, State Farm and GEICO promote their brand names with advertising and it is difficult to ignore the propaganda and take the time to shop coverage around.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to get lower rates using these methods. Locating the best insurance company for you in Houston is quite easy if you know the best way to do it. Nevertheless, Texas consumers should learn how the larger insurance companies price online insurance and take advantage of how the system works.

When comparison shopping, obtaining a wide range of quotes will enable you to find a lower rate.

The companies shown below have been selected to offer price comparisons in Texas. If more than one company is shown, it’s highly recommended you compare several of them to get a more complete price comparison.

Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Rates do not factor in your specific Houston location which can decrease or increase premiums substantially.

Gender differences in auto insurance premiums

The diagram below illustrates the comparison of Subaru Tribeca insurance premiums for male and female drivers. The rates are based on no claims or driving citations, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Rate difference between full and liability-only coverage

The example below illustrates the difference between Subaru Tribeca insurance rates with and without physical damage coverage. The data is based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, single male driver, and no discounts are applied.

Guidelines for dropping full coverage

There is no definitive formula of when to drop full coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is about 10% or more of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s assume your Subaru Tribeca book value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company would pay you is $8,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are paying over $800 a year for full coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.

There are some circumstances where eliminating full coverage is not recommended. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should keep full coverage.

Insurance buyers beware

Respected companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive consistently run ads on TV and radio. All the ads tend to make the same promise that drivers will save a bundle if you move your insurance coverage to their company. It sounds good, but how can they all have lower policy pricing? This is the trick they use.

Most companies have specific characteristics for the type of insured that earns them the most money. One example of this type of risk profile could possibly be over the age of 35, has no claims, and has a high credit rating. Anyone that matches those criteria is entitled to the best price and most likely will save some money.

People who fall short of these standards will probably be forced to pay a more expensive rate and the customer buying from a different company. If you pay attention, the ads say “drivers that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save money. That’s why companies can advertise the savings. This really drives home the point why drivers should do a rate comparison at every renewal. Because without a comparison, you cannot know with any certainty which company will provide you with the cheapest Subaru Tribeca insurance in Houston.

Three reasons to not skimp on insurance

Despite the high insurance cost for a Subaru Tribeca in Houston, maintaining insurance is required in Texas but it also protects you in many ways.

• Almost all states have minimum liability requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a minimum amount of liability insurance in order to be legal. 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 Tribeca with a loan, almost every bank will require that you buy full coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank may buy a policy for your Subaru at a significantly higher premium and force you to reimburse them the higher premium.
• Insurance preserves both your Subaru and your assets. It will also reimburse you for many types of medical costs for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability insurance will also pay to defend you if you cause an accident and are sued. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your insurance policy will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.

The benefits of having insurance outweigh the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer overpays as much as $855 a year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison each time the policy renews to ensure rates are competitive.

Save with these ten discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don’t always list every discount available very well, so the following list contains both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Houston car insurance online.

• Sign Early and Save – A few larger companies give discounts for switching policies early. It could save around 10% when you buy Houston car insurance online.
• Professional Organizations – Participating in a civic or occupational organization in Houston can get you a small discount on your policy.
• Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one is not really a discount per se, but some insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums if your claims history is clear for a specific time period.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Not all insurance companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a lower premium rate if you buy auto and life insurance together.
• Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on a single policy could earn a price break for each car.
• Federal Employees – Federal government employees could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
• Accident Free – Insureds with no claims or accidents can save substantially as compared to accident-prone drivers.
• Theft Deterrent – Cars and trucks equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently so companies will give you a small discount.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies and insure them with the same company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
• Defensive Driving Course – Completing a class that teaches safe driver techniques could earn you a small percentage discount and easily pay for the cost of the class.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business. But all discounts will definitely lower your policy premium.

Car insurance companies that possibly offer most of these discounts are:

• State Farm
• GEICO
• Progressive
• 21st Century
• American Family
• The Hartford
• AAA

It’s a good idea to ask each insurance company what discounts are available to you. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered on policies in your state. To find insurers that offer discounts in Houston, click here.

Get rate quotes but work with a local Houston insurance agent

Many drivers still prefer to visit with an insurance agent and doing so can bring peace of mind An additional benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get cheap rate quotes and also buy local.

To find an agent, once you fill out this simple form, the quote information is sent to companies in Houston that can provide free Houston car insurance quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to leave your house since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. You can find better rates without a big time investment. If you have a need to compare prices for a specific company, don’t hesitate to go to their quote page and complete a quote there.

Choosing the best insurer requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. These are valid questions to ask:

• How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
• Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
• Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
• By raising physical damage deductibles, how much would you save?
• What insurance companies do they work with in Houston?
• Where are claims handled?

What types of car insurance agents are in Houston?

If you would like to find a local Houston insurance agency, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents that you can choose from. Insurance agencies in Houston can be described as either independent or exclusive.

Exclusive Agencies

These agents are contracted to one company and some examples include American Family, State Farm, and AAA. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agencies receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques which aids in selling service over price.

Shown below are Houston exclusive agencies who can help you get price quote information.

More insurance agents

Independent Insurance Agents

These type of agents can sell policies from many different companies and that gives them the ability to insure with any number of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If premiums increase, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing insurance rates, it’s a good idea to include rate quotes from at least one independent agent so that you can do a thorough price comparison.

Below are Houston independent insurance agencies willing to provide rate quotes.

More insurance agents

After talking to the agent and getting positive feedback to all your questions as well as a price you’re happy with, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that is professional and can service your policy.

Different people need different car insurance coverages

Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing a policy, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. You are unique and your policy should reflect that.
Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

• Do I need special coverage while pulling a rented trailer?
• When should I not buy collision coverage?
• Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
• Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
• How can I force my company to pay a claim?
• Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?

If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

The coverage is in the details

Knowing the specifics of insurance aids in choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find the usual coverages found on the average insurance policy.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

This coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Subaru Tribeca.

Due to the fact that many Texas drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (Texas limits are 30/60/25), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important.

Auto collision coverage

Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision insurance covers things such as damaging your car on a curb, colliding with another moving vehicle, sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a building and rolling your car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Another option is to raise the deductible on your Tribeca to get cheaper collision coverage.

Medical expense insurance

Med pay and PIP coverage pay for short-term medical expenses for things like chiropractic care, surgery, dental work and prosthetic devices. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Liability insurance

This coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see values of 30/60/25 that translate to $30,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $60,000, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.

Liability coverage protects against claims such as court costs, pain and suffering and legal defense fees. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible. Texas state law requires minimum liability limits of 30/60/25 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like vandalism, hail damage and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

In Summary

We just showed you a lot of ways to compare Subaru Tribeca insurance premium rates in Houston. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from the smaller companies. Regional companies may have significantly lower prices on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many cases, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, but do not skimp to save money.

There are still a few companies who do not offer rates over the internet and most of the time these small, regional companies work with local independent agents. Budget-conscious Subaru Tribeca insurance can be purchased online and with local Houston insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both to have the best rate selection.

More information is located at the links below

• Child Safety FAQ (iihs.org)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for 19 Year Olds in Houston? (FAQ)
• How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with Bad Credit in Houston? (FAQ)
• Teen Driving and Texting (State Farm)
• Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)
• Teen Driving Statistics (iihs.org)