Affordable Quotes for Volvo S40 Insurance in Houston

I can’t think of anyone who anticipates paying for auto insurance, particularly when they could find lower prices if they just compared rates.

Amazingly, over 70% of drivers have been with the same company for at least four years, and approximately 38% of consumers have never compared rate quotes at all. The average driver in Houston can save $1,800 each year, but they just don’t want to compare rates. Online insurance companies like GEICO and Progressive persitently shower you with advertising and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

If you have coverage now or just want cheaper rates, you can learn to lower your rates and still have adequate protection. Buying the cheapest auto insurance in Houston is quite easy if you know the best way to do it. Vehicle owners just have to use the most time-saving way to get comparison rates using one simple form.

Check for these money saving discounts

Auto insurance is easily one of your largest bills, but there’s a good chance there are discounts to cut the cost considerably. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically at quote time, but once in a while a discount must be specifically requested before being credited. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you qualify for, you could be saving more on your auto insurance.

• No Claims – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts as compared to drivers with a long claim history.
• Senior Discount – Mature drivers could receive a slight reduction on a Houston auto insurance quote.
• Own a Home – Being a homeowner can get you a discount because it means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
• Anti-lock Brake System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Include Life Insurance and Save – Not all companies offer life insurance, but some may give you better auto insurance rates if you take out life insurance from them.
• Student Discounts – Excelling in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
• New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy can get you a discount because new vehicles are generally safer.
• Discounts for Federal Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
• Organization Discounts – Belonging to qualifying employment or professional organizations can get you a small discount on your policy.
• Low Mileage Discounts – Low annual miles could qualify for lower prices due to less chance of an accident.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Even though the math looks like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way. But any discount will help lower your policy cost.

A list of auto insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are detailed below.

• Progressive discounts include multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, homeowner, online signing, and multi-policy.
• AAA has discounts for multi-car, anti-theft, pay-in-full, AAA membership discount, and good driver.
• Farmers Insurance has savings for switch companies, alternative fuel, homeowner, distant student, youthful driver, and electronic funds transfer.
• GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including federal employee, defensive driver, five-year accident-free, seat belt use, and air bags.
• Esurance may offer discounts for good student, online quote, DriveSense, claim free, anti-theft, good driver, and multi-car.
• SAFECO offers discounts for homeowner, anti-theft, drive less, accident prevention training, teen safety rewards, anti-lock brakes, and bundle discounts.
• State Farm includes discounts for student away at school, defensive driving training, multiple policy, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and good student.

Before purchasing a policy, check with every prospective company to give you their best rates. Savings might not be offered everywhere. If you would like to view insurance companies that offer multiple discounts in Texas, click here.

The companies shown below offer price comparisons in Texas. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you visit several of them to get the best price comparison.

Data assumes single female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and safe-driver. Prices do not factor in specific zip code location which can lower or raise coverage rates noticeably.

Drive safe and save

The illustration below shows how violations and fender-benders influence Volvo S40 insurance rates for different age groups. The price estimates are based on a single male driver, full coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.

Deductible analysis

One of the hardest decisions when shopping for auto insurance is how high should the physical damage deductibles be. The rates shown below summarize the differences in price when you buy lower versus higher physical damage deductibles. The first rate quote example uses a $100 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second set of rates uses a $1,000 deductible.

Data rating is based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and multi-policy. Table data does not factor in garaging location in Houston which can alter coverage prices substantially.

Based on the above data, using a $100 deductible costs an average of $43 more each month or $516 every year than choosing the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $900 more if you file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you have at least 21 months between claims, you would save more money if you choose a higher deductible.

One thing to be aware of is that raising deductibles to save money means you will have to cover more of the damage yourself when you have a physical damage claim. That will necessitate some non-essential savings in order to pay more for the deductible.

Full coverage or liability only

The information below illustrates the comparison of Volvo S40 yearly insurance costs with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The price estimates are based on a clean driving record, no claims, $100 deductibles, married male driver, and no discounts are applied.

Should you pay for full coverage or liability only?

There is no definitive formula of when to exclude physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s pretend your Volvo S40 replacement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, you would only receive $5,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying in excess of $500 annually for full coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.

There are some conditions where eliminating full coverage is not recommended. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not eliminate full coverage.

Do I just need basic coverages?

Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing insurance from an agent or online for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a perfect coverage plan. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed.
These are some specific questions might point out whether or not you may require specific advice.

• What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
• Should I buy only the required Texas minimum liability coverage?
• Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
• Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
• How can I find cheaper teen driver insurance?
• Is my custom paint covered by insurance?
• Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
• Am I covered if I hit someone who is not insured?
• Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?

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, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.

When to have guidance from an agent

Many people still prefer to go talk to an agent and that can be a smart move Most agents can help you choose the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. A good thing about comparing rates online is that drivers can save money and get lower prices but still work with a licensed agent. And buying from local agents is definitely important in Houston.

Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your information is sent to insurance agents in Houston who will give competitive quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go to you instantly. If for some reason you want to quote rates from one company in particular, don’t hesitate to visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.

Finding the right insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a cheap quote. Here are some questions you might want to ask.

• Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in Texas?
• Can you get a list of referrals?
• Where would glass claims be handled in Houston?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
• Which companies do they recommend if they are an independent agency?
• Is the agent CPCU or CIC certified?
• Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
• If you raise deductibles, how much can you save?

Compare rates regularly to save

We’ve covered some good ideas how to reduce Volvo S40 insurance rates online in Houston. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get auto insurance rates for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from an unexpected company. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.

Budget-friendly car insurance in Houston can be purchased on the web and from local agencies, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who don’t offer the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

Other learning opportunities

• What is Full Coverage? (Allstate)
• How Much are Car Insurance Rates for Inexperienced Drivers in Houston? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Houston Auto Insurance for Active Military? (FAQ)
• How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for Veterans in Houston? (FAQ)
• Vehicle Insurance in the U.S. (Wikipedia)
• Side airbags reduce rollover fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)