It’s hard to believe, but the vast majority of consumers in Texas kept their coverage with the same auto insurance company for over three years, and virtually 40% of consumers have never even compared rates from other companies. American insurance shoppers could cut their rates by almost 46.5% a year by just comparing quotes, but most just don’t grasp the big savings they would realize if they changed companies.
If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to get the cheapest car insurance rates is to begin comparing prices regularly from insurance carriers that sell auto insurance in Corpus Christi. Drivers can shop around by following these steps.
- Step 1: Spend a few minutes and learn about auto insurance and the steps you can take to keep rates down. Many rating criteria that cause high rates like speeding tickets, careless driving and an unacceptable credit score can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Step 2: Compare price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only quote rates from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote rates from multiple sources.
- Step 3: Compare the new rates to the premium of your current policy to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you find a lower rate quote, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Give notification to your agent or company of your intention to cancel the current policy. Submit a down payment and signed policy application for the new coverage. Don’t forget to store the certificate verifying proof of insurance in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
The critical component of shopping around is to try to compare identical limits and deductibles on each quote and and to get rates from all possible companies. This enables the most accurate price comparison and a good representation of prices.
Shopping for more affordable policy in Corpus Christi is easy to do. Practically every car owner who shops around for car insurance will probably find a cheaper policy. Nevertheless, Texas drivers benefit from understanding the methods companies use to set your policy premium because it can help you find the best coverage.
Auto insurance coverages
Knowing the specifics of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find typical coverages offered by auto insurance companies.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for short-term medical expenses for things like ambulance fees, doctor visits, funeral costs, prosthetic devices and rehabilitation expenses. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to you and your occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Lexus RX 400h.
Due to the fact that many Texas drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (30/60/25), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Most of the time these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Comprehensive auto coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like damage from getting keyed, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hail damage and vandalism. The maximum amount your auto insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Collision – This coverage covers damage to your RX 400h caused by collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage protects against things such as crashing into a ditch, driving through your garage door, colliding with a tree, crashing into a building and rolling your car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to increase the deductible on your RX 400h in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Coverage for liability – This can cover damage that occurs to other’s property or people that is your fault. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show limits of 30/60/25 which means a $30,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $60,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Occasionally you may see a combined limit that pays claims from the same limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as legal defense fees, emergency aid, medical services, structural damage and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford. Texas state law requires minimum liability limits of 30/60/25 but you should consider buying better liability coverage.
The chart below demonstrates why buying the state minimum limits may not provide you with enough coverage.
Cheaper insurance rates are available
When shopping online for insurance, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where an insured dropped physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the lowest possible cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
You just learned a lot of ways to save on Lexus RX 400h insurance in Corpus Christi. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote Corpus Christi car insurance, the higher your chance of finding affordable Corpus Christi car insurance quotes. You may even find the lowest rates come from a small mutual company. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like State Farm and Allstate.
More resources
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for High Risk Drivers in Corpus Christi? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Unemployed Drivers in Corpus Christi? (FAQ)
- What does Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Cover? (Allstate)
- Electronic Stability Control FAQ (iihs.org)
- Comprehensive Coverage (Liberty Mutual)