Amazingly, most insurance customers have remained with the same insurance company for at least four years, and nearly half have never taken the time to shop around. Texas drivers can save hundreds of dollars each year, but they don’t understand how simple it is to compare rates.
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to get the cheapest auto insurance rates in Corpus Christi is to compare prices once a year from different companies who provide auto insurance in Texas. Prices can be compared by following these guidelines.
- First, get a basic knowledge of how companies price auto insurance and the measures you can control to drop your rates. Many rating criteria that result in higher rates like your driving record and an imperfect credit history can be rectified by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
- Second, request rate estimates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agencies can provide price quotes for a wide range of companies.
- Third, compare the new rates to your existing rates to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you can save money and make a switch, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Fourth, give proper notification to your current agent or company to cancel your current policy and submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to the new company. Be sure to put the new certificate verifying proof of insurance in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
One tip to remember is that you use the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote and to quote with as many companies as feasibly possible. Doing this ensures a level playing field and a complete rate analysis.
If you have coverage now or just want to reduce your rates, you can use these techniques to find the best rates and still get good coverage. The intent of this article is to help you learn how car insurance companies work and also save some money in the process Drivers just have to understand the tricks to shop for auto insurance online from multiple companies.
Take policy discounts and save on Scion tC insurance in Corpus Christi
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but there are discounts available that may help make it more affordable. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you complete an application, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about prior to receiving the credit.
- Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a small discount if you purchase a life policy as well.
- Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit could qualify you for better insurance rates.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts may qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Accident Waiver – Not necessarily a discount, but a handful of insurance companies permit an accident before they charge you more for coverage so long as you are claim-free prior to the accident.
- Drivers Education – Require your teen driver to enroll and complete driver’s education as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies and insure them both with the same insurance company you will save at least 10% off all policies.
- Paper-free Discount – Certain insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks get Corpus Christi auto insurance on their website.
- College Student – Older children who are enrolled in higher education away from home without a vehicle on campus may be able to be covered for less.
- Senior Discount – Seniors may receive better insurance rates.
Just know that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. If you do the math and it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy. But all discounts will cut your premiums.
The example below visualizes the comparison of Scion tC insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The premium estimates are based on a female driver, no claims, a clean driving record, Texas state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, multi-car, homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-policy discounts applied.
A list of insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are shown below.
- State Farm has discounts for multiple policy, safe vehicle, accident-free, driver’s education, and passive restraint.
- American Family discounts include good student, accident-free, Steer into Savings, air bags, and mySafetyValet.
- GEICO includes discounts for driver training, anti-theft, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, seat belt use, daytime running lights, and military active duty.
- 21st Century may offer discounts for theft prevention, 55 and older, driver training, anti-lock brakes, student driver, and early bird.
- Progressive has savings for homeowner, good student, multi-policy, online quote discount, continuous coverage, and online signing.
Check with all companies you are considering which discounts you may be entitled to. Depending on the company, some discounts may not be available in Corpus Christi. To find insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts in Texas, click here to view.
Finding a better price on car insurance is an easy way to save money. Consumers just need to take the time to compare rate quotes to discover which company has inexpensive Corpus Christi auto insurance quotes.
The companies shown below offer price quotes in Corpus Christi, TX. In order to find cheap auto insurance in Corpus Christi, it’s highly recommended you get rate quotes from several of them to find the cheapest car insurance rates.
Rates and detailed analysis
The table below showcases different insurance premium costs for Scion tC models. Understanding more about how prices are calculated can be of help when making informed decisions.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TC 2-Dr Hatchback | $234 | $624 | $576 | $34 | $172 | $1,640 | $137 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Cost estimates assume single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in zip code location which can affect auto insurance rates significantly.
Comparison of policy deductibles
One frequently asked question is how high should the deductibles for physical damage be. The rates shown below sum up the difference in cost between low and high comp and collision deductibles. The first pricing table uses a $250 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second rate table uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TC 2-Dr Hatchback | $294 | $672 | $476 | $28 | $142 | $1,637 | $136 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TC 2-Dr Hatchback | $240 | $542 | $476 | $28 | $142 | $1,428 | $119 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Above prices assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Rate information does not factor in garaging location in Corpus Christi which can raise or lower prices greatly.
Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $250 deductible costs an average of $17 more each month or $204 annually than opting for the higher $500 deductible. Since you would have to pay $250 more if you file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you average at least 15 months between claim filings, you would come out ahead by going with a higher deductible.
The chart below shows how different deductible levels and can influence Scion tC insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The information is based on a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Car insurance premiums based on gender
The illustration below illustrates the difference between Scion tC auto insurance rates for male and female drivers. The prices are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Should you buy full coverage?
The example below shows the difference between Scion tC car insurance rates with full coverage and liability only. The rates are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, drivers are single, and no other discounts are factored in.
Should you pay for full coverage?
There is no definitive rule of when to phase out physical damage insurance, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of coverage is more than 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Scion tC claim settlement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most your company will settle for is $2,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying in excess of $200 a year to have full coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
There are some conditions where dropping full coverage is not a good idea. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not buy liability only.
Lower the Price of Car Insurance with These Tips
Many factors are part of the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some of the criteria are obvious like an MVR report, but other criteria are more obscure such as whether you are married or your financial responsibility.
The factors shown below are some of the items utilized by car insurance companies to help set your rate level.
- Your career may increase premiums – Jobs such as military personnel, business owners, and financial analysts are shown to have the highest rates attributed to high stress and long work days. On the flip side, professions such as actors, athletes and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
- Save money by eliminating extra coverages – There are a lot of optional add-on coverages that sound like a good idea at the time on your car insurance policy. Insurance for things like personal injury protection, towing, and extra life insurance coverage are some examples. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but if you’ve never needed them in the past eliminate them to save money.
- Get hitched and get cheaper costs – Having a spouse actually saves money on your policy. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature than a single person and insurance companies reward insureds because married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Big city or small town – Being located in areas with lower population is a positive aspect if you are looking for the lowest rates. Lower population corresponds to lower accident rates in addition to fewer liability claims. People in densely populated areas tend to have more road rage incidents and a longer drive to work. More time on the road can result in more accidents.
- Poor credit can mean higher costs – Credit score is a big factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers with bad credit. Therefore, if your credit rating could use some work, you could save money insuring your Scion tC by taking the time to improve your credit score.
-
Driving citations cost more than a fine – Having a single speeding ticket can boost insurance rates by as much as twenty percent. Drivers with clean records get better prices as compared to careless drivers. Drivers who have received careless tickets like DUI or willful reckless driving may face state-mandated requirements to maintain a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to legally drive.
The example below shows how violations and at-fault fender-benders raise Scion tC insurance premiums for each age group. The prices are based on a married female driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.
- Drive lots and pay more – Driving a lot of miles in a year the higher your rate. Almost all companies apply a rate partially by how you use the vehicle. Autos used primarily for pleasure use can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. An incorrectly rated tC is just wasting money. Make sure your declarations sheet correctly shows the correct driver usage.
- High comp and collision deductibles cost less – Coverage for physical damage, aka comp and collision, helps pay for damage to your vehicle. Some instances where coverage would apply are collision with another vehicle, hail damage, or theft. Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be.
-
Insurance loss data for a Scion tC – Companies include the past claim trends for vehicles to help determine the price you pay. Models that statistically have a trend towards higher claim severity or frequency will have a higher premium rate.
The table below illustrates the historical insurance loss data for Scion tC vehicles. For each coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles, as a total average, is equal to 100. Values that are 100 or less suggest a better than average loss history, while values that are 100 or greater point to more frequent losses or statistically larger claims.
Scion tC Insurance Loss Statistics Vehicle Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Scion tC 133 139 136 148 152 143 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEStatistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
You may need advice from a local insurance agent
Many people still like to have an agent’s advice and that can be a great decision Good insurance agents can make sure you are properly covered and help submit paperwork. A nice benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find the lowest rates but also keep your business local.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is immediately sent to agents in your area that give free quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to leave your house as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. If you wish to quote rates from one company in particular, you would need to jump over to their website and submit a quote form there.
Choosing an insurance company requires you to look at more than just a low price. Get answers to these questions too.
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Does their agency support local causes in Corpus Christi?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
If you feel you receive answers to your satisfaction to these questions as well as a affordable price, you have narrowed it down to an insurer that can be relied on to properly service your insurance policy.
Three reasons to not skimp on car insurance
Even though Corpus Christi tC insurance rates can get expensive, insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require a specific level of liability protection 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.
- If your tC has a lienholder, most lenders will force you to buy full coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Scion at a much higher rate and require you to reimburse them much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards both your vehicle and your assets. Insurance will pay for many types of medical costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. An average driver in America is wasting up to $825 a year so compare rate quotes at every renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Compare but don’t skimp
Budget-conscious Scion tC insurance is available both online and with local Corpus Christi insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies don’t offer internet price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through independent insurance agents.
We just showed you some good ideas how you can find lower-cost Scion tC insurance in Corpus Christi. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may even discover the lowest rates are with an unexpected company.
As you shop your coverage around, never reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The goal is to find the BEST coverage at the best possible price, but do not skimp to save money.
More tips and info about car insurance is available by following these links:
- Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for a Subaru Forester in Corpus Christi? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for College Students in Corpus Christi? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Rates for a Ford Escape in Corpus Christi? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for High Risk Drivers in Corpus Christi? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for a Jeep Wrangler in Corpus Christi? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for a Learners Permit in Corpus Christi? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Toyota Highlander in Corpus Christi? (FAQ)
- Young Drivers: The High Risk Years Video (iihs.org)
- Red Light Cameras (State Farm)
- Can I Drive Legally without Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)