The words “low-priced” and “auto insurance” really shouldn’t be used together, specifically when shopping around for the lowest insurance prices for state employees. Because of the high cost, let’s take a look at some of the things that help determine insurance rates, and figure out some ways to lower the cost of the next policy you buy.
For state workers, one of the big things that are looked at to determine auto insurance rates is where you choose to live. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims tend to have more expensive auto insurance rates, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates have the enjoyment of a little cheaper coverage.
The information below shows the highest-priced areas in Texas for state employees to buy auto insurance in. Austin makes the list at #15 with a yearly cost of $1,676 for the average policyholder, which is approximately $140 each month.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAllen | $1,996 |
| 2 | Brownsville | $1,927 |
| 3 | Laredo | $1,889 |
| 4 | Dallas | $1,837 |
| 5 | Houston | $1,835 |
| 6 | Grand Prairie | $1,811 |
| 7 | Mesquite | $1,807 |
| 8 | Garland | $1,796 |
| 9 | Amarillo | $1,786 |
| 10 | Irving | $1,772 |
| 11 | Beaumont | $1,772 |
| 12 | Pasadena | $1,740 |
| 13 | San Antonio | $1,739 |
| 14 | Arlington | $1,709 |
| 15 | Austin | $1,676 |
| 16 | Lubbock | $1,665 |
| 17 | Carrollton | $1,664 |
| 18 | Plano | $1,624 |
| 19 | El Paso | $1,616 |
| 20 | Fort Worth | $1,604 |
| 21 | McKinney | $1,577 |
| 22 | Corpus Christi | $1,572 |
| 23 | Waco | $1,537 |
| 24 | Killeen | $1,518 |
| 25 | Abilene | $1,499 |
| Find the Best Rates Go | ||
Information shown are approximated as the specific Austin residence address can alter price quotes substantially.
The vehicle to be insured is probably the most important factor when shopping around for affordable insurance for state employees. Vehicles with average performance, good crash test ratings, or a track record of few liability claims will cost substantially less to insure than high performance models.
The next table features coverage costs for some of the most budget-friendly vehicles to insure in Texas.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,043 |
| Honda CR-V EX 2WD | $1,052 |
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,057 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,065 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 2WD | $1,076 |
| Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $1,084 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LS | $1,138 |
| Toyota RAV4 4WD | $1,148 |
| Ford Focus SEL 4-Dr Sedan | $1,175 |
| Ford F-150 STX Regular Cab 4WD | $1,180 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,219 |
| Nissan Rogue SL 2WD | $1,222 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Extended Cab 4WD | $1,244 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 2WD 4-Dr | $1,253 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $1,268 |
| Get a Custom Quote Go | |
Table data represents single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Table data does not factor in specific Austin, TX garaging location which can increase or decrease auto insurance rates noticeably.
Based on these rates, you can conclude that models like the Hyundai Elantra, Honda CR-V, Honda Accord, Toyota Prius, and Ford Explorer are most likely to be a few of the more affordable vehicles to insure for state workers.
Deciding which company quotes the lowest-priced auto insurance rates for state employees calls for a tad more effort than just getting one or two price quotes.
Every auto insurer has a unique formula for setting prices, so let’s take a look at the auto insurance companies with the overall best prices in Texas. Keep in mind that Austin auto insurance rates are calculated based on many things that will increase or decrease the price of coverage. Simply improving your credit, marrying your spouse, or getting a ticket for careless driving may prompt premium changes that can cause some rates to be more affordable than before.
Find Cheaper Auto Insurance in Texas
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travelers | $1,052 |
| 2 | USAA | $1,128 |
| 3 | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,211 |
| 4 | Germania Mutual | $1,294 |
| 5 | California Casualty | $1,382 |
| 6 | Esurance | $1,421 |
| 7 | Mercury | $1,476 |
| 8 | State Farm | $1,495 |
| 9 | Nationwide | $1,538 |
| 10 | Safe Auto | $1,613 |
| 11 | Allstate | $1,701 |
| 12 | Progressive | $1,715 |
| 13 | Amica | $1,757 |
| 14 | Home State | $2,092 |
| 15 | GEICO | $2,135 |
| 16 | MetLife | $2,249 |
| 17 | Encompass | $2,301 |
| 18 | Unitrin | $2,310 |
| 19 | 21st Century | $2,469 |
| 20 | Titan | $2,646 |
| Quote Your Rates Go | ||
Travelers offers some of the lowest car insurance rates in Austin at around $1,052 a year. USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Germania Mutual, and California Casualty also rank well as some of the best Austin, TX auto insurance companies.
As shown in the rates above, if you are a policyholder with Germania Mutual and switched to USAA, you may see an annual savings of in the neighborhood of $166. Drivers with California Casualty may save as much as $254 a year, and Esurance customers might see rate reductions of $293 a year.
Remember that these policy prices are averages across all drivers and vehicles in Texas and and are not figured with a specific vehicle garaging location for state employees. So the auto insurance company that fits your age and vehicle best may not even be in the top 23 companies shown above. That helps illustrate why you need to get rate quotes from many companies using your own personalized driver profile and vehicle information.
Liability-only versus full coverage
Finding the cheapest auto insurance is important to the majority of drivers, and one way to reduce the cost of insurance for state employees is to only buy liability coverage. The illustration below illustrates the difference between insurance premiums with and without full coverage. Data assumes no claims or driving violations, $250 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.
If all age groups are averaged, full coverage costs an additional $2,000 per year more than carrying just liability coverage. Many drivers will wonder if buying full coverage is a good investment. There is no exact rule to eliminate physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s assume your vehicle’s replacement cost is $12,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company will settle for is $11,000 after paying your deductible. If premium cost is more than $1,100 annually for your policy with full coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
There are some circumstances where only buying liability is not recommended. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to carry full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should keep full coverage.
Picking a high-quality insurer can be challenging considering how many companies there are in Texas. The rank data shown next can help you analyze which auto insurers to look at when comparing rate quotes.
These rankings only include large insurance companies, so companies with more of a regional focus are not factored into the list. To compare price quotes from these and other companies in Texas, click here.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travelers | 93 | 98 | 99 | 88% | A++ | 95.1 |
| USAA | 83 | 99 | 100 | 91% | A++ | 94.1 |
| Mercury Insurance | 97 | 96 | 88 | 89% | A+ | 93.4 |
| AAA Insurance | 91 | 95 | 92 | 90% | A | 93.3 |
| Nationwide | 85 | 95 | 97 | 89% | A+ | 92.4 |
| Allstate | 77 | 100 | 97 | 88% | A+ | 90.7 |
| State Farm | 80 | 94 | 96 | 88% | A++ | 90.6 |
| The Hartford | 88 | 93 | 91 | 87% | A+ | 90.4 |
| Safeco Insurance | 91 | 95 | 85 | 88% | A | 90.2 |
| Progressive | 88 | 94 | 83 | 88% | A+ | 90.1 |
| American Family | 91 | 86 | 95 | 83% | A | 89.7 |
| Esurance | 86 | 90 | 94 | 90% | A+ | 89.5 |
| The General | 86 | 93 | 89 | 84% | A- | 88.2 |
| GEICO | 79 | 89 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 87.8 |
| Titan Insurance | 86 | 82 | 92 | 86% | A+ | 86.5 |
| 21st Century | 86 | 82 | 90 | 84% | A | 86.4 |
| Liberty Mutual | 79 | 87 | 95 | 78% | A | 85.3 |
| Farmers Insurance | 77 | 80 | 80 | 84% | A | 80.3 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
The importance of shopping around
Texas auto insurance rates are determined by lots of factors which can substantially decrease or increase the price you have to pay for coverage. Turning one year older, marrying your spouse, or having a fender bender can produce rate changes that can now make some companies cheaper in comparison to the competition. Additionally, insurers file new Texas car insurance rates multiple times each year to help ensure profitability. Higher than normal claims may cause higher prices, while profitable underwriting can cause cheaper Austin car insurance rates.
To illustrate this example, the data below shows rates for the cheapest car insurance in Austin, TX for a 35-year-old female driver with no prior claims, no tickets, and a good credit history. When quoting prices based on her current rating profile, Travelers quotes the cheapest car insurance rates in Austin at $1,116 per year. This is $788 less than the average rate paid by Texas drivers of $1,904. USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Germania Mutual, and Esurance are also on the list of the cheapest Austin, TX auto insurance companies.
In this next rate comparison, we will give the driver from the above example an at-fault accident, poor credit, and a couple of points charged on her driving record. Since every insurance provider has a different formula to set premium rates, getting updated rate quotes could result in a slightly different list of affordable Austin car insurance companies as shown below.
State Farm now has the cheapest auto insurance in Austin with Mercury, Nationwide, Safe Auto, and USAA also having competitive pricing. This shows why Austin drivers need to shop around to get the most affordable insurance quotes for state employees.
Prices are impacted by many risk factors and can increase or decrease at any time, so the cheapest company when you last compared rates may now be one of the higher cost companies.
If you wish to have the advice of a professional agent when trying to find lower insurance rates for state employees, the agencies below can most likely aid you in deciding which insurance coverage will be best for you.
To find an agent using an interactive map, click the button below the list or click here to get price quotes now.
Richard Munoz – State Farm Insurance Agent
5446 W US Hwy 290 Service Rd #104 – Austin, TX 78735 – (512) 892-3527
Stanley Insurance Agency
512 W Stassney Ln #113 – Austin, TX 78745 – (512) 445-5555
Larry Evins – State Farm Insurance Agent
4534 West Gate Blvd #202 – Austin, TX 78745 – (512) 327-0303
View more Austin, TX insurance agencies
How to find budget-friendly auto insurance for state employees
Lowering your rates is not difficult, and here are some penny-pinching suggestions that can help Austin drivers quote lower-cost coverage.
- Having at-fault accidents will increase rates
- Good credit scores may make rates cheaper
- Higher comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles will save money
- Ensure your driving record is clean
- The safer your car, the less it costs to insure
- Compare rates regularly and switch companies to save money
The last tip in the list is especially critical, as was noted in this piece. Prices adjust frequently, so you should be ready to buy a different policy if a cheaper price is available. Many consumers stick with the same company and that’s fine, but is isn’t recommended if that loyalty ends up costing a lot of money. It takes less than five minutes to compare rates and find cheaper car insurance for state employees in Austin.