Would you like to find the cheapest auto insurance rates in Austin, TX? Buying affordable quotes on the web might seem rather difficult for beginners to comparing and buying auto insurance over the internet. With so many agents and companies in the marketplace, how are we expected to have a chance to compare all the different companies and get better prices?
It’s shocking but almost 70% of insureds in Texas have been with the same company for at least the last four years, and almost 40% of drivers have never compared rate quotes at all. With the average premium in the United States being $1,847, drivers can save nearly $860 each year, but most just don’t grasp the large savings they would see if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one.
Smart consumers take time to take a look at other company’s rates before your next renewal since insurance prices change regularly. Just because you found the best rate on auto insurance a year ago there may be better deals available now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the fastest and easiest way to properly buy coverages while reducing your premium.
Comparing quotes for the cheapest insurance in Austin is not as hard as you may think. In a nutshell, every car owner who requires lower cost insurance will most likely be able to find lower rates. Although Texas drivers must learn the way insurance companies price insurance differently and take advantage of how the system works.
All major car insurance companies allow consumers to get prices for coverage from their websites. Getting online quotes is very simple as you simply type in the coverage amounts you desire as detailed in the form. Upon sending the form, the company’s rating system gets your driving and credit reports and quotes a price based on these factors.
This simplifies rate comparisons, and it’s also necessary to have as many quotes as possible if you are searching for the best rate.
To quickly find out what other companies charge, compare quotes from the companies shown below. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you complete the form with your coverages as close as possible to your current policy. This ensures you’re receiving rate quotes for similar coverage.
The providers in the list below provide price quotes in Austin, TX. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Policy Premium | 6-month Policy Premium | Monthly Premium | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Colorado LT 2WD | $1,180 | $590 | $98 | ||||
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Crew Cab 2WD | $1,354 | $677 | $113 | ||||
| Dodge Ram Crew Cab ST 2WD | $1,432 | $716 | $119 | ||||
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $1,290 | $645 | $108 | ||||
| Ford F-150 XLT Super Cab 2WD | $1,052 | $526 | $88 | ||||
| Ford Focus SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,262 | $631 | $105 | ||||
| GMC Sierra SLE Extended Cab 4WD | $1,374 | $687 | $115 | ||||
| Honda Accord EX 2-Dr Coupe | $1,282 | $641 | $107 | ||||
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $990 | $495 | $83 | ||||
| Honda Civic EX-L 2-Dr Coupe | $1,640 | $820 | $137 | ||||
| Honda Odyssey EX | $966 | $483 | $81 | ||||
| Hyundai Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,482 | $741 | $124 | ||||
| Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 4WD | $1,786 | $893 | $149 | ||||
| Nissan Altima 2.5 S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,436 | $718 | $120 | ||||
| Toyota Camry LE | $1,202 | $601 | $100 | ||||
| Toyota Corolla S | $952 | $476 | $79 | ||||
| Toyota Prius | $1,142 | $571 | $95 | ||||
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices above based on married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Rate quotes do not factor in vehicle location which can impact premium rates considerably.
Cost comparison with and without full coverage
The chart below illustrates the difference between Honda Pilot auto insurance rates with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The rate quotes are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, single female driver, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Honda Pilot rates are for example purposes only. To get rates for your specific vehicle, click here.
Deciding between full coverage and liability only
There isn’t a steadfast formula of when to stop paying for full coverage on your policy, but there is a broad guideline. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than about 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s assume your Honda Pilot replacement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, you would only receive $2,000 after the deductible is paid. If you are paying more than $200 a year for full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
There are some situations where buying only liability insurance is not a good idea. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not drop full coverage.
How high should deductibles be?
One of the more difficult decisions when buying auto insurance is at what level do you set your deductibles. The data tables below can help you understand the cost difference when you choose different policy deductibles. The first rate quote example uses a $100 deductible for comp and collision and the second data table uses a $500 deductible.
Nissan Altima rates are for example purposes only. To get rates for your specific vehicle, click here.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $328 | $592 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,463 | $122 |
| Altima 2.5 S 4-Dr Sedan | $328 | $698 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,569 | $131 |
| Altima Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $370 | $698 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,611 | $134 |
| Altima 2.5 S 2-Dr Coupe | $370 | $698 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,677 | $140 |
| Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $370 | $698 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,611 | $134 |
| Altima 3.5 SR 2-Dr Coupe | $370 | $804 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,783 | $149 |
| Get a Quote for Your Vehicle Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $240 | $400 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,158 | $97 |
| Altima 2.5 S 4-Dr Sedan | $240 | $472 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,230 | $103 |
| Altima Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $270 | $472 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,260 | $105 |
| Altima 2.5 S 2-Dr Coupe | $270 | $472 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,326 | $111 |
| Altima 3.5 SR 4-Dr Sedan | $270 | $472 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,260 | $105 |
| Altima 3.5 SR 2-Dr Coupe | $270 | $542 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,396 | $116 |
| Get a Quote for Your Vehicle Go | |||||||
Table data represents married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and claim-free. Premium amounts do not factor in specific zip code location which can increase or decrease rates greatly.
Based on these figures, using a $100 deductible will cost in the ballpark of $29 more each month or $348 for a full year than buying the higher $500 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $400 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you normally go more than 14 months between claim filings, you would probably be better off by going with a higher deductible. The table below illustrates an example of how you can come to your own conclusion.
| Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $135 |
| Average monthly premium for $500 deductibles (subtract): | – $106 |
| Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $29 |
| Difference between deductibles ($500 – $100): | $400 |
| Divide difference by monthly savings: | $400 / $29 |
| Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 14 months |
One thing to note is that raising deductibles to get cheaper rates means you will have to pay more out-of-pocket if you have a claim. You need to have some available funds in order to pay the deductible.
Insurance premiums by gender in Austin
The illustration below shows the difference between auto insurance rates for male and female drivers in Austin. The rate quotes are based on no violations or claims, comprehensive and collision coverage, $250 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied to the premium on a Hyundai Sonata GLS.
Hyundai Sonata rates are for example purposes only. To get rate quotes for your specific vehicle, click here.
Auto insurance just makes sense
Despite the potentially high cost of auto insurance, maintaining insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to buy specific limits of liability insurance in order to drive the car legally. 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 vehicle has a lien holder, almost all lenders will have a requirement that you buy full coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totalled. If the policy lapses, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your vehicle at a more expensive rate and require you to fork over for the expensive policy.
- Insurance protects not only your car but also your assets. It also can pay for most medical and hospital costs for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially for larger claims. According to a recent study, the average American driver is currently overpaying as much as $810 a year so compare rates at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
Determine discounts on Austin car insurance
Car insurance can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. A few discounts will automatically apply at quote time, but less common discounts must be specifically requested before they will apply.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt could save 15% on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Insuring more than one vehicle on one policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
- Data Collection Discounts – Policyholders that allow driving data submission to monitor vehicle usage by using a telematics device such as In-Drive from State Farm or Allstate’s Drivewise system could save a few bucks as long as the data is positive.
- Auto/Life Discount – If the company offers life insurance, you could get better car insurance rates if you take out life insurance.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts may get savings of 20% or more.
You should keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the whole policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.
A few of the larger companies and a partial list of their discounts are outlined below.
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, five-year accident-free, membership and employees, multi-vehicle, military active duty, and anti-theft.
- MetLife has discounts for good student, defensive driver, multi-policy, good driver, claim-free, accident-free
- State Farm has savings for passive restraint, safe vehicle, accident-free, defensive driving training, multiple autos, Drive Safe & Save, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- Progressive includes discounts for multi-vehicle, multi-policy, continuous coverage, good student, online quote discount, and homeowner.
- Mercury Insurance offers discounts for type of vehicle, multi-car, accident-free, multi-policy, anti-theft, and good student.
- 21st Century may have discounts that include theft prevention, anti-lock brakes, 55 and older, student driver, early bird, homeowners, and teen driver.
- Allstate may include discounts for FullPay discount, auto/life discount, anti-theft, senior citizen, and good student.
It’s a good idea to ask each company to apply every possible discount. Some discounts listed above may not be available in your area. If you would like to see a list of providers offering car insurance discounts in Austin, click this link.
Don’t I need to contact a local insurance agent?
Certain consumers still like to talk to an insurance agent and doing so can bring peace of mind A good thing about comparing car insurance online is the fact that drivers can get lower rates and also buy local. Buying from and supporting local insurance agencies is especially important in Austin.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your insurance coverage information is sent to companies in Austin that provide free Austin auto insurance quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. There is no need to visit any agencies because prices are sent directly to you. You can find lower rates without requiring a lot of work. In the event you want to get a rate quote from a specific car insurance provider, just search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
If you are searching for local Austin agents, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents that you can choose from. Agents in Austin can either be exclusive or independent.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
These type of agents are not required to write business for one company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies and find the cheapest car insurance rates. If they quote lower rates, your agent can just switch to a different company and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to compare prices from multiple independent agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare. Most also have access to smaller companies which may provide better rates.
Featured below is a partial list of independent agents in Austin that may be able to give you free car insurance quotes.
- Independent Insurance Agents
1115 San Jacinto Blvd – Austin, TX 78701 – (512) 476-6281 – View Map - Greater Austin Insurance Inc
11824 Jollyville Rd # 202 – Austin, TX 78759 – (512) 250-1777 – View Map - Reed Insurance Agency
2579 Western Trails Blvd #240 – Austin, TX 78745 – (512) 892-4555 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Exclusive agents can usually just insure with one company such as Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. They generally cannot compare rates from other companies so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agents are trained well on the products they sell which can be an advantage. Some people will only buy from exclusive agents primarily because of the brand name and solid financial strength.
Below are exclusive insurance agents in Austin that are able to give price quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: Fleming and Conway Agency
3435 Greystone Dr Ste 107 – Austin, TX 78731 – (512) 345-0005 – View Map - Dick Cohalla – State Farm Insurance Agent
10711 Burnet Rd #102 – Austin, TX 78758 – (512) 837-4210 – View Map - Herman Askew – State Farm Insurance Agent
13201 Pond Springs Rd #105 – Austin, TX 78729 – (512) 250-5533 – View Map
Deciding on an insurance agency shouldn’t rely on just the price. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- Do they have designations such as AIC, CPCU, or CIC?
- Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
- Do they get extra compensation for selling add-on coverages?
- Are all drivers listed on the coverage quote?
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
After getting positive feedback as well as a affordable price, you’ve probably found an insurance agent that can service your policy. It’s important to know that you are entitled to terminate your policy for any reason so don’t think that you’re stuck with a specific company for the entire policy term.
Affordable auto insurance is out there
While you’re price shopping online, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, an accident victim reduced full coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The goal is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
Insureds leave their current company for many reasons like an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in paying claims, high rates after DUI convictions or poor customer service. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new auto insurance company is not as hard as you think.
You just read many tips how you can reduce auto insurance car insurance rates online in Austin. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting the cheapest Austin auto insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a smaller regional carrier.
Other articles
- Auto Insurance for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record in Austin? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Police Officers in Austin? (FAQ)
- Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Help Your Teen Be a Better Driver (State Farm)
- Insurance Losses by Make and Model (iihs.org)
- Learn About Car Insurance (GEICO)