How many times have you told yourself it’s time to shop around for more competitive Chevy Equinox insurance in Austin? Are you drained from wondering where the money will come from each month for insurance? Your situation is no different than many other Texas consumers.
It’s hard to believe, but nearly 70% of consumers have remained with the same insurance company for a minimum of four years, and 38% of drivers have never even shopped around for affordable coverage. Many consumers in Texas could cut their rates by as much as $1,770 a year by just shopping around, but they don’t believe how much money they would save if they just switched companies. Having so many insurance companies to choose from that have cheap insurance for a Chevy Equinox in Austin, it’s nearly impossible to locate the lowest price company.
This information will teach you a little about how car insurance works and also pocket some savings If you have auto insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to find the best rates using the techniques presented in this article. Comparison shoppers just have to know the proper way to buy auto insurance online.
Most companies give prices from their websites. Comparing Chevy Equinox insurance rates online doesn’t take much effort as you just enter the amount of coverage you want as detailed in the form. When the form is submitted, the company’s rating system requests your driving and credit reports and gives you a price quote based on the information you submitted. Getting online quotes for Chevy Equinox insurance in Austin makes comparing rates easy, and it is imperative to perform this step if you want to find lower-cost prices.
To compare pricing, consider comparing rates from the companies shown below. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you complete the form with the insurance coverages just like they are on your policy. Doing this guarantees you will receive rate quotes based on identical coverages.
The companies shown below can provide free rate quotes in Austin, TX. If multiple providers are shown, we suggest you click on several of them to get the most competitive price.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equinox LS 2WD | $254 | $486 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,324 | $110 |
| Equinox LT 2WD | $288 | $570 | $462 | $28 | $138 | $1,486 | $124 |
| Equinox LS AWD | $184 | $332 | $358 | $22 | $108 | $1,004 | $84 |
| Equinox LT AWD | $318 | $580 | $388 | $24 | $116 | $1,426 | $119 |
| Equinox LTZ 2WD | $288 | $594 | $366 | $22 | $110 | $1,380 | $115 |
| Equinox LTZ AWD | $234 | $368 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,282 | $107 |
| Equinox LTZ AWD | $246 | $434 | $392 | $24 | $118 | $1,214 | $101 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices based on married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Price information does not factor in specific garaging location which can influence rates considerably.
Liability only or full coverage
The chart below shows the difference between Chevrolet Equinox annual premium costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in Texas. The costs are based on no accidents or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, single female driver, and no policy discounts are applied.
When to switch to liability coverage only
There is no definitive rule to delete full coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than about 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s assume your Chevrolet Equinox settlement value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most your company will settle for is $7,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying over $700 annually to have full coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
There are some situations where only buying liability is not a good idea. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. 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.
Get discounts on Austin insurance
Car insurance companies don’t always publicize all their discounts very clearly, so below is a list some of the best known and also the lesser-known discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Austin auto insurance online.
- Home Ownership Discount – Just being a homeowner may trigger a policy discount on insurance because it is proof of financial responsibility.
- Paper-free Discount – A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up on the web.
- Memberships – Belonging to certain professional organizations may earn a discount on your next insurance statement.
- Early Renewal Discounts – Some larger companies give discounts for buying a policy prior to the expiration date on your current Equinox insurance policy. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Waiver for an Accident – This one is not really a discount per se, but companies like Libery Mutual, GEICO and Allstate permit an accident without getting socked with a rate hike if you have no claims prior to the accident.
- Government Employee Discount – Federal government employees can save as much as 8% with certain companies.
- Onboard Data Collection – Insureds who allow driving data submission to scrutinize driving patterns by installing a telematics device like Drivewise from Allstate or In-Drive from State Farm might get better premium rates if they exhibit good driving behavior.
- Multiple Cars – Buying insurance for all your vehicles on the same insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
Please keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
A few of the larger companies and a selection of discounts are:
- GEICO may have discounts that include driver training, five-year accident-free, anti-lock brakes, defensive driver, multi-vehicle, good student, and emergency military deployment.
- Auto-Owners Insurance discounts include good student, multiple vehicles, air bags, anti-lock brakes, company car, and teen driver.
- American Family has savings for mySafetyValet, defensive driver, Steer into Savings, good driver, bundled insurance, early bird, and TimeAway discount.
- Esurance offers discounts for multi-policy, claim free, anti-theft, Pac-12 alumni, and DriveSense.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including online signing, multi-vehicle, homeowner, online quote discount, and continuous coverage.
- State Farm has discounts for passive restraint, multiple policy, Drive Safe & Save, student away at school, good student, and defensive driving training.
- AAA may offer discounts for anti-theft, multi-policy, multi-car, good student, education and occupation, and pay-in-full.
Double check with each company how many discounts you can get. A few discounts might not be offered in Austin. If you would like to see a list of insurance companies that offer multiple discounts in Austin, click here to view.
Get More Affordable Insurance Rates by Understanding These Factors
Lots of things are part of the calculation when premium rates are determined. Some are pretty understandable such as traffic violations, but others are less obvious such as your marital status or how safe your car is. A large part of saving on auto insurance is knowing a few of the rating criteria that go into determining the level of your policy premiums. When consumers understand what influences your rates, this enables you to make decisions that can earn you big savings.
- Your stress level may be raising your rates – Careers such as judges, business owners and accountants generally have higher premium rates because of high stress levels and extremely grueling work hours. Conversely, jobs such as actors, historians and homemakers generally pay rates lower than average.
- Drive a safer car and pay less – Safe vehicles tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars reduce occupant injuries and any reduction in injury severity means your insurance company pays less and thus lower rates.
- Lower rates with a multi-policy discount – Most auto insurance companies apply discounts to buyers that have more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to as much as ten percent or more Even with this discount applied, it’s always a smart idea to comparison shop to guarantee you are still saving the most.
- Deter theft and pay less – Choosing to buy a car that has a built-in theft deterrent system can help lower your premiums. Theft prevention devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
- Loss statistics for a Chevy Equinox – Companies analyze past claim statistics when setting premium rates. Vehicles that tend to have higher losses will cost more for specific coverages.
The table below shows the historical insurance loss data for Chevy Equinox vehicles. For each type of coverage, the loss probability for all vehicles combined as an average equals 100. Values that are below 100 imply a favorable loss record, while values that are above 100 indicate frequent claims or an increased chance of a larger loss.
Auto Insurance Loss Data for Chevrolet Equinox Models
Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Chevrolet Equinox 4dr 2WD 82 86 74 101 104 93 Chevrolet Equinox 4dr 4WD 84 88 85 89 93 81 Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Local agents and car insurance
Certain consumers would prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that is not a bad decision Insurance agents can answer important questions and help file insurance claims. The best thing about comparing car insurance online is that you can obtain cheap rate quotes and still buy from a local agent. Supporting neighborhood agents is especially important in Austin.
To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, the coverage information is instantly submitted to companies in Austin who will return price quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You won’t need to drive around as quotes are delivered directly to your email. If you have a need to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance company, you would need to search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
Austin auto insurance agents come in two flavors
If you want to use a reliable agent, you should know the types of agencies to choose from. Car insurance agencies may be either independent agents or exclusive agents. Either one can handle car insurance, but it’s important to point out the difference between them because it can factor into the selection process.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents do not write with just one company so as a result can place your coverage through lots of different companies and find the cheapest rate. If prices rise, they simply move your policy to a different company which makes it simple for you. If you are comparing rate quotes, you definitely need to compare quotes from at least one independent agent for the best price selection.
Below is a short list of independent agents in Austin who can help you get free price quotes.
Dean Davis Insurance Agency
7950 Anderson Square Suite 101 – Austin, TX 78757 – (512) 454-4511 – View Map
Lezam Insurance
4301 W. William Cannon Dr., Ste. B-120 – Austin, TX 78749 – (512) 263-4333 – View Map
Eckert Insurance Group
824 W 10th St – Austin, TX 78701 – (512) 472-6969 – View Map
Exclusive Agencies
Agents in the exclusive channel work for only one company and some examples include Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm, and AAA. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive agencies are highly trained in insurance sales and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.
The following is a list of exclusive agents in Austin that can give you comparison quotes.
Allstate Insurance: Richard Harper
1807 W Slaughter Ln Ste 400 – Austin, TX 78748 – (512) 292-7410 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Amanda Escobar
8700 Manchaca Rd #405 – Austin, TX 78748 – (512) 280-9700 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Cheri Roman
8103 Brodie Ln Ste 7 – Austin, TX 78745 – (512) 282-9999 – View Map
Choosing an car insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just the price. Here are some questions to ask:
- Are they giving you every discount you deserve?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Does the company use OEM repair parts?
- Is insurance their full-time profession?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- Does the agency have a current Errors and Omissions policy?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
- Do you need full coverage on every vehicle?
Save $399 a year! What?
Consumers in Texas can’t ignore all the ads that claim the cheapest car insurance rates from the likes of Allstate and Progressive. All the companies make the same claim that drivers can save some big amount if you just switch your coverage to them.
It sounds good, but how can they all charge lower premium rates?
All companies have specific characteristics for the type of driver that will not have excessive claims. For example, this type of insured may be between the ages of 40 and 55, has a clean driving record, and has a high credit rating. Someone who fits that profile receives the best premium rates in Austin and is almost guaranteed to save if they switch.
Consumers who fall outside these criteria will have to pay a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. If you listen closely, the ads state “drivers that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save the amount stated. That is how companies can truthfully make claims that they all have the best rates.
Because each company has a different risk profile, it’s extremely important to do a quote comparison often. It’s impossible to know with any certainty which company will give you the biggest savings.
A conclusion for your car insurance search
Budget-friendly car insurance in Austin is attainable both online in addition to local insurance agencies, so you need to shop Austin auto insurance with both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who may not offer internet price quotes and these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agencies.
As you quote Austin auto insurance, it’s a bad idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In too many instances, consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to discover later that it was a big error on their part. The goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Other information
- How do I File a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Austin Auto Insurance with Multiple Speeding Tickets? (FAQ)
- How Much is Austin Auto Insurance for a Ford Explorer? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record in Austin? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Austin Car Insurance Quotes for 16 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)
- Higher speed limits cause more fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)