Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Highlander in Austin

Searching for the cheapest insurance for a new or used Toyota Highlander in Texas can turn out to be an all-consuming task, but you can learn our car insurance buying tips to make it easier. There are both good and bad ways to buy car insurance so we’re going to tell you the absolute fastest way to price shop coverage for your Toyota and locate the lowest possible price either online or from Austin insurance agents.

It’s hard to fathom, but a large majority of drivers have stayed with the same insurance company for at least four years, and just short of a majority have never quoted car insurance rates at all. With the average car insurance premium being $2,679, Texas drivers could pocket almost $1,766 a year by just comparing rate quotes, but most just don’t grasp how much savings they would realize if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one.

It’s a good idea to do rate comparisons yearly because car insurance prices are usually higher with each renewal. Even if you got the lowest quotes on Toyota Highlander insurance in Austin six months ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Don’t believe everything you read about Highlander insurance on the web, but in just a couple of minutes you can learn some of the best ways to lower your car insurance premiums.

Finding affordable insurance coverage in Austin seems hard but is not really that difficult. If you have a policy now or just want cheaper rates, you can use these tips to lower your rates while maintaining coverages. You just have to understand the quickest way to compare rate quotes from many different companies online.

How to get Austin Toyota Highlander insurance quotes

The companies in the list below provide free rate quotes in Texas. If multiple providers are shown, we recommend you compare several of them to find the lowest car insurance rates.

Above prices assume single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Prices do not factor in zip code location which can lower or raise premiums considerably.

Physical damage deductibles

When shopping for auto insurance, a common question is where should you set your physical damage deductibles. The premium rates below can help you visualize the rate fluctuation between high and low physical damage deductibles. The first rate comparisons uses a $100 deductible for physical damage and the second data table uses a $1,000 deductible.

Table data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, safe-driver, and claim-free. Rate information does not factor in specific Austin garaging location which can increase or decrease rates noticeably.

Using the premium rates above, we can conclude that using a $100 deductible costs roughly $41 more each month or $492 annually than opting for the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $900 more if you turn in a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you usually have at a minimum 22 months between claim filings, you would save money if you elect the higher deductible.

Cost difference between full coverage and liability

The chart below illustrates the comparison of Toyota Highlander insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage. The price estimates are based on no claims or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, single female driver, and no discounts are applied.

Are you wasting money on full coverage?

There isn’t a steadfast formula for dropping comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

For example, let’s assume your Toyota Highlander replacement value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would get paid by your company is $7,000 after paying your deductible. If you are paying more than $700 annually for physical damage coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

There are some situations where removing full coverage is not advised. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should keep full coverage on your policy.

Should you raise deductibles?

The information below demonstrates how deductible levels and can increase or decrease Toyota Highlander premium costs for different categories of driver ages. The price estimates are based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.

Here’s why auto insurance is not optional

Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Toyota Highlander in Austin, maintaining insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.

• Almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific minimum amounts of liability coverage in order to be legal. 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 Toyota has a lien holder, most banks will make it a condition of the loan that you have insurance to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the bank may buy a policy for your Toyota at a much higher premium rate and require you to reimburse them much more than you were paying before.
• Auto insurance protects your Toyota and your assets. It will also pay for many types of medical costs for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability insurance will also pay for a defense attorney if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, your auto insurance policy will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.

The benefits of insuring your Highlander more than offset the price you pay, particularly if you ever have a claim. On average, a vehicle owner in Austin is overpaying more than $865 each year so compare quotes from several companies at every policy renewal to ensure rates are competitive.

Insurance Price Influencing Factors

The best way to find cheaper car insurance is to take a look at the factors that go into determining your policy premiums. If you have a feel for what impacts premium levels, this enables you to make decisions that could result in lower premium levels. Multiple criteria are taken into consideration when pricing auto insurance. Most are fairly basic like an MVR report, although others are less obvious such as your marital status and annual miles driven.

Lower stress equals lower rates – Did you know your car insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations like fire fighters, air traffic controllers, and financial analysts generally have higher premiums than the average policyholder in part from intense work situations and long work days. On the other hand, jobs such as professors, students and homemakers have the lowest average rates.

Safer vehicles cost less to insure – Safer cars cost less to insure. Highly rated vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims which can result in lower premiums.

Liability coverage is critical – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance is the coverage that protects you in the event that you are responsible for personal injury or accident damage. It provides for a legal defense to attempt to prove you were not liable. Liability insurance is pretty cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.

Consider raising deductibles – The deductibles you choose define how much the insured will be required to pay in the event of a claim. Physical damage coverage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, insures against damage to your car. Some coverage claims are collision with another vehicle, animal collisions, or theft of your vehicle. The more damage repair cost the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be.

Credit rating impacts premium rates – An insured’s credit score can be an important factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Insureds that have excellent credit scores tend to be more responsible than drivers who have poor credit. Therefore, if your credit score leaves room for improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your Toyota Highlander if you clean up your credit.

Discounts for alarms and GPS tracking – Choosing a vehicle with advanced anti-theft systems can help lower your premiums. Theft prevention devices like OnStar found on GM vehicles, advanced tracking like LoJack, and vehicle immobilization systems all help prevent auto theft.

Insurance losses for a Toyota Highlander – Companies analyze past claim statistics to help determine the rate you pay. Vehicles that statistically have higher number or severity of losses will have a higher cost to insure. The next table shows the actual insurance loss data for Toyota Highlander vehicles.

For each policy coverage type, the loss probability for all vehicles averaged together is set at 100. Values that are below 100 indicate better than average losses, while values that are 100 or greater point to more claims or larger claims.

Take policy discounts and save on Toyota Highlander insurance in Austin

Some insurers don’t always list the complete list of policy discounts very clearly, so the list below gives a summary of a few of the more well known and also the more inconspicuous credits available to lower your premiums when you buy Austin car insurance online. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you are not getting the best rate possible.

• Savings for New Vehicles – Buying insurance coverage on a new vehicle may earn a small discount because new model year vehicles keep occupants safer.
• Student in College – Youth drivers who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from Austin and don’t have a car can receive lower rates.
• Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who avoid accidents can save up to 40% or more on their Austin car insurance quote than less cautious drivers.
• Early Renewal Discounts – Select insurance companies give a discount for buying a policy prior to your current Highlander insurance policy expiring. It’s a savings of about 10%.
• Sign Online – Some of the larger companies will give a small break shop Austin car insurance on the web.
• Good Student Discount – Excelling in school may save as much as 25% on a Austin car insurance quote. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.
• Early Payment Discounts – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you can avoid monthly service charges.
• Claim Free – Claim-free drivers pay less when compared to frequent claim filers.

While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any amount of discount will cut your insurance premiums.

To find insurers that offer discounts in Austin, follow this link.

How to know if you need help

When selecting the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different.

For instance, these questions can help discover if you would benefit from professional advice.

• What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
• Does car insurance cover theft of personal property?
• Is motorclub coverage worth it?
• When should I have rental car coverage?
• Should I waive the damage coverage when renting a car?
• Do I need special coverage while pulling a rented trailer?
• Is a fancy paint job covered?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can provide invaluable advice.

Do I need an insurance agent?

A small number of people prefer to buy from a local agent and that is not a bad decision Most agents can help determine the best coverages and give you someone to call. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find better rates and still buy from a local agent.

After filling out this quick form, your coverage information is sent to companies in Austin who will give you bids for your business. You won’t even need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent to you. If for some reason you want to compare rates from a specific auto insurance provider, just visit that company’s website and complete a quote there.

Finding the right company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
• Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
• Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
• What company do they have the most business with?
• Where would your vehicle be repaired?

When finding a local agent, there are two different agency structures that you can select. Austin agents may be either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer. Either one can insure your vehicles properly, but it’s important to know how they are different since it can impact which type of agent you select.

Exclusive Agents

Agents of this type normally can only provide a single company’s rates and some examples include Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. Exclusive agencies are unable to give you multiple price quotes so keep that in mind. Exclusive agents are trained well on their company’s products which helps them sell on service rather than price. Consumers frequently purchase coverage from exclusives mainly due to the brand legacy instead of buying on price only.

Listed below is a short list of exclusive insurance agencies in Austin that can give you rate quotes.

• Tony Reyes – State Farm Insurance Agent
  9811 S IH 35 Frontage Rd #120 – Austin, TX 78744 – (512) 851-2539 – View Map
• Herman Askew – State Farm Insurance Agent
  13201 Pond Springs Rd #105 – Austin, TX 78729 – (512) 250-5533 – View Map
• John Kirk – State Farm Insurance Agent
  11130 Jollyville Rd Ste 201 – Austin, TX 78759 – (512) 343-7758 – View Map

View more agents

Independent Agents

Independent insurance agents are normally appointed by many insurers and that gives them the ability to insure through many different auto insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If they find a lower price, an independent agent can move your coverage and you stay with the same agent. If you are comparing rate quotes, we recommend you check rates from several independent agencies so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare. A lot of them also have access to less well-known companies that may have much lower rates than larger companies.

The following are Austin independent insurance agents that are able to give rate quotes.

• EZ Insurance Agency – Main
  4502 S Congress Ave – Austin, TX 78745 – (512) 444-4040 – View Map
• Stanley Insurance Agency
  512 W Stassney Ln #113 – Austin, TX 78745 – (512) 445-5555 – View Map
• Independent Insurance Agents
  1115 San Jacinto Blvd – Austin, TX 78701 – (512) 476-6281 – View Map

View more agents

In conclusion

As you prepare to switch companies, it’s not a good idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

A few companies may not offer online price quotes and these smaller providers work with independent insurance agencies. Cheaper car insurance in Austin is available on the web and from local insurance agents, so you need to compare both to get a complete price analysis.

Drivers who switch companies do it for many reasons like questionable increases in premium, high rates after DUI convictions, delays in responding to claim requests and being labeled a high risk driver. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching car insurance companies is actually quite simple.

Additional car insurance information can be read on the following sites:

• Automakers compete to add autobraking (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for a Toyota 4Runner in Austin? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for a Ford Escape in Austin? (FAQ)
• Determing Auto Insurance Rates (GEICO)
• Liability Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
• Teen Driving and Texting (State Farm)