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Auto Insurance Buyer's Guide for Texas

How to Shop

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Step 1. Understand What Factors Affect Your Rates

All rates are not created equal. There are hundreds of insurance companies competing for your business in Texas and each one has a slightly different approach to quoting. While the most important factors - who you are, where you live and what you drive – are used by all insurance companies, some will ask about your education, occupation, annual mileage or grade point average in college. And, the coverage, deductibles and the number of drivers in your household all play a role when the final rate is calculated.

Drivers With No Accidents	VS.	Drivers With 2 or More Accidents
Average rate increase = $1,000

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Source: Insurance.com data, 2009.

Step 2. Decide How Much to Buy

Choose your coverage with confidence. Start by checking your current policy, to get an apples-to-apples comparison of rates for the amount of coverage you have today. Then, compare the cost of buying more – or less – coverage, so you understand the trade-offs. If you're a renter or a new driver, state minimum coverage may be sufficient. But, if you own a home and have other assets, you’ll need more coverage to protect yourself from lawsuits and liability.

Texas Ranks No. 2 In Vehicle Theft
State	Vehicles Stolen
1. California 2. Texas 3. Florida 4. Arizona 5. Georgia	219,500 94,000 73,500 48,500 42,500

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Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Step 3. Shop Smart and Save

Comparison quotes give you choices for saving. Insurance rates change more than once a year, so you should get quotes from several insurance companies to make sure your rates are competitive. Insurance.com is a one-stop check-in for the latest rates from top Texas auto insurers. Don’t rely on just one quote because insurance discounts and coverage options vary a great deal. Before you renew your current policy, get a few new quotes from other companies.

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Step 4. Learn How Auto Insurance Really Works

Auto insurance is about more than cars. In Texas, most companies will determine your rates based your home address (urban rates are always higher than suburban or rural rates), your financial stability (drivers with a solid payment history are less risky than those with late payments or high debt), and other personal information you provide. You may earn discounts for safe driving, low mileage or good grades.

All insurers ask for these details, because that’s the only way to offer an accurate quote. At Insurance.com, you only need to answer these questions once to receive competing quotes from the Texas auto insurance companies we represent. It's fast and it's free.