How to lower your car insurance without cutting coverage
The levers that move a Texas car insurance bill, the discounts you have to ask for by name, and the coverages worth keeping.
- Companies do not price the same driver the same way, so comparing the same coverage side by side shows where your policy sits.
- Ask for every discount by name, because a company applies only the ones it has on file for you.
- Keep three things while you trim: your liability limits, uninsured motorist coverage, and comprehensive on a car that parks outside during hail season.
You can work on a car insurance bill without giving up protection. Cutting coverage is not saving money. It moves the risk onto you.
Why the number is high in the first place is a separate question. See why car insurance costs so much in McAllen.
The changes that lower car insurance the most
- Compare the same coverage across several companies. They do not price the same driver the same way, so a side by side look shows where yours sits.
- Put home or renters insurance with the company that writes your auto. Most apply a discount on both.
- Raise the deductible before you touch the liability limits. A deductible is what you pay yourself on a repair before the company pays, so a higher one leaves more for you at claim time. See how to pick a deductible.
- Pay the term in full, or set up an automatic draft. Most companies treat each as its own discount, and installments usually carry a fee.
- Ask for paperless billing and paperless policy documents.
Discounts you have to ask for by name
A company applies only the discounts it has on file for you. Go through this list with your agent, and again when the policy renews.
- Good student, for a B average or better. See adding a teen driver.
- Defensive driving, once you finish an approved course.
- Multi car, when more than one vehicle sits on the policy.
- Homeowner. Some companies count it even when the house is insured somewhere else.
- Longevity or renewal discounts, for staying with the same company.
- Occupational and affinity discounts for teachers, nurses, first responders, military and some employers.
- Telematics or usage based programs. An app or a small device tracks how far and how smoothly you drive, and low mileage is rewarded.
Defensive driving in Texas
Texas lets many drivers dismiss an eligible moving violation by finishing an approved defensive driving course, with the court's permission. Most companies also give a discount for the certificate.
Ask the court first, then send the certificate to your company. A ticket the court dismisses does not land on your driving record.
Things that quietly raise your rate
- A lapse, meaning any stretch with no policy in force, even a short one. Keep the old policy alive until the new one starts. See what a lapse costs.
- A driver in your household who is not listed on the policy. That can cause a claim problem too.
- A vehicle still listed months after you sold it.
- A commute distance that changed years ago and was never updated.
- An old ticket that has aged off your record but is still on file at your company.
The vehicle itself
What a car costs to insure varies by model, so ask before you buy. Two trucks with similar sticker prices can be priced far apart, based on repair cost, theft rate and safety record.
What not to cut
Keep your liability limits, the part that pays other people when a wreck is your fault. Keep uninsured motorist coverage, for when the other driver has none. Keep comprehensive, which pays for hail, theft and other damage that is not a crash, on a car that parks outside.
Those three are where trimming now turns into a very large bill after a wreck or a hail storm.
We do the shopping part
Bring your current declarations page, the sheet that lists your coverages and limits. We match that coverage exactly across companies so you compare the same thing. Call our McAllen office at (956) 687 3334, or use the ZIP form on this page. Se habla español.
Common follow-up questions
How often should I shop my policy?
Every two years at minimum. Also any time you move, buy a vehicle, add a driver, or open a renewal that went up more than you expected.
Does paying monthly cost more?
Usually yes. Most companies add a fee to each installment, and the paid in full discount does not apply. If cash flow allows, pay six months at a time.
Will switching carriers hurt my rate later?
No. Companies look at whether you have kept coverage with no gap in it, not at how long you stayed with one of them.
Need a quote?
Enter your ZIP code to get started. Ten questions, about two minutes.
Or call (956) 687 3334, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM.
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Gerino Alejos
Licensed insurance agent · License 3128710 · NPN 18243381
Owner of McAllen Insurance Group, an independent agency on North 10th Street in McAllen. Works with clients across Hidalgo, Cameron and Starr counties on Medicare, Marketplace health, life and auto coverage. Se habla español.