It’s a known fact that auto insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. People who do rate comparisons are inclined to move their business because there is a great chance of finding more affordable rates. A survey found that consumers who regularly shopped around saved $850 each year compared to other drivers who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding the best rates on auto insurance in Laredo is your ultimate goal, then having an understanding of how to get free comparison quotes and analyze car insurance can save money and time.
If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to get low-cost car insurance rates is to start comparing prices regularly from insurers in Laredo. Prices can be compared by following these steps.
Step 1: Take a little time to learn about what is in your policy and the steps you can take to keep rates in check. Many things that cause rate increases such as distracted driving and bad credit can be rectified by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
Step 2: Request price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.
Step 3: Compare the new rates to your existing coverage to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you find a lower rate, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
Step 4: Give notification to your current company of your decision to cancel your current coverage. Submit payment and a signed application to the newly selected company. Immediately store the proof of insurance certificate in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
One key aspect of rate comparisons is that you use the same amount of coverage on each quote request and and to get price estimates from as many different insurance providers as possible. This provides an accurate price comparison and a good representation of prices.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to lower your rates using the ideas covered in this article. Locating the best rates in Laredo can be made easier if you know where to look. Nevertheless, Texas car owners must comprehend the way insurance companies compete online because rates fluctuate considerably.
Buy Lower-cost Insurance with These Tips
Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that go into determining the level of your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can earn you cheaper rates. Lots of things are considered when you get your auto insurance bill. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving history, but some are less obvious such as your credit history or how financially stable you are.
The following are most of the major factors insurance companies consider when setting rates.
Gals tend to be lower risk – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that females take fewer risks when driving. This data doesn’t prove that males are worse at driving than females. Men and women are responsible for at-fault accidents at about the same rate, but guys cause more damage. In addition to higher claims, males also get higher numbers of serious violations like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving.
The chart below illustrates the difference between Cadillac Escalade EXT insurance rates for male and female drivers. The premiums assume no claims or violations, comp and collision included, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Alarm systems lower insurance rates – Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can get you a discount on your insurance. Anti-theft devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack can help prevent car theft.
Tickets cost more than a fine – Being a careful driver has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. Only having one speeding ticket may cause rates to rise by as much as twenty percent. Drivers unfortunate enough to have serious violations such as reckless driving or DUI are required to submit a SR-22 form with their state’s licensing department in order to prevent a license revocation.
The diagram below highlights how speeding tickets and at-fault accidents can increase Cadillac Escalade EXT insurance costs for different age groups of insureds. The costs are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
Low deductibles can be expensive – Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles define the amount you are required to spend out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some coverage claims would be rear-ending another vehicle, damage from fire, and having a roll-over accident. The more damage repair cost the insured is willing to pay, the better rate you will receive.
Just remember that having more price comparisons helps improve the odds of finding lower pricing.
The following companies are our best choices to provide price quotes in Texas. To get cheap car insurance in Laredo, we recommend you visit several of them in order to find the most competitive rates.
Cadillac Escalade EXT insurance analysis
The premium information shown below highlights estimates of rate quotes for Cadillac Escalade EXT models. Having a better idea how insurance prices are figured is important for making smart choices when selecting a policy.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escalade EXT 4WD | $312 | $632 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,528 | $127 |
| Escalade EXT Luxury Edition 4WD | $312 | $632 | $430 | $26 | $128 | $1,528 | $127 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data variables include single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and claim-free. Estimates do not factor in specific location information which can increase or decrease rates significantly.
Cost comparison with and without full coverage
The chart below illustrates the difference between Cadillac Escalade EXT insurance costs when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The data assumes no violations or accidents, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are factored in.
Guidelines for dropping full coverage
There is no clear-cut formula of when to eliminate full coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than 10% 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 Cadillac Escalade EXT book value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, you would only receive $4,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If premium cost is more than $400 a year to have full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
There are some scenarios where removing full coverage is not recommended. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not buy liability only.
Insuring your Cadillac vehicle just makes sense
Despite the fact that car insurance is not cheap in Laredo, buying car insurance is required in Texas but also provides important benefits.
First, almost all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific limits of liability protection if you want to drive 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.
Second, if you have a loan on your Escalade EXT, it’s most likely the lender will require that you buy full coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank will be required to insure your Cadillac at an extremely high rate and force you to reimburse them for it.
Third, car insurance preserves both your assets and your vehicle. It also can pay for medical bills for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially if you ever need it. But the average driver in Texas is overpaying more than $869 every year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison each time the policy renews to save money.
Cheaper rates on Cadillac Escalade EXT insurance in Laredo with these discounts
Some insurance providers don’t always publicize their entire list of discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down some of the more common as well as some of the hidden credits available to lower your premiums when you buy Laredo auto insurance online.
- Resident Student – Any of your kids living away from Laredo attending college and leave their car at home could qualify for this discount.
- Driver Education Discount – Require your teen driver to take driver’s ed class in school or through a local driver safety program.
- Responsible Driver Discounts – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may receive a discount up to 45% compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Senior Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
- Telematics Data – Drivers that enable their auto insurance company to scrutinize vehicle usage by using a telematics device in their vehicle such as Drivewise from Allstate or Snapshot from Progressive may see discounts if they have good driving habits.
- Paperwork-free – A handful of larger companies provide a small discount get Laredo auto insurance online.
- Payment Discounts – By paying your policy upfront as opposed to paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
- Own a Home and Save – Just being a homeowner can save a few bucks due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
- Bundle and Save – If you combine your auto and home policies and insure them both with the same insurance company they may give you a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free auto insurance policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will lower your overall premium however.
The example below visualizes the comparison of Cadillac Escalade EXT auto insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the rates. The premiums assume a male driver, no accidents, no driving violations, Texas state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, multi-car, claim-free, marriage, multi-policy, and homeowner discounts applied.
A few companies that may offer these benefits possibly include:
When getting free Laredo auto insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to each company to give you their best rates. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be offered in your area. For a list of companies that offer multiple discounts in Texas, click here to view.
Neighborhood Laredo auto insurance agents
Some people just prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is OK! A nice benefit of comparing insurance prices online is you can get the best rates and also buy local. Buying from and supporting neighborhood insurance agencies is important particularly in Laredo.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your information is emailed to insurance agents in Laredo who will gladly provide quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to drive around because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to talk to. In the event you want to compare rates from a particular provider, just visit that company’s website to submit a rate quote request.
If you are wanting to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, it can be helpful to understand the types of agencies from which to choose. Insurance agencies in Laredo may be either exclusive or independent.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents are appointed with more than one company so they can insure your vehicles with many different companies and get you the best rates possible. If your premiums go up, the business is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency. If you are comparing auto insurance prices, you will want to include independent agents to maximize your price options.
Shown below is a small list of independent agents in Laredo who can help you get competitive price quotes.
FalconSure Insurance Agency
7718 McPherson Rd #3 – Laredo, TX 78045 – (956) 794-9700 – View Map
Alphasure Affordable Insurance Services
1620 Chihuahua St – Laredo, TX 78043 – (956) 729-9500 – View Map
Zimmerman Insurance
3515 N Arkansas Ave #107 – Laredo, TX 78043 – (956) 796-1115 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Exclusive agents write business for a single company and examples are American Family, State Farm, and Allstate. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agencies receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products which aids in selling service over price.
Listed below are Laredo exclusive agencies that are able to give price quotes.
Texas Farm Bureau Insurance – Melissa Arce
1505 Calle Del Norte Dr #210 – Laredo, TX 78041 – (956) 712-3276 – View Map
State Farm: Manuel Gomez III
4311 Clark Blvd – Laredo, TX 78043 – (956) 333-0000 – View Map
Texas Farm Bureau Insurance – Juancarlo Rendon
507 E Expy 83 – Pharr, TX 78577 – (956) 787-8844 – View Map
Selecting an insurance agency requires you to look at more than just the quoted price. These are valid questions to ask:
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
Insurance agents can help
When it comes to choosing coverage online or from an agent, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of policy. Every insured’s situation is different.
For example, these questions may help highlight if you will benefit from professional help.
- Who is covered when they drive my Cadillac Escalade EXT?
- Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
- Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
- Are rock chip repairs covered?
- Is there a penalty for late payment?
- Am I covered if hit by an uninsured driver?
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.
Affordable car insurance prices are available
We just covered a lot of ways to lower your Cadillac Escalade EXT insurance prices in Laredo. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest prices come from an unexpected company.
More affordable car insurance in Laredo is available both online as well as from independent agents in Laredo, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. A few companies may not have rate quotes online and these smaller companies provide coverage only through independent insurance agencies.
People change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as high rates after DUI convictions, being labeled a high risk driver, high prices and an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
Other resources
- Top Signs Your Brakes are Giving Out (State Farm)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record in Laredo? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance with Multiple Speeding Tickets in Laredo? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Laredo Car Insurance for Welfare Recipients? (FAQ)
- Rearview cameras reduce backing crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Neck Injury FAQ (iihs.org)
- Insuring a Leased Car (Insurance Information Institute)
- Senior Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)