Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for January 2020

Auto Insurance Statistics in Texas

Auto insurance rates in Texas appear to have been going up over the past few years. It’s important to pay close attention to the trends in auto insurance rates so you can determine whether or not what you are paying is in keeping with standard rates. By looking into the fluctuations in rates over the past few years, Texas drivers can get an idea of what they can expect to pay in auto insurance coverage.

Average Car Insurance Premiums State Vs. National

Source: NAIC.org

Drunk Driving Fatalities

Drinking and driving is a dangerous practice that can often end in death. Drinking and driving in Texas appears to have been plateaud over the past few years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has done a tally of the number of drunk driving fatalities in Texas vs. nationwide.

Drunk driving fatalities in Texas from 2013 to 2017

Source: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Teen Drinking and Driving

Teen drinking and driving in Texas is at a rate that is much higher than the national average. According to the reported data, teen drinking and driving in Texas is at an alarmingly high rate. The practice of drinking while consuming alcohol should be strongly discouraged by both parents and teachers alike. The below statistics compare the percentage of Texas drivers that are teenagers who are drinking and driving related to national averages.

Teen Drinking & Driving in Texas vs. Nationwide (2017)

Source: Center For Disease Control

SR-22 Insurance in Texas

If you commit a driving violation in Texas, you will most likely need to submit proof that you have basic insurance coverage if you want to reinstate your license. The state uses this as a tool ensure that you have the financial viability to pay for damages if you get into an accident on the road. You can provide proof of this coverage by purchasing an SR-22 form (policy).

Texas has some of the highest coverage requirements for SR-22 holders. You will need $25,000 in property damage coverage, $60,000 of per accident bodily injury cover, and $30,000 of per person bodily injury coverage. As these policies can end up costing significant amounts of money, don’t underestimate the importance of comparing quotes.

Car Theft in Texas

Auto theft in Texas is at a rate that is similar to that of the national average for the past few years. The numbers went down in 2013 but then increased again a year later. By finding out about the number of car thefts in Texas, drivers will have a more comprehensive understanding of the level of risk they take on while driving and owning a car in the state.

Vehicle thefts by rank Nationwide vs. Texas

Source: www.FBI.gov

Uninsured Motorists in Texas

Driving without insurance can be risky especially when an accident occurs. If you get into an accident with an underinsured or uninsured motorist, you may have to pay out of pocket and then you’ll most likely have to carry high risk insurance. This is why it is recommended to have uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. The below data shows how well Texas ranks in the total number of reported uninsured motorists in the state in the year 2015.

Percentage of uninsured drivers (Top States in 2015)

Source: Insurance Information Institute

In the Great State of Texas, cheap car insurance is aplenty but hard to find. In Houston alone, there was a nearly $700 price difference per year between the cheapest and most expensive car insurance. That’s what it’s crucial that you shop around for car insurance near you. You also have to pay close attention to what all the insurance covers or you may be paying for a big mistake later.

During our research, we found that the average Texan pays around $2,300 per year for their car insurance. There are five companies in Texas that can help you save hundreds each year.

5 – Mercury.

A Mercury Insurance quote charged our sample driver roughly $1,800. That’s a savings of $500 per year. It’s already a huge improvement, and it’s not even our number one!

4 – State Farm.

With our sample driver, State Farm charged a mere $1,500. That’s $800 dollars the average Texan could be saving on their car insurance per year.

3 – Progressive.

Our sample driver found even more savings with Progressive, which would have charged only $1,300 – a whopping $1,000 less than the average yearly cost paid.

2 – GEICO.

GEICO, too, would have saved our driver around $1,000, beating Progressive’s quote by a mere $60.

Don’t worry – we’re not nickel and diming our way to number 1, which goes to:

1 – Texas Farm Bureau.

With Texas Farm Bureau, we would have been expected a humble $1,200 per year for our car insurance. That’s a grand total of $1,100 dollars off of the total that most Texans pay for auto insurance each year.

While these price differences tend to hold up regardless, you’ll find that the price of car insurance, even when offered by the same company, will differ from city to city. That’s why it’s so important for you to shop around and see what the best local deals are. You may just find that some of the insurance companies have better rates than their competitors even just a county over! So, make sure to check out all your options regardless if you’re living in Dallas, El Paso, Lubbock, Fort Worth, Houston, or San Antonio. 

Though in our research, we did find that most times the five above companies were consistently the cheapest, they did occasionally hop around on the spots.

Just be wary of any insurance company that is offering a quote that sounds too good to be true. Either you’ll be covered with the bare legal minimum, or you’ll find yourself crawling with hidden fees! And while we all want to save a buck here and there – don’t skip out on the insurance. It’s illegal!

Types of Auto Insurance Coverage in Texas:

• Comprehensive Insurance Coverage
• Bodily Injury Liability Insurance
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Insurance
• Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Insurance
• Property Damage Liability Insurance

Minimum Requirements For Car Insurance in Texas

There are minimum requirements for car insurance for drivers operating a motor vehicle in the state of Texas. According to the Texas Insurance Division, all drivers must have a minimum of liability insurance coverage.

Liability minimums in Texas:

$25,000 includes property damage in an accident.

$30,000 includes injury to an individual from an accident.

$60,000 includes multiple injuries in an accident.

Failure to maintain insurance in the state of Texas results in a first offense fine of $175 up to $350. A second offense results in a fine of $350 up to $1,000.

Source: Texas Department of Insurance

New Driver Requirements in Texas

In accordance with Texas law, each driver who operates a motor vehicle in the state of Texas is required to hold a state driver’s license. The state also has a licensing program for minors which is known as the Graduated Driver License (GDL) program. This allows minors to get important training which helps them to learn how to drive unsupervised. The GDL has three stages:

• The Learner License
• The Minor Restricted Driver License
• The Provisional License

The Learners License:

The Learner’s License is a license permit for applicants who are 15 years old or under 18 and allows them to drive with a licensed adult who is at least 21 years of age or older and has 1 year of driving experience.

The Minor Restricted Driver License:

The Minor Restricted License is also known as a hardship license and allows the applicant to become licensed at 15 if not doing so would present a hardship to the family.

The Provisional License:

The provisional license is a regular driver’s license that has restrictions for drivers who are under 18 years of age.

Source: Texas Driver’s Handbook

Cheap Auto Insurance Discounts

At CheapAutoInsurance.co, we aim to assist you in finding hidden deals to help you save on the cost of car insurance. One way to do this is with car insurance discounts. We have compiled a list of the best car insurance discounts to help you save as much as you can on Texas auto insurance premiums. Browse the list below to find some of the auto insurance discounts listed that can help you to save on the cost of car insurance in Texas each year.

• Anti-theft discount
• Mature driver discount
• Military or Veteran discount
• Bundling insurance policies discount
• Senior citizen discount
• Car safety features discount
• Good student discount
• Defensive driving discount
• Low-mileage discount
• Multi-car auto insurance discount
• Infrequent usage discount

FAQ

Your Texas Auto Insurance and How You Can Get One

In this section, you’ll learn the basic information on car insurance as well as on acquiring it.

Auto Insurance Costs

Aside from the pricing itself, you’ll also find tips on getting better rates and other insights on the insurance market.

Accidents, Claims, and Coverage Issues

Other Questions

From cancelling your insurance to finding out how insurance companies think, you would find the answers to these questions here. Other concerns that are not as likely or as relevant as those in the previous section were also placed here.

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