The national average cost of car insurance is about $900.
Texas drivers specifically look at a slightly higher bill, but very close to
the national average, typically below $1,000. The largest factors of the price
are pretty unsurprising; The value of the vehicle you’re insuring, and your
risk-level in terms of demographics.
We’ve all heard that age and gender play a part, but what about things
that you can change?
Married people pay less for auto insurance. Sure, it’s not something you can change on your own, but it is a hidden discount for your auto insurance premium. If you’re unmarried, you pay a higher premium than you would with all other factors held constant.
Safety ratings do matter. Only to an extent, of course, but
vehicles that are rated as more safe are going to come with a lower premium.
Crossover SUVs make up a large portion of the list of “Cheapest
Cars to Insure”, and it’s not by accident or surprising when you
think about it. They’re safe, boring, and slow. Which qualifies them for the
trifecta of low insurance premiums.
Assuming you’re not already getting married, or ready to
trade in your car, the easiest hidden discount that you can take advantage of
today is taking a defensive driving course. Most states and insurance companies
allow you to receive up to 10% off your premium if you’ve taken the course
within the last 3 years. So while most people only bother when they’ve gotten a
ticket, if you’re looking to trim your auto insurance bill, defensive driving
is the way to save.
There’s also new tools, like Gabi, that allow you to
upload your current information (you upload, it pulls the data automatically),
and receive a list of quotes within 24 hours. Best of all, you don’t get a
phone call from 10 different insurance companies occupying your entire day. You
upload your information, they do the heavy lifting, and then you receive a list
of quotes. Interestingly, they’re pretty honest. I uploaded my information and
was told that my policy is the cheapest available. I already knew that because
I had already spoken to those other companies, but they confirmed it without
trying to upsell me or perform a bait-and-switch.
