It’s a fact that auto insurance companies don’t want you shop around. Drivers who get price quotes annually are inclined to switch to a new company because of the high probability of finding a lower rate. A recent survey found that drivers who compared rates regularly saved on average $3,450 over four years compared to people who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If saving money on auto insurance is your goal, then knowing how to compare insurance rates can make it easier to find better rates.
The recommended way to find low-cost car insurance rates is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from insurance carriers in Fort Worth. Price quotes can be compared by following these guidelines.
- First, spend some time learning about how insurance works and the factors you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many risk factors that drive up the price such as careless driving and an unacceptable credit score can be controlled by making minor changes in your lifestyle. Continue reading for ideas to get cheaper coverage and get additional discounts that may have been overlooked.
- Second, compare rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only quote rates from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can quote rates from multiple companies. View prices
- Third, compare the new quotes to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you can save money and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
A valuable tip to remember is to use identical limits and deductibles on each price quote and and to get prices from every insurance company. Doing this enables an accurate price comparison and a complete selection of prices.
Finding the cheapest insurance coverage in Fort Worth is much easier if you have a good place to start. If you have a current insurance policy or need a new policy, use these cost-cutting techniques to buy cheaper insurance while maximizing coverage. You only need an understanding of the tricks to find the lowest price instantly.
Don’t neglect these rate reducing discounts
Not many people think insurance is cheap, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically when you quote, but occasionally some discounts must be manually applied in order for you to get them.
- Telematics Discount – Fort Worth drivers who agree to allow data collection to scrutinize when and where they use their vehicle by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate may get a rate reduction if they show good driving skills.
- Full Payment Discount – If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you can avoid the installment charge.
- Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Buying insurance for more than one vehicle on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to fasten their seat belts may be able to save a few bucks on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- New Vehicle Savings – Insuring a vehicle that is new can be considerably cheaper due to better safety requirements for new vehicles.
One last thing about discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So when the math indicates you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it’s just not the way it works.
The example below illustrates the difference between Kia Rio auto insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the premium. The rates are based on a female driver, no violations or claims, Texas state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, claim-free, marriage, safe-driver, multi-policy, and homeowner discounts applied.
A few popular companies and their offered discounts are detailed below.
- Farmers Insurance offers discounts for alternative fuel, bundle discounts, multi-car, electronic funds transfer, pay in full, and distant student.
- State Farm may include discounts for defensive driving training, accident-free, good driver, Drive Safe & Save, good student, multiple autos, and passive restraint.
- Liberty Mutual may have discounts that include good student, hybrid vehicle, newly retired, preferred payment discount, new move discount, and new graduate.
- MetLife has discounts for accident-free, good driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and defensive driver.
- Progressive has savings for good student, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, homeowner, and online signing.
When getting a coverage quote, ask each company or agent which discounts can lower your rates. Savings might not be available to policyholders in Fort Worth. If you would like to choose from a list of insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts in Fort Worth, click here to view.
Most of the larger companies like Allstate and Progressive provide prices on their websites. Getting online rates for Kia Rio insurance in Fort Worth is pretty easy as you simply type in your coverage information on the page. Once entered, the company’s rating system obtains information on your driving record and credit history and generates pricing information. Being able to quote online for Kia Rio insurance in Fort Worth makes it simple to compare prices and it’s also necessary to perform this step if you want to get the most affordable car insurance rates.
If you want to find out what other companies charge, consider comparing rates from the companies shown below. To compare your current rates, we recommend you enter the insurance coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. Doing this assures you are getting rate quotes using the exact same coverages.
The auto insurance companies shown below are ready to provide free quotes in Texas. If multiple companies are shown, we suggest you visit several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Kia Rio insurance rates and statistics
The coverage table shown next covers different insurance rates for Kia Rio models. Understanding more about how auto insurance prices are formulated can help drivers make informed purchases.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rio | $160 | $332 | $404 | $24 | $122 | $1,042 | $87 |
Rio LX | $160 | $332 | $404 | $24 | $122 | $1,042 | $87 |
Rio SX | $184 | $392 | $404 | $24 | $122 | $1,126 | $94 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data variables include married female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, claim-free, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and homeowner. Rate quotes do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can lower or raise rates greatly.
The diagram below demonstrates how deductibles and can affect Kia Rio premium costs for each age group. The rates are based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are applied.
Full coverage or liability only
The diagram below compares Kia Rio auto insurance rates with and without physical damage coverage. The information is based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
When to stop buying full coverage
There is no exact formula for eliminating comp and collision coverage, but there is a general guideline. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s pretend your Kia Rio replacement cost is $8,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would get paid by your company is $7,000 after paying your deductible. If you are currently paying more than $700 a year for your policy with full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are some cases where eliminating full coverage is not recommended. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should keep full coverage in place.
The Kia Rio Insurance Price Equation
Many different elements are part of the equation when you get a price on insurance. Some are obvious like your driving record, but some are less obvious such as your credit history or your financial responsibility. One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of a few of the rating criteria that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. If you know what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables you to make decisions that could help you find cheaper rates.
How do annual miles impact rates? – The more you drive your Kia in a year the more you’ll pay to insure it. Most companies calculate rates based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars that are left in the garage receive lower rates than cars that get driven a lot. An improperly rated Rio may be costing you. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy shows the right rating data.
Additional coverages that may be costing you – Insurance policies have a lot of extra coverages that can add up on your Rio policy. Insurance for things like vanishing deductibles, towing coverage, and extra life insurance coverage may not be needed and are just wasting money. They may sound like good ideas when you first buy your policy, but if they’re wasting money consider taking them off your policy.
Employer reflects on rates – Careers such as doctors, social workers, and dentists tend to have higher premiums than the average policyholder because of stressful work requirements and long work hours. Other jobs such as professors, athletes and the unemployed pay the least.
Lower premiums by staying claim free – If you frequently file small claims, you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance companies in Texas award better rates to people that do not abuse their auto insurance. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
Responsible drivers pay lower prices – Having a clean driving record impacts premiums far more than you think. Only having one moving violation may increase your cost to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers with clean records tend to pay less for car insurance as compared to careless drivers. Drivers who have gotten severe citations like reckless driving or DUI may face state-mandated requirements to prove financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
The diagram below illustrates how violations and at-fault claims increase Kia Rio insurance premiums for each different age category. The premiums assume a single male driver, full coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Car and home together may be cheaper – Some insurance companies will award better rates to buyers who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Discounts can add up to ten or even fifteen percent. Even if you’re getting this discount consumers should still comparison shop to ensure the best deal.
Guys are more aggressive – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown that females tend to be a little less risky than males. Now that doesn’t mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Males and females tend to get into fender benders at about the same rate, but the male of the species cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving.
The illustration below visualizes the comparison of Kia Rio annual premium costs for male and female drivers. Data assumes no claims or driving citations, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Lower premiums for safer cars – Vehicles that have high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. Vehicles engineered for safety help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and better occupant protection means your insurance company pays less which can result in lower premiums. If your Kia Rio scored better than four stars on Safercar.gov you may qualify for a discount.
Claims statistics for a Kia Rio – Car insurance companies take into consideration historical loss data for every vehicle to help calculate a profitable premium rate. Vehicles that the data shows to have a trend towards higher claim severity or frequency will have increased rates.
The data below shows the compiled insurance loss statistics for Kia Rio vehicles. For each coverage category, the statistical loss for all vehicles, as a total average, is considered to be 100. Numbers below 100 are indicative of better than average losses, while values that are above 100 point to more claims or tendency to have higher losses.
Make and Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kia Rio | 90 | 109 | 81 | 141 | 158 | 127 |
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Get rate quotes but still have a local neighborhood Fort Worth car insurance agent
Certain consumers still prefer to buy from a local agent and that can be a smart move Good agents are very good at helping people manage risk and will help you if you have claims. A nice benefit of getting online price quotes is that you can find cheaper car insurance rates and still have a local agent.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is sent to local insurance agents who can give free rate quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to search for an agent since rate quotes are delivered to your email. If you wish to get a price quote from a specific insurance company, you would need to visit that company’s website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding the right insurance company needs to be determined by more than just the quoted price. These are some valid questions you should ask.
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- Do they have 24-hour customer assistance?
- Do they see any coverage gaps in your plan?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- When do they do policy reviews?
- Will you work with the agent or an assistant?
Pick the best car insurance agent in Fort Worth for you
If you want to buy auto insurance from local Fort Worth agents, you should know the different agency structures to choose from. Auto insurance agents in Fort Worth are categorized either exclusive agents or independent agents. Both properly insure your vehicles, but we need to point out the difference in how they write coverage because it can factor into the selection process.
Exclusive Agencies
Agents that elect to be exclusive have only one company to place business with and examples are Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. They usually cannot place coverage with different providers so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agencies receive a lot of sales training on what they offer which helps them sell on service rather than price.
Listed below are Fort Worth exclusive agencies willing to provide price quote information.
Jerry Bristow – State Farm Insurance Agent
6490 Camp Bowie Blvd – Fort Worth, TX 76116 – (817) 738-2184 – View Map
Camilla Harris – State Farm Insurance Agent
7225 Crowley Rd a – Fort Worth, TX 76134 – (817) 293-0496 – View Map
Clint Goin – State Farm Insurance Agent
7420 N Beach St #234 – Fort Worth, TX 76137 – (817) 485-5660 – View Map
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that choose to be independent are not employed by one company so as a result can place your coverage with many different companies and find you the best rates. If they find a lower price, they simply move your policy to a different company and the insured can keep the same agent.
When comparing auto insurance prices, it’s recommended you get insurance quotes from several independent insurance agents in order to compare the most rates.
Listed below are Fort Worth independent insurance agencies that are able to give comparison quotes.
Lucien Wright Insurance Services
6000 Western Pl #100 – Fort Worth, TX 76107 – (817) 335-3400 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Morris Curlee Jr
3000 Altamesa Blvd #150 – Fort Worth, TX 76133 – (817) 370-9838 – View Map
Main Street Independent Insurance- Tim Linzy, Agent
6300 Ridglea Pl #1115 – Fort Worth, TX 76116 – (817) 380-5597 – View Map
If you feel you receive reasonable responses for all questions you ask as well as low cost Kia Rio insurance quotes, you have narrowed it down to an auto insurance agent that can provide auto insurance coverage. Just keep in mind it’s your policy and you can cancel a policy for any reason so don’t think that you are obligated to any particular company for the entire policy term.
Choosing vehicle insurance is an important decision
Even though it can be expensive, car insurance is mandatory in Texas but it also protects more than you think.
- Almost all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific level of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car. 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.
- If you have a loan on your Kia Rio, more than likely the lender will require that you have insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender may insure your Kia at a much higher rate and require you to reimburse them for it.
- Insurance protects not only your Kia but also your financial assets. It will also pay for hospital and medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially with large liability claims. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver is wasting up to $700 annually so it’s recommended you shop around every year to ensure rates are inline.
A conclusion for your auto insurance search
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the lowest possible cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
Cost effective Kia Rio insurance can be sourced online and from local agencies, and you should compare rates from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies do not provide online quoting and usually these smaller companies sell through independent insurance agencies.
Additional detailed information is located in these articles:
- What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Uber Drivers in Fort Worth? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for College Graduates in Fort Worth? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Business Use in Fort Worth? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for Electric Cars in Fort Worth? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for a Toyota RAV4 in Fort Worth? (FAQ)
- All About Airbag Safety (State Farm)
- State Laws for Cellphones and Texting (iihs.org)