The words “low-priced” and “auto insurance” really shouldn’t be used together, specifically when you are trying to find the best car insurance for infrequent drivers. To save some money, let’s take a look at some of the factors that have an impact on auto insurance prices, and figure out some ideas to cut the cost of the next policy you buy.
The vehicle model needing coverage is one of the largest considerations in finding the best cheap car insurance for infrequent drivers. Vehicles with economical engines, modern passenger safety features, or a low likelihood of liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than fast, unsafe models. The list below ranks coverage rates for a number of the more affordable vehicles to buy coverage for.
| Make and Model | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V EX-L 4WD | $1,256 |
| Chevrolet Impala LS | $1,428 |
| Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 4WD | $1,483 |
| Hyundai Elantra Blue 4-Dr Sedan | $1,503 |
| Ford Escape Limited 2WD | $1,541 |
| GMC Sierra SL Crew Cab 2WD | $1,559 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 4WD | $1,567 |
| Chevrolet Malibu LTZ | $1,559 |
| Nissan Rogue SL 2WD | $1,561 |
| Toyota Prius | $1,568 |
| GMC Sierra 3500HD SLE Regular Cab 2WD | $1,589 |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD SLT Extended Cab 4WD | $1,634 |
| Hyundai Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $1,637 |
| Toyota RAV4 Sport 2WD | $1,667 |
| Dodge Ram 3500 Crew Cab Laramie 2WD | $1,692 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | |
Cost estimates assume single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Prices do not factor in garaging location in Dallas, TX which can decrease or increase premiums considerably.
Based upon these rates, models like the Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Impala, Ford Explorer, Hyundai Elantra, and Ford Escape are most likely going to be a few of the most affordable vehicles to insure for low mileage drivers.
One of the more important components that are looked at to determine the cost of insurance is where you live. Regions with more people or even just more weather-related claims tend to pay slightly more, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates have the benefit of cheaper auto insurance prices.
The next table ranks the most expensive places in Texas for infrequent drivers to buy car insurance in. Dallas is ranked #5 with a yearly cost of $1,837 for coverage, which is about $153 per month.
| Rank | City | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAllen | $1,936 |
| 2 | Houston | $1,891 |
| 3 | Laredo | $1,889 |
| 4 | Brownsville | $1,851 |
| 5 | Dallas | $1,837 |
| 6 | Pasadena | $1,812 |
| 7 | Amarillo | $1,804 |
| 8 | Garland | $1,796 |
| 9 | Grand Prairie | $1,793 |
| 10 | Irving | $1,772 |
| 11 | Beaumont | $1,772 |
| 12 | Mesquite | $1,753 |
| 13 | Lubbock | $1,733 |
| 14 | San Antonio | $1,722 |
| 15 | Austin | $1,659 |
| 16 | Arlington | $1,658 |
| 17 | Plano | $1,624 |
| 18 | Corpus Christi | $1,620 |
| 19 | El Paso | $1,616 |
| 20 | McKinney | $1,609 |
| 21 | Fort Worth | $1,604 |
| 22 | Carrollton | $1,598 |
| 23 | Waco | $1,584 |
| 24 | Abilene | $1,545 |
| 25 | Killeen | $1,518 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||
Information shown are estimated as zip code location can alter coverage prices substantially.
Finding good, cheap insurance is not the easiest thing to do, and figuring out which insurers offer the most affordable insurance rates for infrequent drivers will require a bit more work. Each auto insurance company has their own formula to determine premium rates, so let’s begin by examining the overall cheapest insurance companies in Dallas, TX.
Find the Best Cheap Insurance in Texas
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travelers | $1,021 |
| 2 | USAA | $1,128 |
| 3 | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,199 |
| 4 | Germania Mutual | $1,256 |
| 5 | Esurance | $1,421 |
| 6 | California Casualty | $1,424 |
| 7 | Mercury | $1,506 |
| 8 | State Farm | $1,510 |
| 9 | Nationwide | $1,538 |
| 10 | Safe Auto | $1,549 |
| 11 | Amica | $1,705 |
| 12 | Progressive | $1,715 |
| 13 | Allstate | $1,718 |
| 14 | Home State | $2,092 |
| 15 | GEICO | $2,156 |
| 16 | MetLife | $2,183 |
| 17 | Encompass | $2,301 |
| 18 | Unitrin | $2,333 |
| 19 | 21st Century | $2,494 |
| 20 | Titan | $2,646 |
| Quote Your Rates Go | ||
Travelers quotes some of the cheapest car insurance rates in Dallas at around $1,021 a year. This is $883 less than the average premium paid by Texas drivers of $1,904. USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Germania Mutual, and Esurance also make the cut as some of the lowest-priced Dallas, TX insurance companies.
As depicted above, if you buy coverage from Germania Mutual and switched to Travelers, you might realize an annual premium reduction of upwards of $235. Texas drivers with Esurance might save as much as $400 a year, and California Casualty customers might reduce prices by as much as $403 a year.
Bear in mind that those policy prices are averaged across all types of drivers and the different vehicles they drive and and are not calculated with an exact zip code location for infrequent drivers. So the auto insurance company that has the cheapest price for you may not even be in the top 23 companies shown above. That illustrates why you need to compare prices as often as possible using your own personal information and vehicle type.
Liability rates compared to full coverage
Paying less for insurance is important to most vehicle owners, and a good way to save on the cost of insurance for infrequent drivers is to not insure for full coverage. The chart below shows the difference between car insurance costs with and without full coverage. The prices are based on no claims or driving citations, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no additional discounts are factored in.
On average, physical damage insurance costs an additional $2,181 per year over and above liability coverage. That touches on the question when is the right time to remove full coverage. There is no set guideline of when to eliminate full coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is about 10% or more of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
There are some scenarios where only buying liability is not a good plan. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should keep full coverage on your policy.
Ending up with the top insurer can be a challenge considering how many different insurance companies sell coverage in Dallas. The company information shown next may help you decide which auto insurance companies you want to consider when trying find the best insurance for infrequent drivers. The ratings below are only comprised of the largest auto insurers in America, so companies without a large exposure are not included in this list.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travelers | 93 | 98 | 99 | 88% | A++ | 95.1 |
| USAA | 83 | 99 | 100 | 91% | A++ | 94.1 |
| Mercury Insurance | 97 | 96 | 88 | 89% | A+ | 93.4 |
| AAA Insurance | 91 | 95 | 92 | 90% | A | 93.3 |
| Nationwide | 85 | 95 | 97 | 89% | A+ | 92.4 |
| Allstate | 77 | 100 | 97 | 88% | A+ | 90.7 |
| State Farm | 80 | 94 | 96 | 88% | A++ | 90.6 |
| The Hartford | 88 | 93 | 91 | 87% | A+ | 90.4 |
| Safeco Insurance | 91 | 95 | 85 | 88% | A | 90.2 |
| Progressive | 88 | 94 | 83 | 88% | A+ | 90.1 |
| American Family | 91 | 86 | 95 | 83% | A | 89.7 |
| Esurance | 86 | 90 | 94 | 90% | A+ | 89.5 |
| The General | 86 | 93 | 89 | 84% | A- | 88.2 |
| GEICO | 79 | 89 | 95 | 87% | A++ | 87.8 |
| Titan Insurance | 86 | 82 | 92 | 86% | A+ | 86.5 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
How to find budget-friendly car insurance for infrequent drivers
The list below summarizes many penny-pinching ideas that can help Texas drivers buy lower-cost coverage.
- Good credit scores may lower your rates
- Vehicles with good safety ratings are usually cheaper to insure
- At-fault accidents can raise rates significantly
- Try to remain claim-free
- Do not get tickets
- Look for cheaper rates once a year by shopping around
That last tip is notably significant, as was affirmed in the article above. Insurance rates adjust often, so don’t be tentative to buy from a different company if a better rate can be found. Having a favorite company is great, but it’s not a great idea if that loyalty ends up costing a wad of cash every year. Now is a great time to shop around to find cheaper auto insurance for infrequent drivers in Dallas.