What is the Average Cost of Car Insurance in Arlington?
Arlington has a population of 398,854 and is part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington area, which according to the Census Bureau has a population of 7,573,136. Arlington is the seventh largest city in Texas, and the metropolitan area is the largest in the state and the fourth largest in the country. It’s also home to the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), which has an enrollment of slightly under 40,000 students each year.
The average household in Arlington owns two vehicles, and the average commute to work is 27 minutes. That means most people in the city spend an hour on the road going to and from work, and the one thing they all have in common is the need for vehicle insurance. While that may seem like a simple requirement, the fact is, buying car insurance can be quite confusing. It is important to have a basic grasp of the requirements and terms used in the insurance industry in order to understand what you’re purchasing and to compare policies and costs before choosing an auto insurance company to write your policy.
The following guide will give you a basic understanding of insurance requirements in Arlington, Texas as well as the companies that offer the lowest average policy rates in the area.
What Insurance Coverage is Needed for Drivers in Arlington
In Texas, the minimum amount of vehicle insurance required by law is at least $30,000 of coverage for injuries per person, up to a total of $60,000 per accident, and a minimum $25,000 coverage for property damage. In the insurance industry, this is referred to as 30/60/25 coverage and you can opt to purchase additional amounts on top of this minimum of liability. When you take into consideration the average hospital stay related to an auto accident is over $56,500 you can understand why some choose higher levels of coverage. Likewise, when you look at the cost to replace a new vehicle, $10,000 in property damage won’t go far.
You should also consider additional policy riders. An example is theft protection; according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) in 2018 Arlington, Texas ranked number 83 nationwide in vehicle thefts with 23,261 stolen cars and trucks. Unless you purchase a theft rider on your policy, you will have no monetary recourse if your car is stolen and either remains unfound or is damaged or totaled in the process.
Most Expensive and Least Expensive Insurance Rates by Zip Code
Cheap Car Insurance in Arlington by Insurer
Your car insurance rate will be determined by a number of personal facts such as sex, age, education, credit score, driving experience, and driving record. There are certain insurance companies which consistently offer lower rates than their competitors; note that your own rate will most likely be higher or lower depending on your personal information.
Low Cost Auto Insurance for Bad Credit in Arlington
If your credit is less than stellar you can expect to pay higher rates. Luckily, some companies specialize in issuing policies for those with bad credit, as seen in the following chart. Again, your rates will depend on your personal information.
Find out how your car insurance rates are impacted with bad credit.
Differences Between the Two Main Coverages
What is Liability-Only?
Liability-only coverage is the cheapest option for automobile insurance. This coverage level only covers vehicles that are not at fault in an accident. Thus, if you carry liability-only coverage and cause an accident, the other driver will be covered by your policy. Any damage done to your car must be covered out of pocket, if at all.
What is Full Coverage Car Insurance?
Liability-only insurance is the least amount of insurance that one can purchase. This satisfies your legal requirement to drive and register your vehicle in {location-state}. For many people, this is not sufficient coverage because it does not cover their losses if they are at fault and do damage to their own vehicle or if they sustain damages in a hit-and-run or from an uninsured driver.
Collision covers when one is at fault and their own vehicle is damaged. If you have a car that is worth more than a few thousand dollars, it is often a wise investment to buy collision insurance each year. However, collision insurance coverage is pricey and will increase your insurance cost per year quite drastically.
Comprehensive covers those oddball things that happen that you cannot control, like damaged windshields and collision with animals on the road. It also covers your loss when someone purposely damages your vehicle in an act of vandalism. In addition, comprehensive covers theft of your vehicle, fire and weather, or acts of nature. An example of the latter would be if your car was crushed under a tree that fell in a wind storm.
Key Differences Between Full Coverage and Liability Only
The main difference between liability and full coverage insurance is that full coverage will cost more than liability insurance and this is because it protects you against many more possible risks that liability doesn’t cover.
In addition, liability insurance only covers other people’s injury claims and damages to other vehicles where full coverage will cover other’s injuries and vehicle damages as well as your injuries and damage to your own vehicle.
Average Annual Car Insurance Rates in Texas by City
Take Advantage of These Car Insurance Discounts
Find additional ways to save on your Arlington car insurance premiums with these insurance discounts:
-
Raise your deductible
If you are willing to pay more money for a deductible, in the event of an accident, then you can lower your insurance rates substantially. You can lower your premium to around 10% just by raising your deductible to around $1,000.
-
Drop Collision Coverage on Old Cars
Dropping collision coverage on older cars can really help save you a lot, especially for cars that are more than ten years old and only worth four or five thousand dollars. Think about it, if you have an accident while driving an older car, are you really going to pay to repair it or just buy a new car?
-
Check Insurance Rates for Your Car’s Make and Model
The make and model of your car can make a big difference in how much you pay for auto insurance. Therefore, before purchasing a new car, be sure and check the insurance rates for it as some can be much higher than others.
-
Shop Around to Check Rates from Numerous Insurance Companies
The chart in this article should be enough proof to know that there can be a big difference in what various insurance companies charge for auto insurance. That is why it is a good idea to check rates from a number of insurance companies before deciding which plan to choose.
-
Drive Fewer Miles
One of the questions asked when applying for auto insurance rates, is how many miles you drive regularly. This is because the more miles you drive, the more risk you are to the insurance company and the higher your insurance cost will be. Try to drive fewer miles, if possible, to save more money on your premiums.
-
Maintain a Good driving record
Being a safe driver can not only save your life, but it can also save you a lot of money, too. There is a big difference in how much people with accidents on their record have to pay, and what those without any accidents pay. Therefore, always drive safely.
-
Live in a less populated area
Your location matters when it comes to auto insurance rates. If you live in a highly populated area, your rates will be higher than if you live in a lower-population area. The Jefferson and New Orleans areas have some of the highest rates in Louisiana, but if you live just 30 minutes outside of the city, you can expect your rates to go down.
Reasons that Affect Your Automobile Insurance Rates in Arlington
There are many factors that affect your insurance rates, number one being your driving record and whether or not you have had previous accidents where you were at fault. Other things that can affect the amount you will have to pay for auto insurance are:
- The company that ensures you
- Not only the city and state you live in but the area (zip code) you reside in as well
- Your age
- Whether you are male or female
- Your earnings
- Marital status
- Your credit score
- Speeding tickets or other tickets you have incurred
- How many years of driving experience you have
- How many miles you drive regularly, including your commute to work
- The year, make, and model of your vehicle
- Where you park your car when not in use
Learn how driving violations can affect your car insurance rates.
Check Out Car Insurance Companies in Arlington and Reviews
Helpful Arlington, Texas Vehicle Resources:
Live Traffic and Accidents
https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Traffic/Traffic_info-Arlington-_-Texas-United_States
DMV (Find Locations, Vehicle Registration, Titles and Insurance Info)
https://www.dps.texas.gov/driverlicense/