Trying to come up with a payment for expensive auto insurance can draw down your funds and make it tough to pay other bills. Doing a rate analysis is a smart way to slash your bill and have more diposable income.
A recent study showed that over 70% of drivers kept their policy with the same company for four years or more, and almost half have never compared rate quotes at all. San Antonio drivers could pocket 70% a year by just shopping around, but they just assume it takes a lot of time to find cheaper rates by getting comparison quotes.
Many auto insurance companies vie to insure your vehicles, so it’s not easy to compare every provider to find the absolute best price available on Volvo S40 insurance in San Antonio.
If you’re already insured, you will surely be able to shop for the lowest rates using the ideas presented in this article. Buying the cheapest insurance in San Antonio is much easier if you have a good place to start. But Texas vehicle owners can benefit from knowing how companies determine how much to charge because rates fluctuate considerably.
Car insurance providers offering competitive price quotes in Texas
The car insurance companies shown below are our best choices to provide comparison quotes in Texas. If multiple providers are shown, we recommend you compare several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Rates and other information
The coverage information shown next showcases estimates of coverage prices for Volvo S40 models. Understanding how insurance policy premiums are established can help you make informed decisions when shopping around for a new policy.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S40 2.4I | $260 | $496 | $366 | $22 | $110 | $1,254 | $105 |
| S40 T5 | $260 | $496 | $366 | $22 | $110 | $1,254 | $105 |
| S40 T5 AWD R-Design | $260 | $496 | $366 | $22 | $110 | $1,254 | $105 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Premium data assumes married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and multi-policy. Table data does not factor in specific location which can revise insurance rates noticeably.
Analysis of deductible levels
When comparing car insurance rates, the most common question is how high should the physical damage deductibles be. The data tables below may aid in understanding the price difference between high and low insurance deductibles. The first table uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second rate chart uses a $500 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S40 2.4I | $332 | $584 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,459 | $122 |
| S40 T5 | $332 | $584 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,459 | $122 |
| S40 T5 AWD R-Design | $332 | $584 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,459 | $122 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S40 2.4I | $270 | $472 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,260 | $105 |
| S40 T5 | $270 | $472 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,260 | $105 |
| S40 T5 AWD R-Design | $270 | $472 | $382 | $22 | $114 | $1,260 | $105 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Above prices assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, safe-driver, homeowner, and multi-policy. Premium amounts do not factor in garaging location in San Antonio which can alter insurance rates significantly.
Based on the data above, we can derive that using a $250 deductible will cost you about $17 more each month or $204 a year across all Volvo S40 models than buying the higher $500 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $250 more to settle a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you go at a minimum 15 months between claim filings, you would probably be better off if you elect the higher deductible.
The example below demonstrates how deductible levels and can change Volvo S40 insurance premiums for different insured age categories. The information is based on a single male driver, full coverage, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
How accidents and tickets impact rates
The chart below demonstrates how citations and fender-benders can influence Volvo S40 annual premium costs for different ages of insureds. The data assumes a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
Price comparison of only insuring for liability
The example below visualizes the comparison of Volvo S40 yearly insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage. Data assumes no violations or claims, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Guidelines for dropping full coverage
There is no specific rule for eliminating comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than about 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Volvo S40 replacement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most you would receive is $2,000 after paying your deductible. If you are paying in excess of $200 annually for your policy with full coverage, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
There are some cases where only buying liability is not in your best interest. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to keep full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not buy liability only.
Cheaper rates by taking advantage of these eight discounts
Car insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but you might find some hidden discounts that can dramatically reduce your bill. Many discounts should be triggered at quote time, but a few must be manually applied prior to getting the savings.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Maintaining low annual mileage may enable drivers to earn better prices on cars that stay parked.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to buckle up could cut 10% or more off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are much safer to drive and the ABS can save up to 10%.
- Auto/Life Discount – Not all car insurance companies offer life insurance, but some may give you better rates if you take out some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
- Own a Home and Save – Simply owning a home can help you save on car insurance because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.
- Service Members Pay Less – Having an actively deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
- Full Payment Discount – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
- Resident Student – Youth drivers who live away from home to go to college and won’t have access to an insured vehicle could get you a discount.
Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to the whole policy. Most only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
The example below shows the difference between Volvo S40 car insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. The data is based on a female driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, Texas state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, multi-car, safe-driver, multi-policy, marriage, and homeowner discounts applied.
Insurance companies that may offer policyholders these money-saving discounts include:
Check with each company how many discounts you can get. A few discounts may not be offered in your area. To see a list of companies who offer discounts in San Antonio, click this link.
Independent versus exclusive car insurance agents
Some consumers just prefer to talk to a local agent and often times that is recommended One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find the best rates and still have a local agent.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, your insurance coverage information is sent to companies in San Antonio that can provide free San Antonio car insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. You never need to contact any insurance agencies because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. You can find lower rates without requiring a lot of work. If for some reason you want to get a price quote for a specific company, you can always search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
Finding the right provider should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. Here are some questions you should ask.
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Texas?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Do they get paid more for recommending certain coverages?
- Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
- Where would your vehicle be repaired?
If you want to use a reliable insurance agent, it’s helpful to know the different types of agencies that you can choose from. Insurance policy providers can be classified as either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents in the exclusive channel generally can only insure with one company such as AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance, and Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot give you multiple price quotes so it’s a take it or leave it situation. They are well schooled on the products they sell which helps them sell on service rather than price.
Below are San Antonio exclusive insurance agents that can give you price quote information.
Chuck Laubach – State Farm Insurance Agent
14425 Brook Hollow Blvd Suite 101 – San Antonio, TX 78232 – (210) 494-7695 – View Map
Jacqui Lugar – State Farm Insurance Agent
1248 Austin Hwy Ste. 202 – San Antonio, TX 78209 – (210) 822-2121 – View Map
Tim Lucas State Farm Insurance Agent
21790 Bulverde Rd, 101 – San Antonio, TX 78259 – (210) 494-6700 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents in the independent channel are not locked into one company so as a result can place your coverage with a variety of different insurance companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage which makes it simple for you. When comparison shopping, we highly recommend that you compare quotes from at a minimum one independent agency for maximum quote selection.
The following are San Antonio independent agencies that are able to give rate quotes.
Grona Boles Martin Bloxsom Insurance Agency
800 Isom Rd # 100 – San Antonio, TX 78216 – (210) 366-5094 – View Map
Mesquite Insurance Agency
501 W Quincy St – San Antonio, TX 78212 – (210) 472-3034 – View Map
A.R.M. Insurance Agency
1534 W Contour Dr #101 – San Antonio, TX 78212 – (210) 828-7873 – View Map
Once you have received acceptable answers to any questions you may have and an acceptable price quote, you’ve probably found an insurance agent that can be trusted to provide insurance coverage.
Insurance coverage basics
Having a good grasp of a insurance policy can help you determine the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are the normal coverages found on the average insurance policy.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for immediate expenses such as pain medications, prosthetic devices, EMT expenses, nursing services and ambulance fees. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as vandalism, rock chips in glass and falling objects. The maximum payout your insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – This gives you protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Volvo S40.
Due to the fact that many Texas drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (30/60/25), their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.
Coverage for liability – This coverage will cover damage or injury you incur to people or other property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see limits of 30/60/25 that means you have $30,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $60,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers things such as medical expenses, court costs and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Texas requires drivers to carry at least 30/60/25 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
The chart below shows why buying low liability limits may not be enough.
Collision coverage – Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as damaging your car on a curb, scraping a guard rail and backing into a parked car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Another option is to bump up the deductible on your S40 in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Quote more and you will save more
In this article, we covered some good ideas how you can lower your Volvo S40 insurance rates in San Antonio. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your chances of lowering your auto insurance rates. Consumers may even find the best price on car insurance is with the smaller companies. They may have significantly lower auto insurance rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like State Farm or Progressive.
As you prepare to switch companies, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where someone dropped collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at the best possible price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Budget-conscious Volvo S40 insurance is available from both online companies as well as from insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who may not provide rate quotes online and these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agencies.
Other resources
- New head restraint design cuts injuries (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has the Cheapest San Antonio Auto Insurance with Multiple Speeding Tickets? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for a Honda Accord in San Antonio? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap San Antonio Car Insurance Quotes for a School Permit? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for a 20 Year Old Female in San Antonio? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for 16 Year Olds in San Antonio? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Nissan Altima in San Antonio? (FAQ)
- Rearview cameras reduce backing crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)