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Here you’ll learn everything you need to know to buy the best car insurance policy in Houston for your particular situation. You’ll see which carriers are rated as the best car insurance companies for customer satisfaction and what the average car insurance rates are for your neighborhood. You’ll also discover how much you can save from knowing how to make smart choices about coverage. And, find out how rates for Houston drivers are affected by tickets, accidents and adding teen drivers.
Who Has The Best Car Insurance in Houston, TX?
Deciding who has the best car insurance to suit your needs depends on what is most important to you. For some it may be price, while others may value customer service the most. Still others may be looking for the convenience of mobile apps, or a company that offers the most car insurance discounts. Below we list car insurance companies in Houston, and who they are the best at serving, based on CarInsurance.com’s customer satisfaction survey of current policy holders and rate data analysis.
| Best for | Company |
|---|---|
| Claims | Geico |
| Value/Price | Geico |
| Customer Service | Geico |
| Websites/Apps | USAA |
| Recommend | Metlife |
| Low Annual Mileage | Allstate F&C |
| Good Student | Nationwide CCMIC |
| Bundle | Allstate F&C |
| Paid in Full | Allstate F&C |
Cheap Car Insurance in Houston, Texas
State Farm Mut Auto Ins Co and Texas Farm Bureau Mut Ins Co have the cheapest car insurance rates in Houston, based on our rate analysis for three different coverage levels. The driver profile is for age 30, with good credit and a clean driving record. You can see how major insurers rank for price in the chart below
| Company | Liability Only - State Minimum BI/PD | Liability Only - 50/100/50 BI/PD | Full Coverage - 100/300/100 BI/PD - 500 Comp/Coll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Farm Bureau Mut Ins Co | $562 | $619 | $1,770 |
| State Farm Mut Auto Ins Co | $588 | $651 | $1,698 |
| AAA TX Cnty Mut Ins Co | $646 | $705 | $2,138 |
| Geico County Mutual Ins Co. | $669 | $720 | $1,801 |
| Allstate Fire & Cas Ins Co | $792 | $816 | $3,624 |
| Colonial Cnty Mut Ins Co | $872 | $839 | $1,914 |
Car Insurance Coverage – How Much Car Insurance do I Need in Houston?
Below we’ll explain what coverage you need to drive legally, which is your state required minimum liability limits, and what types of car insurance you may need to be truly protected.
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Houston
Texas car insurance laws require only that you insure yourself against bodily injury and property damage liability, so it’s your choice whether to add coverage for yourself, your passengers, and your vehicle.
If you have a newer model car, it makes sense to get comprehensive insurance and collision coverage. In Texas, comprehensive costs $325 and collision costs $782 , on an average per year, according to a rate data analysis done by CarInsurance.com. These optional coverages come with a deductible. That’s the amount you pay before your insurance company pays. Typical deductibles amounts are $1,000, $500 and $250 – you choose which one you want. The higher the deductible is, the lower your rate will be.
The best car insurance coverage usually isn’t the cheapest. You may be used if you’re in an accident and your insurance doesn’t cover all of the damages. That means your home or savings could be in jeopardy. To protect your assets, you should buy liability insurance in the following amounts:
- $100,000 to pay for others’ medical bills
- $300,000 to pay for injuries to others in an accident you cause
- $100,000 to pay for damage to others’ property
You should also consider buying these optional coverages:
- Comprehensive, which replaces stolen cars and covers damage to your car from floods, fire, hail, vandalism.
- Collision, which pays for damage to your car from accidents.
The average rate for Houston drivers for a year of minimum coverage is $688 according to our rate analysis. If you increased your coverage to 50/100/50, you would pay just about $3.08 more a month, or $37 more a year. You can get full coverage (100/300/100) by paying $122.50 more a month, or an additional $1,470 a year more than minimum-level coverage.
Houston average for:
- Minimum coverage: $688
- 50/100/50: $725
- 100/300/100: $2,158
Average Car Insurance Rates in Houston
CarInsurance.com analyzed car insurance rates from six car insurance companies for nearly every ZIP code in Texas. Here's how Houston's highest average rate $2,411 for ZIP 77076 compares to others, for a full coverage policy of 100/300/100 for a driver age 30:
- $526 more than the least expensive average rate $1,885 in ZIP code 77062
- $588 more than the state average $1,823
- $652 more than the national average rate $1,759
Compare Car Insurance Quotes in Houston – How to Save on Insurance Policy?
You can save an average of $1,993 annually on a full coverage policy in Houston by comparing car insurance quotes, according to CarInsurance.com's rate analysis. While savings will depend on your particular circumstances, this shows that there is a significant benefit to shopping your policy.
Why Does Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Save Money?
No two insurance companies will charge the same amount of money for the same policy. So if you compare car insurance quotes and opt for the lowest, you won’t over pay. For example, the highest rate from any carrier surveyed for ZIP code 77076 , the priciest ZIP code Houston car insurance, was $4,128 . The lowest was $1,907 . The difference is $2,221 , which is how much you could overpay. That’s why car insurance comparisons are paramount to finding the best cheap car insurance for your situation.
Houston Car Insurance FAQ’s
How much does insurance go up after a speeding ticket in Houston?
A speeding ticket in Houston will hike your car insurance rates by an average of 13% , or about $242 yearly. CarInsurance.com’s rate analysis shows how much more drivers in Houston can expect to pay, on average, for speeding and other common violations. Minor traffic violations, such as speeding, typically stay on your record for about three years, and you can expect to see the rate increase upon your policy renewal date. More severe infractions, such as DUI, typically stay on your record much longer.
Driving in Houston
Traffic in Houston: The city and nearby areas came in fourth for the worst traffic in the country in a recent report by USA Today, which noted that drivers spend about 58 hours a year stuck in traffic.
Car crashes: Major accidents have resulted in an average of 180 deaths a year in recent year (2012-2014).
Commuting: The average commute in Houston lasts 27 minutes.
Public transportation: The U.S. Census Bureau says that the majority of riders in Houston who commute to work by public transportation are white (about 16 percent), Hispanic (about 41 percent) and black (about 37 percent). The bureau notes that commuting is the main reason people turn to mass transit.
High Occupancy Vehicle rules: The HOV lane, also known as the carpool or diamond lane, is designed to reduce traffic congestion and promote ride-sharing on freeways. In Texas, only vehicles with at least two people, mass transit vehicles like buses, and motorcycles are allowed to use the lanes. Use may be restricted during specified hours.
Smog rules: Texas requires Houston residents with vehicles two to 24 years old to have emissions testing every year as part of the registration process. New Houston residents must have the vehicle tested within 30 days of moving to the city to register it.
Bad intersection: The meeting of Genoa Red Bluff Road and Beltway 8 has consistently been called one of the worst intersections in the Houston area.
The information was gathered from various sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, state transportation departments and city police departments.
