The words “low-priced” and “auto insurance” really shouldn’t be used in the same sentence, especially when comparison shopping for the cheapest auto insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. Because it’s so expensive, let’s take a look at some things that significantly impact car insurance rates, and find a few ways to shave a little off your next policy.
Finding out which insurers offer the cheapest car insurance rates for drivers with a bad driving record involves a little more effort than just quoting one company’s rates. Every insurance company has a unique approach to determine rates, so to begin we’ll rank the most budget-friendly car insurance companies in Laredo.
It’s a good idea to be aware that Laredo, TX car insurance rates are influenced by many factors that control the price you have to pay for coverage. Getting older, getting married, or getting a ticket for careless driving can cause premium changes that can cause some rates to be more affordable than competitors.
Find Cheaper Car Insurance for Imperfect Drivers
| Rank | Company | Cost Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travelers | $1,052 |
| 2 | USAA | $1,117 |
| 3 | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,199 |
| 4 | Germania Mutual | $1,294 |
| 5 | Esurance | $1,379 |
| 6 | California Casualty | $1,382 |
| 7 | State Farm | $1,450 |
| 8 | Mercury | $1,476 |
| 9 | Nationwide | $1,538 |
| 10 | Safe Auto | $1,565 |
| 11 | Progressive | $1,647 |
| 12 | Allstate | $1,701 |
| 13 | Amica | $1,757 |
| 14 | Home State | $2,155 |
| 15 | GEICO | $2,156 |
| 16 | MetLife | $2,183 |
| 17 | Unitrin | $2,310 |
| 18 | Encompass | $2,324 |
| 19 | 21st Century | $2,396 |
| 20 | Titan | $2,568 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | ||
Travelers generally has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Laredo at around $1,052 each year. USAA, Texas Farm Bureau, Germania Mutual, and Esurance also rank well as some of the cheaper Laredo, TX auto insurance companies.
As shown in the rates above, if you currently have a policy with USAA and switched to Travelers, you could see savings of upwards of $65. Insureds with Texas Farm Bureau may save as much as $147 a year, and Germania Mutual policyholders might reduce rates by $242 a year.
To compare your rates to other Texas insurance companies, click here or quote rates from the companies below.
It’s important to note that these prices are averages across all insureds and vehicles and and are not figured with a specific vehicle garaging location for drivers with a bad driving record. So the auto insurance company that can offer the best rates for your situation may not even be in the top 23 companies in the list above. That illustrates why you need to quote rates from many companies using your own personal information and vehicle type.
For bad drivers, one of the largest considerations that aid in calculating auto insurance rates is the neighborhood you call home in Laredo. Regions with larger populations or more claims tend to pay more, whereas areas with fewer weather claims and lower vehicle theft rates get the luxury of paying less.
The next table ranks the highest-priced areas in Texas for drivers with a bad driving record to purchase car insurance in. Laredo makes the list at #4 with the yearly price of $1,851 for the average policy, which is around $154 each month.
| Rank | City | Premium Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McAllen | $1,936 |
| 2 | Brownsville | $1,927 |
| 3 | Amarillo | $1,858 |
| 4 | Laredo | $1,851 |
| 5 | Dallas | $1,837 |
| 6 | Houston | $1,835 |
| 7 | Garland | $1,832 |
| 8 | Grand Prairie | $1,811 |
| 9 | Mesquite | $1,807 |
| 10 | Pasadena | $1,794 |
| 11 | Irving | $1,772 |
| 12 | San Antonio | $1,739 |
| 13 | Beaumont | $1,702 |
| 14 | Lubbock | $1,682 |
| 15 | Fort Worth | $1,670 |
| 16 | Austin | $1,659 |
| 17 | Arlington | $1,642 |
| 18 | El Paso | $1,616 |
| 19 | McKinney | $1,609 |
| 20 | Plano | $1,608 |
| 21 | Carrollton | $1,598 |
| 22 | Waco | $1,584 |
| 23 | Corpus Christi | $1,572 |
| 24 | Abilene | $1,561 |
| 25 | Killeen | $1,488 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | ||
Table data uses approximated as vehicle location can influence auto insurance rates considerably.
The vehicle requiring coverage is probably the biggest factor when consumers are trying to find the most economical car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. Vehicles with limited speed and performance, advanced safety features, or a track record of few liability claims will cost significantly less to insure than fast, unsafe models.
The data below features auto insurance costs for a selection of the most budget-friendly automobiles to buy coverage for.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Estimated Cost for Full Coverage |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $4,610 |
| Ford Escape XLT 4WD | $4,666 |
| Toyota Prius | $4,967 |
| Ford Edge SEL 2WD | $5,166 |
| Ford Focus S 4-Dr Sedan | $5,171 |
| Volkswagen Jetta SE 2.5 Station Wagon | $5,216 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $5,266 |
| Ford F-150 XLT Regular Cab 2WD | $5,279 |
| Toyota Tacoma 2WD | $5,407 |
| Hyundai Elantra GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $5,452 |
| Honda Odyssey EX-L W/Rear Entertainment | $5,459 |
| Chevrolet Equinox LTZ 2WD | $5,502 |
| Ford Explorer Limited AWD | $5,515 |
| Honda Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $5,538 |
| Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | $5,595 |
| Find Cheaper Rates Go | |
Data variables include single female driver age 30, two speeding tickets, two at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, and Texas minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Premium costs do not factor in specific zip code location which can change price quotes considerably.
Looking at the data, you can assume that models like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Toyota Prius, Ford Edge, and Ford Focus are likely to be some of the cheapest vehicles to insure for bad drivers. Prices will be more costly because there is more inherent risk for drivers with a bad driving record, but overall those vehicles will most likely have the cheapest auto insurance rates possible.
The diagram below illustrates how choosing a deductible can increase or decrease annual premium costs when quoting cheap insurance for drivers with a bad driving record. The information is based on a married male driver, comp and collision included, and no additional discounts are factored in.
As shown above, a 30-year-old driver could lower their car insurance rates by $294 a year by changing from a $100 deductible to a $500 deductible, or save $446 by choosing a $1,000 deductible. Younger drivers, like the 20-year-old, could drop their prices as much as $884 each year just by choosing higher deductibles.
If you do decide to increase your deductibles, it will now be necessary to have enough spare savings to be able to cover the extra out-of-pocket expense, which deters some drivers from choosing higher deductibles.
Full coverage rates vs. liability-only in Laredo
Reducing premiums for car insurance is the goal of most drivers, and one easy way to reduce the cost of insurance for drivers with a bad driving record is to only buy liability insurance. The illustration below shows the difference between annual premium costs with full coverage compared to only the Texas minimum liability coverage. The prices are based on no accidents, no driving violations, $500 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Averaged for all age groups, full coverage costs $1,793 per year more than carrying just liability coverage. Many drivers will wonder if buying full coverage is a waste of money. There is no exact rule that works best for making the decision to drop comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of coverage is about 10% or more of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
There are some conditions where only buying liability is not recommended. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not consider dropping full coverage.
How to get discounts on Laredo car insurance
Auto insurance companies that offer quotes for drivers with a bad driving record may have premium discounts that can reduce rates by as much as 25% or more if you are eligible. Popular car insurance companies and a selection of discounts are:
- GEICO offers premium reductions for anti-theft, federal employee, daytime running lights, defensive driver, membership and employees, and multi-policy.
- Mercury Insurance has discounts for multi-car, good driver, good student, location of vehicle, annual mileage, and age of vehicle.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include pay in full, distant student, youthful driver, homeowner, and good student.
- Auto-Owners Insurance may have discounts that include safe driver, safe vehicle, multi-policy, student away at school, mature driver, air bags, and good student.
- Liberty Mutual has savings for safety features, newly retired, newly married, preferred payment discount, good student, new vehicle discount, and teen driver discount.
- SAFECO offers discounts for multi-car, anti-theft, anti-lock brakes, safe driver, and teen safety rewards.
- Progressive may include discounts for homeowner, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, online quote discount, good student, online signing, and multi-policy.
- USAA policyholders can earn discounts including family discount, good student, annual mileage, new vehicle, military installation, defensive driver, and safe driver.
The illustration below shows the comparison of insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. The information is based on a male driver, one at-fault accident and one violation, Texas state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $500 deductibles.
The first bar for each age group shows insurance cost with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multiple policy, multiple vehicle, vehicle safety, anti-theft, continuous coverage, and paperless filing discounts applied. When these discounts are applied, the average amount saved each year on car insurance for drivers with a bad driving record is 28% or $1,006.
The insurance agencies listed below are willing to provide answers to your questions and help you determine which insurance coverage you need, since some people prefer to get some help when comparing insurance rates for bad drivers. It can be complicated to find the best policy yourself, and getting advice from a licensed Texas insurance agent can give you comfort knowing your policy gives you sufficient coverage for your assets. To find a Laredo insurance agent close to where you live, click the button at the bottom of the list.
- Lozano Insurance
519 E Gustavus St – Laredo, TX 78040 – (956) 725-2167 - Laurel Insurance
4519 San Bernardo Ave – Laredo, TX 78041 – (956) 723-3785 - Delgado Insurance Agency, LC
9902 McPherson Rd #6 – Laredo, TX 78045 – (956) 728-7377 - Farmers Insurance – Manuel Benavides
4001 McPherson Rd #105 – Laredo, TX 78041 – (956) 725-5901
Find a Laredo, TX insurance agent near you
How to find low-cost insurance for drivers with a bad driving record
The list below details some of the better penny-pinching suggestions that can help Texas drivers locate cheap car insurance.
- Drive a car with a high safety rating
- Do not pay for comprehensive and collision coverage on older vehicles
- Good credit scores may lower your rates
- Being accident-free can lower rates significantly
- Buy your homeowners policy from the same company as your auto insurance
- Shop your coverage around for the best deal
That last idea is especially significant, as we emphasized in the prior article. Car insurance rates vary considerably, so don’t be hesitant to switch carriers if a cheaper rate is available. Being loyal to a particular company is commendable, but it’s not a great idea if that loyalty ends up costing a lot of money every month. It only take a few minutes to compare rates to find cheaper insurance for drivers with a bad driving record in Laredo.