Shopping for Auto and Home Insurance in Allen?
The next time you are searching for a cheaper rate on your car and house insurance in Allen, Texas, here are some things to consider.
Tickets
Your most recent 3 to 5 year driving record should be relatively clean of history. You need to think twice about pleading guilty and paying that fine on your next minor citation. Most insurance companies will surcharge your car insurance policy for that violation for at least 3 years and some even 5 years. Place a call to the traffic court where you have received your ticket and ask how much it will cost to plead no contest and ask for deferred adjudication. Generally the fine will be about 25% more than the guilty plea but if you don’t receive another ticket in the 90 days after your no contest plea, the citation will be expunged from your record as if it was never issued.
Accidents
How many times have you had a minor incident in the parking lot and you naturally give the other person your insurance information without thinking that maybe the damage is small enough that you could consider paying for the damage out of pocket. The surcharge on your car insurance for a minor incident is generally the same for a large accident. Most insurance companies now surcharge your policy for 5 years therefore; it could cost you at least $1,000 over a 5 year period of time.
Credit
Many people ask me “what does credit have to do with the rate that I am charged for car or my house insurance”. All states except for California have accepted data provided by insurance companies that validate that individual credit scoring has proven to be a strong indicator of future losses. Whether or not you agree, your credit is a large percentage of your final rate. The independent agent has a significant advantage over the captive agent that only writes for one company. Each insurance company has a different matrix when measuring the credit to develop your rate therefore the old saying “one man’s trash is another mans treasure” comes into greater focus. Your Allen independent agent will be able to shop your risk characteristics with many companies to develop the most competitive rate in the state. Your agent will treat your personal information with the greatest degree of privacy.
Continuous prior insurance coverage 
Insurers take a dim view of consumers in Allen, Texas and the Dallas area driving without insurance since in most states it is the law to maintain financial responsibility. Even just a week or two lapse in coverage could have an enormous effect on your premium. The underwriting criteria differ from company to company so it is also an advantage of the independent agent to have many companies to choose. Some companies will make exceptions for the consumer that is innocent with no prior coverage such as the person that has commuted for years on the bus line and not owned a vehicle. Be prepared to pay 50% higher premiums if you have been without coverage for 30 days.
