How AiM Saved Our Client $1,500 on Car Insurance

The starting point

The Reyes family came to us in February. Two parents, two teen drivers, three vehicles: a 2019 Honda Pilot, a 2017 Subaru Outback, and a 2014 Toyota Corolla used by their oldest at college. Their renewal notice had jumped from $4,210 to $4,820, a 14.5 percent increase with no claims, no tickets, and no household changes.

What we found

Their carrier had quietly re-tiered them after a state-wide loss-cost adjustment. The Corolla, driven less than 4,000 miles a year, was rated as a daily commuter. Both teens were rated against their highest-cost vehicle instead of the lowest. And the family was carrying 100/300/100 liability with comp-and-collision deductibles of $250, the carrier's most expensive default tier.

The negotiation

We pulled three competing quotes from carriers we knew were aggressive in Travis County for multi-vehicle households. Two of them, once we corrected the usage classification on the Corolla and reassigned the youngest driver to the Outback, came in dramatically cheaper. We then went back to the existing carrier with those quotes and a written request for a re-rate. They matched within $90.

The outcome

Final premium: $3,310 a year, same 100/300/100 limits, same $250 collision deductible, same roadside and rental coverage. Annual savings: $1,510. Same carrier, same policy number, no lapse, no DMV paperwork, just a corrected usage classification and a competitive quote in writing.

Why this works

Carriers will re-rate existing customers when shown evidence that they're losing the policy to a competitor. Most drivers never ask. The Reyes family had been a loyal customer for nine years. Loyalty, in auto insurance, is rarely rewarded. It's usually priced.