Paying Too Much for Car Insurance in San Francisco, CA? Here’s How to Save!

I can’t think of a single person who cherishes buying car insurance, especially knowing the cost is too high.

Having so many companies to choose from, it can be diffult for consumers to choose the lowest cost provider.

It is always a good idea to shop coverage around occasionally because prices trend upward over time. If you had the lowest price on your last policy there is a good chance you can find better rates now. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding car insurance online but we’re going to give you some great ways to find cheap San Francisco car insurance.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

• Poor credit can mean higher rates – Having a bad credit score is a important factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. If your credit is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your by improving your credit score. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit.
• Save money with special equipment – Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft prevention features such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping your vehicle from being stolen.
• Having a spouse can save you money – Getting married can get you a discount on your car insurance policy. Marriage means you’re more mature and responsible and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
• Tickets mean higher rates – Even one citation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better rates than bad drivers. If you have serious violations like DUI or reckless driving may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
• Never allow your policy to lapse – Not having insurance can get your license suspended and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance lapse. And not only will your rates increase, failure to provide proof of insurance will get you a license revocation or jail time.You may need to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the California motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
• Safer cars cost less to insure – Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars protect occupants better and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company and thus lower rates.

More discounts equal less premium

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you can get discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be applied at the time you complete a quote, but some may not be applied and must be asked for before you will receive the discount.

• Memberships – Being a member of a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount when shopping for car insurance.
• Multiple Vehicles – Insuring multiple vehicles on the same car insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
• Senior Citizens – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may qualify for a discount up to 10%.
• Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
• Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
• Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Keeping the miles down can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
• Discount for New Cars – Insuring a new car can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.

Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down the amount you have to pay.

Is there truth in advertising?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the companies have a common claim of big savings if you change to them. How do they all make the same claim?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured could be over the age of 40, insures multiple vehicles, and has excellent credit. Any new insured who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who fall outside the requirements will have to pay a more expensive rate which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can claim big savings.

Because of the profiling, it’s extremely important to compare as many rates as you can. It is impossible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

More information is available on the website for the California Department of Insurance. Click here for link. California drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read industry bulletins, and download brochures.

A tidy conclusion

In this article, we presented some good ideas how to lower your car insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the best price on car insurance is with a smaller regional carrier. They often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

Cost effective car insurance is possible both online as well as from independent agents in San Francisco, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online quoting and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.