Learn How to Pay Less and Get More for San Diego Car Insurance

Price shopping your San Diego car insurance is nearly impossible for consumers new to comparison shopping online. Drivers have so many choices that it can be a ton of work to locate the lowest price in San Diego.

Consumers should take time to take a look at other company’s rates periodically because rates change frequently. If you had the best price last year a different company probably has better rates today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re about to find out the proper way to find great coverage at a great price.

If you are insured now or are just looking to switch companies, you can learn to get lower rates and still get good coverage. The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with how car insurance quotes work and some tips to save money. California drivers just need to learn the proper way to get comparison quotes online.

Lower your San Diego Car Insurance Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that come into play when calculating car insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

The list below includes some of the items companies use to determine rates.

Being married is a good thing – Getting married can actually save you money when buying car insurance. Marriage translates into being more responsible and statistics show married couples file fewer claims.
Low deductibles can be expensive – Physical damage coverage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims are collision with another vehicle, damage caused by hail, or theft. Deductibles for physical damage are the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The more you have to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Is your vehicle built for speed? – The make and model of the vehicle you are insuring makes a significant difference in determining your rates. Low performance passenger cars generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Where you live is a factor – Being located in a rural area can be a good thing when it comes to car insurance. Lower population means reduced accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers who live in large California cities have to deal with much more traffic to deal with and longer commute times. More time on the road means more change of being in an accident.
How’s your driving record? – Just one citation can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Careful drivers have lower premiums than bad drivers. Drivers who have serious citations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.

Free San Diego Car Insurance Quotes

Finding a lower price on insurance can be quick and easy. You just have to take the time getting comparison quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

One of the simplest ways consumers can analyze rates is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form prevents you from having to do separate quote forms to each individual car insurance company. Filling out one form will return quotes from all major companies. This is by far the quickest method.
A less efficient way to get comparison quotes requires you to visit the website for each individual company to complete a price quote. For examples sake, let’s say you want to compare Allstate, Esurance and GEICO. To get each rate you have to visit each site and enter your information, which is why most consumers use the first method.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in San Diego, click here.
The least efficient way to compare rates is to waste gas driving to different San Diego agent offices. The ability to buy insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you have a need for the professional advice of a licensed agent. It is possible to compare the best prices online but buy from a local insurance agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.

Whichever way you use, make absolute certain that you use the exact same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote you get. If your comparisons have unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be very difficult to determine the lowest rate in San Diego.

Discounts are great for lower rates

Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we break down some of the more common and the harder-to-find car insurance savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.

Save with a New Car – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
Defensive Driver – Completing a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more if you qualify.
Good Students Pay Less – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount with certain companies.
Student in College – Kids in college who attend school more than 100 miles from home and don’t have a car may be able to be covered for less.
Multi-policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same company you may earn approximately 10% to 15%.
Student Driver Training – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver’s ed class in school.
Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.

Consumers should know that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.

To see a list of insurance companies who offer car insurance discounts in San Diego, click here to view. San Diego insurance quotes

Buying car insurance from a local agent

Some people would prefer to talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and help you file claims. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain lower rates but still work with a licensed agent.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, the coverage information is emailed to agents in your area who will compete for your coverage. You never need to leave your computer as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy!

Picking an insurer shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Some important questions to ask are:

Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
How long has their agency been open in San Diego?
Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
How are claims handled?

Best auto insurance agent in San Diego

When searching for an insurance agent, there are two types of insurance agents that you can select. San Diego agents can either be independent or captive. While both can insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know the differences since it can impact buying decisions.

Captive Insurance Agents

This type of agents can only place business with one company and some examples include Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. These agents are unable to shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. Captive agencies are very knowledgeable on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage. Some people will only choose to use a captive agent partially due to high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.

Below are San Diego captive insurance agents that can give you price quote information.

Greg Tasto State Farm Insuranc – 10425 Tierrasanta Blvd – San Diego, CA 92124 – (858) 573-6818
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 9444 Waples St # 150 – San Diego, CA 92121 – (858) 558-8311
Farmers Insurance Group – 9636 Tierra Grande St # 203 – San Diego, CA 92126 – (858) 536-1950
Allstate Insurance – 8650 Miramar Rd – San Diego, CA 92126 – (858) 549-7984

Independent Agents

These agents are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier and that require little work on your part. When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to include at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from.Most can insure with smaller companies who may have lower rates.

Below is a short list of independent agencies in San Diego willing to provide rate quotes.

Randy Fenster Insurance Svc – 9606 Tierra Grande St – San Diego, CA 92126 – (858) 537-9093
Dean Moore General Agency – 3511 Camino Del Rio S # 303 – San Diego, CA 92108 – (619) 280-7117
Hulett Agency – 12335 World Trade Dr – San Diego, CA 92128 – (858) 618-5442
Barrigan Agency – 3505 Camino Del Rio S # 111 – San Diego, CA 92108 – (619) 284-8271
Katie Freeman Insurance Svc – 11650 Iberia Pl # 120 – San Diego, CA 92128 – (858) 676-1744

For a full directory of car insurance agents in San Diego, please go to this site.

Upon receiving answers to your satisfaction to your questions as well as a affordable price, you’ve probably found an insurance agent that is a good match to insure your vehicles.

More tips and info about car insurance can be read at the California Department of Insurance website. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find disaster information, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Smart shoppers get results

As you prepare to switch companies, it’s very important that you do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

People leave their current company for many reasons like denial of a claim, high prices, high rates after DUI convictions and even poor customer service. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new company is easier than you think.

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of techniques to reduce car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company.