We don’t have to point out that fact that car insurance companies don’t want customers comparing rates. Insureds who rate shop once a year are highly likely to move their business because there is a significant possibility of finding coverage at a cheaper rate. A recent survey revealed that drivers who compared rates annually saved as much as $72 a month as compared to drivers who never shopped around.
If finding the cheapest rates on car insurance in San Francisco is the reason for your visit, then having a good understanding how to find and compare coverage rates can save time and make the process easier.
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to find better pricing on Chevy TrailBlazer insurance is to annually compare prices from companies that insure vehicles in San Francisco.
First, get a basic knowledge of how companies price auto insurance and the factors you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many policy risk factors that result in higher prices such as getting speeding tickets and a less-than-favorable credit score can be controlled by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
Second, request rate estimates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote prices from multiple insurance companies. View rates
Third, compare the new rates to your existing rates to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find better rates and buy the policy, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
The most important part of this process is that you’ll want to compare identical deductibles and limits on each price quote and and to get rates from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this provides an apples-to-apples comparison and a complete price analysis.
The companies shown below have been selected to offer price comparisons in California. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you get rates from several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Cheaper San Francisco car insurance rates with discounts
Car insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but you might find some hidden discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically when you get a quote, but some discounts are required to be specially asked for before being credited. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you deserve, you could be paying more than you need to.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts may qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
- One Accident Forgiven – Not a discount per se, but a few companies such as State Farm and Allstate allow you one accident without getting socked with a rate hike with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a set time period.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Owning your own home or condo can get you a discount since owning and maintaining a home is proof of financial responsibility.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.
- Anti-theft Discount – Cars and trucks with anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and can earn a small discount on your policy.
- Student Discounts – Getting good grades may save as much as 25% on a San Francisco car insurance quote. Most companies allow this discount well after school through age 25.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Federal government employees could provide a small rate reduction but check with your company.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Drivers who insure all your vehicles with one company can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Senior Discount – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens may be able to get lower premium rates.
Please keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any qualifying discounts will cut the premium cost.
Some of the larger companies that may offer quotes with most of the discounts above are:
When getting free San Francisco car insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to every insurance company which discounts can lower your rates. Some discounts might not be offered on policies in your area. To view car insurance companies that offer many of these discounts in San Francisco, click here to view.
Car insurance is an important decision
Even though San Francisco TrailBlazer insurance rates can get expensive, car insurance serves several important purposes.
- Just about all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability insurance in order to get the vehicle licensed. In California these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your Chevy has a loan, most banks will require you to have comprehensive coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If the policy lapses, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Chevy for a much higher rate and make you pay for the much more expensive policy.
- Car insurance protects not only your vehicle but also your assets. It will also provide coverage for hospital and medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage also covers legal expenses if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your Chevy gets damaged, your policy will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of having car insurance outweigh the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. As of last year, the average driver in California is wasting up to $700 annually so you should quote your policy with other companies at every renewal to ensure rates are inline.
Insurance agencies near you
A lot of people still like to visit with an insurance agent and that is not a bad decision Experienced insurance agents are very good at helping people manage risk and help in the event of a claim. A nice benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can find cheap car insurance quotes but also keep your business local. And buying from local agents is definitely important in San Francisco.
Once you complete this quick form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to agents in your area who can give free rate quotes for your business. There is no reason to do any legwork because quoted prices will be sent immediately to you. If you have a need to compare prices from one company in particular, you can always visit that company’s website and complete a quote there.
If you would like to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of different agency structures and how they are distinctly different. Car insurance agents are classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents. Both write policy coverage, but it’s worth learning the difference between them since it can affect the type of agent you choose.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents in the independent channel are normally appointed by many insurers so as a result can place your coverage through many companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing car insurance prices, you will definitely want to contact several independent agencies to have the best price comparison. A lot of them also have access to companies you’ve never heard of who may have lower rates.
The following is a short list of independent agencies in San Francisco who may provide price quotes.
- Milber Health Insurance Agent
1492 11th Ave – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 564-8829 – View Map - April Insurance Agency
1788 19th Ave – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 242-8100 – View Map - Steven Cresci Insurance Agency
544 Golden Gate Ave – San Francisco, CA 94102 – (415) 212-8190 – View Map
View more San Francisco agents
Exclusive Agents
These agents can only provide one company’s prices such as State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. Exclusive agents are unable to provide rate quotes from other companies so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. Some insured continue to purchase coverage from exclusives mostly because of loyalty to the company and solid financial strength.
The following is a list of exclusive insurance agents in San Francisco willing to provide price quote information.
- State Farm: Traci Hollander
556 Castro St – San Francisco, CA 94114 – (415) 575-3775 – View Map - Jerry Verdi – State Farm Insurance Agent
408 Columbus Ave #2 – San Francisco, CA 94133 – (415) 788-7881 – View Map - Angela Chan – State Farm Insurance Agent
756 Sacramento St – San Francisco, CA 94108 – (415) 956-4888 – View Map
View more San Francisco agents
Finding a good insurance agent requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- How many companies do they write for?
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Where are claims handled?
Once you have received acceptable answers for all questions you ask and an affordable coverage quote, you may have just found an insurance agent that can be relied on to service your policy. Just keep in mind you can terminate coverage at any point so never assume that you are permanently stuck with any specific company for the entire policy term.