Statistics show that a large majority of drivers have bought insurance from the same company for at least the last four years, and approximately 40% of consumers have never compared rates to find cheap insurance. The average driver in California can cut their rates by roughly $500 a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they mistakenly think it’s difficult to compare other rate quotes.
The best way to get low-cost auto insurance rates is to regularly compare price quotes from companies who provide auto insurance in San Francisco. Drivers can shop around by following these steps.
- Get an understanding of how car insurance works and the measures you can take to lower rates. Many rating factors that increase rates like traffic violations and a less-than-favorable credit rating can be remedied by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. Read the full article for tips to prevent expensive rate increases and find missing discounts.
- Compare rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes from multiple sources. Begin your rate comparison
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find better rates and make a switch, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Provide notification to your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit a down payment and signed policy application for your new policy. Once the application is submitted, put the proof of insurance certificate along with your vehicle registration.
The key thing to remember is to compare identical limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to get quotes from as many companies as feasibly possible. This helps ensure an accurate price comparison and a complete price analysis.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce the price you pay using this strategy. Finding the cheapest insurance coverage in San Francisco is not that difficult as long as you know where to start. But California consumers benefit from understanding how companies calculate their prices and use it to your advantage.
The easiest way to compare rates for Pontiac Solstice insurance in San Francisco is to take advantage of the fact all the major auto insurance companies allow for online access to compare rate quotes. To get started, all you need to do is provide details including whether you drive to work or school, which vehicles you own, whether you have decent credit, and level of coverage desired. That rating data is instantly provided to multiple top-rated companies and they return rate quotes immediately.
To check Pontiac Solstice insurance prices now, click here and complete the form.
The car insurance companies shown below can provide price quotes in San Francisco, CA. If the list has multiple companies, it’s highly recommended you get rates from several of them to get the best price comparison.
Insurance policy discounts you can’t miss
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you might be missing out on some discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically when you purchase, but once in a while a discount must be manually applied before you will receive the discount.
- Active Military Service – Having a family member in the military may lower your insurance rates slightly.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles and place coverage with the same company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total Solstice insurance premium.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of 25 to 30%.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Passing a course that instructs on driving safety is a good idea and can lower rates and easily pay for the cost of the class.
- Senior Discount – Seniors could receive lower premium rates.
You should keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way. But any discount will positively reduce your policy premium.
If you would like to choose from a list of insurers with the best discounts in San Francisco, click here to view.
San Francisco Insurance Rates are Influenced by These Factors
The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at the rating factors that go into determining your policy premiums. When consumers understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get big savings.
The items below are some of the most common factors used by companies to determine your rate level.
- Don’t abuse insurance claims – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can pretty much guarantee increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Car insurance companies in California provide discounts to drivers who file claims infrequently. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- What type of vehicle do you drive? – The performance of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in your premium level. Smaller low performance passenger models generally receive the lowest base rates, but your final cost has many other factors.
- Females pay lower rates – Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that females are better drivers. Men and women cause accidents in similar numbers, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Not only are claims higher, but men get higher numbers of serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving.
- Add-on coverages push up premiums – Insurance companies have many additional extra coverages you can purchase if you aren’t careful. Insurance for things like roadside assistance, better glass coverage, and extra equipment coverage are some examples. The coverages may be enticing when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so eliminate them to save money.
Local San Francisco auto insurance agents and car insurance
Many people just want to sit down with an agent and that can be a great decision A nice benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find the lowest rates but also keep your business local. Buying from neighborhood agents is still important in San Francisco.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your coverage information is sent to companies in San Francisco who will give competitive quotes to get your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to search for an agent because prices are sent to you. You’ll get the best rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If you need to get a rate quote for a specific company, you can always go to their quote page and complete a quote there.
Exclusive agents vs. Independent agents
When finding a local San Francisco insurance agent, it helps to know the two types of insurance agents and how they operate. Car insurance agents in San Francisco can be categorized as either independent or exclusive.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company and that gives them the ability to insure amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If your premiums go up, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to switch agencies.
If you need lower rates, we recommend you get some free quotes from a few independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
Featured below is a partial list of independent insurance agencies in San Francisco who may be able to give you rate quotes.
Nationwide Insurance: Anita Daisy Lo Agency
6037 Geary Blvd – San Francisco, CA 94121 – (415) 592-8388 – View Map
Express Service Insurance
2085 Van Ness Ave – San Francisco, CA 94109 – (415) 440-5136 – View Map
United General Insurance Agency
3150 California St Ste 4A – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 922-7283 – View Map
Exclusive Car Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents generally can only insure with one company and examples are Farmers Insurance and State Farm. They are unable to shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. Exclusive agents are well trained in insurance sales which can be an advantage.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive insurance agencies in San Francisco that are able to give price quotes.
State Farm: Michael Woo
2166 Market St – San Francisco, CA 94114 – (415) 565-6777 – View Map
Darlene Chow – State Farm Insurance Agent
206 Spear St – San Francisco, CA 94105 – (415) 441-1119 – View Map
Yan Lukito – State Farm Insurance Agent
5214 Diamond Heights Blvd i – San Francisco, CA 94131 – (415) 282-5558 – View Map
Deciding on an auto insurance agent should include more criteria than just the quoted price. Any good agent in San Francisco should know the answers to these questions.
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
- What is their Better Business Bureau rating?
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
Upon getting positive responses to all your questions as well as an affordable premium quote, it’s a good possibility that you have found an insurance agency that meets the requirements to adequately provide car insurance.
In conclusion
The cheapest Pontiac Solstice insurance in San Francisco is available online and with local San Francisco insurance agents, so you need to shop San Francisco car insurance with both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies may not offer internet price quotes and usually these smaller providers only sell coverage through local independent agencies.
We covered some good ideas how you can save on Pontiac Solstice insurance in San Francisco. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get premium rates for, the higher your chance of finding affordable San Francisco car insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the lowest auto insurance rates are with a smaller regional carrier. Regional companies may have significantly lower premium rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.
For more information, take a look at the articles below:
- Auto Insurance FAQ (Farmers Insurance)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Immigrants in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for Seniors in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Choosing a Car for Your Teen (State Farm)
- Collision Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
- Child Safety Seats (Insurance Information Institute)
- Can I Drive Legally without Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)