It takes a little time, but the best way to get budget auto insurance rates is to regularly compare quotes from companies who provide auto insurance in San Jose. Rates can be compared by following these guidelines.
- First, take a few minutes and learn about the coverage provided by your policy and the steps you can take to keep rates down. Many policy risk factors that cause high rates such as at-fault accidents and poor credit rating can be rectified by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. This article provides additional ideas to lower rates and earn larger discounts.
- Second, quote rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote prices for a wide range of companies.
- Third, compare the quotes to your existing policy and see if there is a cheaper rate. If you find a lower rate quote, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
- Fourth, notify your company or agent to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit a completed application and payment for your new policy. Immediately upon receiving it, place your new proof of insurance paperwork in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
One tip to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical coverage information on every price quote and and to analyze all possible companies. This helps ensure a fair rate comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
Anyone knows that car insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. Insureds who get comparison quotes at least once a year are likely to move their business because of the good chance of finding coverage at a cheaper rate. A study showed that people who compared prices regularly saved about $860 a year compared to people who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If finding the cheapest rates on BMW X1 insurance is the reason you’re here, then having an understanding of how to get free comparison quotes and analyze cheaper coverage can make shopping around easier.
If you already have coverage, you will surely be able to lower your rates using the ideas presented in this article. Quoting and buying the lowest-priced coverage in San Jose is not as hard as you may think. Nevertheless, California consumers can benefit by having an understanding of how big insurance companies set your policy premium and take advantage of how the system works.
Low Cost auto insurance in San Jose, CA
The providers in the list below offer comparison quotes in San Jose, CA. If more than one company is shown, it’s highly recommended you get prices from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Save a ton by applying these seven discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so we break down both the well known and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving when you buy San Jose auto insurance online.
- One Accident Forgiven – This one is not really a discount per se, but a handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before they charge you more for coverage so long as you haven’t had any claims for a set time period.
- New Vehicle Savings – Buying auto insurance coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
- Mature Driver Discount – Seniors may receive a small discount on rates.
- Pay Early and Save – If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
- Early Renewal Discounts – A few insurance companies allow discounts for switching companies before your current coverage expires. It can save you around 10%.
- Online Discount – Certain larger companies provide a small discount shop San Jose auto insurance digitally online.
- Professional Organizations – Having an affiliation with qualifying clubs or civic groups can get you a small discount on your next renewal.
As a footnote on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, you’re out of luck.
Companies that may offer policyholders some of the discounts shown above are:
If you need inexpensive San Jose auto insurance quotes, ask all companies you are considering which discounts they offer. Some discounts listed above may not apply in every state. If you would like to see a list of auto insurance companies with discount rates in San Jose, follow this link.
Can’t I compare prices from local San Jose insurance agencies?
Some people still prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that can be a smart move A good thing about price shopping on the web is that drivers can save money and get cheap insurance rates and still choose a local agent.
Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), the quote information is submitted to companies in San Jose who want to provide quotes for your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent instantly to you. You can find the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you want to get a price quote from a specific company, you would need to go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.
Finding the right insurance company requires more thought than just a cheap price quote. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Are they involved in claim handling?
- What companies can they write with?
- Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents in San Jose?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
Best auto insurance agent in San Jose
If you want to buy insurance from an insurance agent, you should know the different types of agencies and how they can write your policy. Insurance agents can be categorized as either independent or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents can only write with one company like American Family, State Farm, and Allstate. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents receive a lot of sales training on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers sometimes use the same agent mostly because of the brand legacy and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Below are exclusive agencies in San Jose that can give you price quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: Phuong Tran
510 N 1st St Ste 224 – San Jose, CA 95112 – (408) 993-9898 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Anh Vu
3005 Silver Creek Rd #110 – San Jose, CA 95121 – (408) 270-3978 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: David Tofig
6116 Camino Verde Dr Ste 9 – San Jose, CA 95119 – (408) 281-9190 – View Map
Independent Agents
Agents of this type do not sell for just one brand and that enables them to quote your coverage with an assortment of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move your policy to a different company and you stay with the same agent.
When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you get several quotes from at least one independent agent so that you can do a thorough price comparison. Most also write with companies you’ve never heard of which may provide better rates.
The following are San Jose independent agencies willing to provide price quotes.
- LNA Insurance Agency Inc
999 Story Rd – San Jose, CA 95122 – (408) 280-5815 – View Map - All Solutions Insurance – San Jose
574 Blossom Hill Rd – San Jose, CA 95123 – (408) 225-4300 – View Map - Sergio Plascencia Insurance Agency
3136 Story Rd – San Jose, CA 95127 – (408) 254-8336 – View Map
Auto insurance coverages
Learning about specific coverages of your car insurance policy can be of help when determining the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – This coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things such as hitting a deer, hail damage, rock chips in glass and theft. The maximum amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
Insurance for medical payments – Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for bills for rehabilitation expenses, doctor visits and dental work. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – This gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your BMW X1.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (15/30/5 in California), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Collision coverage – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for claims such as crashing into a ditch, crashing into a building, hitting a parking meter and scraping a guard rail. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to increase the deductible on your X1 to save money on collision insurance.
Coverage for liability – This coverage will cover damage that occurs to other’s property or people that is your fault. It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see policy limits of 15/30/5 which means $15,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability coverage pays for claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, bail bonds, funeral expenses and court costs. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy higher limits if possible. California state minimum liability requirements are 15/30/5 but you should consider buying more liability than the minimum.
The chart below shows why buying low liability limits may not be enough coverage.
Cover all your bases
We just presented many ideas to save on BMW X1 insurance in San Jose. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote San Jose auto insurance, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the most savings is with the smaller companies.
When you buy San Jose auto insurance online, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The goal is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.
More affordable car insurance in San Jose can be found both online as well as from independent agents in San Jose, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies do not offer price quotes online and these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agencies.
To learn more, feel free to visit these articles:
- Automakers compete to add autobraking (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Used Cars in San Jose? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for a Honda CR-V in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for Nurses in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Steps to Take After an Auto Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- Determining Auto Insurance Rates (GEICO)
- Tread Depth and Tire Safety (State Farm)
- What is Covered by an Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)