Truthfully, the best way to find affordable auto insurance rates in San Jose is to do an annual price comparison from providers who provide car insurance in California.
- Step 1: Read about the coverage provided by your policy and the things you can change to keep rates in check. Many rating factors that are responsible for high rates like careless driving and a bad credit score can be rectified by making minor changes to your lifestyle. This article provides the details to lower rates and find more discounts that you may not know about.
- Step 2: Get rate quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only quote rates from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes for a wide range of companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to the price on your current policy and see if you can save money. If you find better rates, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
A good tip to remember is to make sure you enter the same amount of coverage on each price quote and to quote with as many car insurance companies as possible. Doing this ensures a fair price comparison and and a good selection of different prices.
It’s safe to assume that car insurance companies want to keep you from shopping around. Drivers who shop around once a year will, in all likelihood, buy a different policy because of the good chance of finding coverage at a more affordable price. Remarkably, a study showed that drivers who compared prices regularly saved over $72 a month as compared to drivers who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding the most affordable Kia Sorento insurance is your objective, then having an understanding of how to compare insurance coverage can make shopping around easier.
Low Cost Kia insurance price quotes in San Jose
The companies shown below are ready to provide quotes in San Jose, CA. If more than one company is shown, we suggest you visit as many as you can to find the most competitive auto insurance rates.
Lower rates by qualifying for discounts
Some insurance providers do not advertise all their discounts very well, so below is a list some of the best known and also the more inconspicuous auto insurance savings.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you can combine your homeowners and auto policy and insure them with the same company you could earn a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Safety Course Discount – Participating in a defensive driving course could earn you a small percentage discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to use a seat belt can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the medical payments premium.
- No Claims – Insureds with no claims or accidents are rewarded with significantly better rates on San Jose car insurance quote in comparison to bad drivers.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying insurance for multiple cars with one company can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- New Car Discount – Buying a new car model can save you some money because new vehicles keep occupants safer.
It’s important to note that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it just doesn’t work that way.
The best auto insurance companies and a selection of discounts include:
- State Farm offers discounts for driver’s education, student away at school, safe vehicle, good student, good driver, and defensive driving training.
- GEICO may offer discounts for federal employee, multi-vehicle, anti-lock brakes, multi-policy, membership and employees, and good student.
- SAFECO discounts include bundle discounts, accident prevention training, teen safety rewards, multi-car, drive less, and teen safe driver.
- Farmers Insurance has discounts for business and professional, pay in full, mature driver, youthful driver, electronic funds transfer, distant student, and teen driver.
- AAA policyholders can earn discounts including multi-car, pay-in-full, AAA membership discount, good driver, education and occupation, anti-theft, and good student.
- USAA may have discounts that include safe driver, new vehicle, vehicle storage, multi-policy, and annual mileage.
Before you buy a policy, ask each company or agent which discounts you qualify for. A few discounts might not apply in your state. To locate auto insurance companies with discount rates in San Jose, click here to view.
You Can Change Your Insurance Rates
Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. If you know what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this helps enable you to make changes that can earn you big savings. Lots of factors are used in the calculation when premium rates are determined. A few of the factors are predictable like your driving record, although others are less obvious like your continuous coverage or your commute time.
The list below includes just a few of the factors that factor into your rate level.
Bump up coverage deductibles to lower rates – Physical damage protection, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, covers damage that occurs to your Kia. Some instances where coverage would apply are a broken windshield, damage from fire, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles state the amount of money the insured will be required to pay in the event of a claim. The more you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the less money you will pay for auto insurance.
Tickets and citations cost more than a fine – A bad driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Having just one moving violation can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have gotten serious citations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to complete a SR-22 with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.
Better auto insurance rates for being claim-free – If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Insurance companies in California give cheaper rates to policyholders who do not file claims often. Your car insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Does your occupation cost you more? – Careers such as military generals, air traffic controllers, and financial analysts tend to have higher rates than average due to stressful work requirements and lots of time spent away from family. Other careers like farmers, students and performers get better rates.
Know your credit history – Having a bad credit score is likely to be a major factor in determining your rates. Therefore, if your credit rating could use some work, you could be paying less to insure your Kia Sorento if you improve your credit rating. Insureds with good credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers with lower credit ratings.
More policies can equal more savings – The majority of auto insurance companies allow better rates for people who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to ten or even fifteen percent. If you currently are using one company, you may still want to get quotes from other companies to ensure the best deal.
Your gender affects costs – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean females are better drivers. Both genders are in accidents at about the same rate, but men have accidents that have higher claims. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving.
Claims statistics for a Kia Sorento – Insurance companies study historical loss data to help calculate premium prices. Vehicles that the statistics show to have a trend towards higher claim severity or frequency will cost more to insure.
The table below demonstrates the collected loss data for Kia Sorento vehicles. For each type of coverage, the claim probability for all vehicles, without regard to make or model, is represented as 100. Percentage numbers below 100 indicate better than average losses, while percentages above 100 point to more claims or larger claims.
| Specific Kia Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Sorento 4dr 2WD | 80 | 86 | 82 | 110 | 111 | 94 |
| Kia Sorento 4dr 4WD | 85 | 87 | 101 | 97 | 98 | 85 |
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Your situation helps dictate your coverage
When quoting and choosing proper insurance coverage, there really isn’t a perfect coverage plan. Each situation is unique.
For example, these questions may help you determine whether or not you might need professional guidance.
- What is roadside assistance coverage?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
- Is my Kia Sorento covered if I use it for business?
- Do I have newly-acquired coverage?
- Can I rent a car in Mexico?
- What are the liability requirements in my state?
- Can my babysitter drive my car?
- Why do I need rental car insurance?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form. It is quick, free and can help protect your family.
Are insurance agents of importance?
Certain consumers still like to buy from a local agent and doing so can bring peace of mind Good agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help in the event of a claim. An additional benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find cheap insurance quotes and still have an agent to talk to.
After completing this simple form, your insurance coverage information is transmitted to local insurance agents in San Jose who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to do any legwork due to the fact that quote results will go to you. If you need to get a price quote for a specific company, just jump over to their website and fill out their quote form.
Finding the right company shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
- Can you choose the body shop in case repairs are needed?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
When finding a good insurance agency, you must know there are a couple different types of agencies to choose from. Insurance agents are classified as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive. Both sell affordable insurance policies, but it’s worth learning why they differ since it can impact the kind of agent you use.
Exclusive Agencies
Exclusive insurance agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates such as AAA, Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers Insurance. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so keep that in mind. Exclusive agents are usually quite knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates. A lot of people purchase coverage from exclusives mainly due to loyalty to the company and strong financial ratings.
Below are San Jose exclusive insurance agencies willing to provide comparison quotes.
- Van (Von) Le – State Farm Insurance Agent
301 N Jackson Ave #12 – San Jose, CA 95133 – (408) 259-8826 – View Map - Burch Boehner – State Farm Insurance Agent
201 E Taylor St #2 – San Jose, CA 95112 – (408) 287-8190 – View Map - Frank Kachkouche – State Farm Insurance Agent
901 S White Rd – San Jose, CA 95127 – (408) 923-2073 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be independent are not employed by any specific company and that enables them to quote your coverage through lots of different companies and find the cheapest insurance rates. If they find a lower price, the agent simply finds a different carrier which requires no work on your part.
When comparing insurance rates, we recommend you get quotes from a couple of independent agencies to have the best price comparison. Many independent agencies also insure through smaller mutual companies that can offer cheaper rates than bigger companies.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agencies in San Jose that are able to give comparison quotes.
- Casey Nguyen Insurance Agency, Inc.
1639 Meridian Ave a – San Jose, CA 95125 – (408) 286-4467 – View Map - All Spectrum Insurance Brokers
4010 Moorpark Ave #117 – San Jose, CA 95117 – (408) 604-0092 – View Map - Khalsa Insurance Agency
3750 McKee Rd A – San Jose, CA 95127 – (408) 272-2500 – View Map
If you receive satisfactory answers to any questions you may have and an affordable coverage quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that meets the criteria to properly service your insurance policy. Just remember once you purchase a policy you can cancel a policy whenever you want so never assume you’re contractually obligated to a specific agent indefinitely.
Shop around and save
People leave their current company for any number of reasons including delays in paying claims, policy non-renewal, policy cancellation or high rates after DUI convictions. Regardless of your reason, finding the right auto insurance provider can be easier than you think.
You just read a lot of tips how to get a better price on Kia Sorento insurance in San Jose. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better chance you’ll have of finding low cost San Jose car insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from some of the smallest insurance companies.
The cheapest Kia Sorento insurance in San Jose can be bought online in addition to local insurance agencies, so get free San Jose car insurance quotes from both of them in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies do not offer rate quotes online and these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through independent agents.
Additional detailed information can be read by following these links:
- Avoiding Deer Collisions (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Over Age 50 in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest San Jose Auto Insurance Quotes for Single Moms? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for a Honda Accord in San Jose? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for Veterans in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Teen Driving Statistics (iihs.org)
- Automakers compete to add autobraking (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)