The most effective way to get affordable auto insurance rates in San Jose is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from companies who provide car insurance in California.
- Try to learn a little about car insurance and the modifications you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating factors that result in higher rates such as speeding and a low credit score can be improved by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
- Obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide prices for many different companies. Select a company
- Compare the quotes to the price on your current policy to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find a lower rate quote and switch companies, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Provide proper notification to your current company to cancel your current coverage and submit payment and a signed application to your new agent or company. Once the paperwork is finalized, place your new proof of insurance paperwork in your glove compartment.
The critical component of shopping around is to use the same deductibles and limits on every quote request and and to get rates from as many different insurance providers as possible. Doing this enables a fair rate comparison and a complete price analysis.
Inconceivable but true, over 70% of drivers kept buying from the same company for over three years, and practically 40% of insurance customers have never compared insurance rates at all. California drivers could save $500 a year, but they just don’t understand how much savings they would realize if they switched to a cheaper policy.
The companies shown below can provide quotes in San Jose, CA. If multiple companies are shown, it’s a good idea that you compare several of them to find the most affordable car insurance rates.
What Affects Honda Accord Hybrid Insurance Premiums?
Many factors are part of the calculation when you get a price on insurance. Some are obvious like an MVR report, although others are not quite as obvious like your vehicle usage or your commute time. It’s important that you understand a few of the rating criteria that play a part in calculating your auto insurance rates. If you understand what controls the rates you pay, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get cheaper rates.
Premiums increase with driving tickets – A bad driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Even one moving violation may cause rates to rise to the point where it’s not affordable. Good drivers pay less for auto insurance than bad drivers. Drivers who have license-revoking violations such as DUI or reckless driving may find that they have to to prove financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to legally drive a vehicle.
Physical damage deductibles – Your deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay before a claim is paid by your company. Physical damage protection, aka comp and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of some claims that would be covered would be a windshield broken by a bird, vandalism, and damage from wind. The more of the claim the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be.
How much liability do you need? – Your policy’s liability coverage provides coverage if you are determined to be liable for damages from an accident. It will provide legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is relatively inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
Higher prices for specific occupations – Do you have a high-stress occupation? Jobs such as judges, airline pilots, and dentists are shown to have higher average rates because of intense work-related stress and lots of time spent away from family. Other professions such as actors, engineers and the unemployed pay the least.
Vehicle options impact prices – Buying a car with a theft deterrent system can help lower your premiums. Systems that thwart thieves such as OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms all help stop your car from being stolen.
Drive less and pay lower prices – Driving more miles each year the more it will cost to insure it. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based upon how much you drive. Cars and trucks that are left in the garage receive better premium rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. Make sure your vehicle rating states the right rating data. An incorrectly rated Accord Hybrid may be wasting your money.
Drive a safer car and pay less – Vehicles with high crash test scores get lower rates. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and reduced instances of injuries translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Vehicle risk influences costs – The performance level of the vehicle you own makes a substantial difference in your rates. Economy passenger cars generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Insurance losses for a Honda Accord Hybrid – Insurers include the past claim trends for vehicles when they calculate premium prices for each model. Vehicles that the data determines to have higher number or severity of losses will have increased rates. The table shown below demonstrates the historical insurance loss data for Honda Accord Hybrid vehicles.
For each coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles, regardless of make, model or trim level, is a value of 100. Values under 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while numbers above 100 indicate a higher chance of having a claim or statistically larger losses.
| Specific Honda Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Accord Hybrid | 96 | 80 | 98 | 89 | 76 | 84 |
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Choosing vehicle insurance is an important decision
Even though it can be expensive, buying auto insurance is required by state law in California and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
First, almost all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means state laws require a minimum amount of liability insurance in order to be legal. 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.
Second, if your Honda Accord Hybrid has a loan, most lenders will make it mandatory that you have full coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Honda for a much higher rate and require you to pay for it.
Third, insurance protects not only your vehicle but also your financial assets. It will also reimburse you for many types of medical costs for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of buying auto insurance outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. Unknowingly, the average driver overpays as much as $820 a year so compare rate quotes at every policy renewal to ensure rates are inline.