If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to find discount car insurance rates is to start comparing prices yearly from insurers in San Jose.
Step 1: Gain an understanding of how companies set rates and the measures you can control to keep rates down. Many policy risk factors that are responsible for high rates like traffic citations and a bad credit score can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
Step 2: Compare rates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agencies can provide price quotes from multiple sources.
Step 3: Compare the new quotes to your existing policy and see if there is a cheaper rate in San Jose. If you can save some money and decide to switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
Step 4: Provide notification to your current company of your decision to cancel your current policy and submit payment along with a signed and completed policy application for the new coverage. As soon as you receive it, keep the new certificate verifying coverage along with your vehicle registration.
One piece of advice is that you’ll want to compare the same liability limits and deductibles on every quote and and to get rate quotes from as many companies as you can. This provides a fair rate comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
Unbelievably, the vast majority of drivers kept their coverage with the same auto insurance company for at least four years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never compared quotes from other companies. Consumers in San Jose could save 35% a year by just comparing quotes, but they just assume it takes a lot of time to go online and compare rates.
The majority of larger companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive make it easy to get pricing on the web. Getting online quotes for Chevy Cruze insurance in San Jose is fairly straightforward as you just type in your coverage preferences into the quote form. When complete, their rating system will obtain credit information and your driving record and provides a quote based on the information you submitted.
Getting online price quotes for Chevy Cruze insurance in San Jose streamlines rate comparisons, and it’s very important to have as many quotes as possible in order to find cheaper rates.
In order to fill out one form to compare multiple rates now, compare rates now from the companies shown below. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you replicate the coverage information just like they are on your policy. This guarantees you will receive rate comparison quotes based on similar coverages.
The following companies offer free quotes in San Jose, CA. If the list has multiple companies, it’s a good idea that you get prices from several of them to get the best price comparison.
Why do I need car insurance?
Even though it can be expensive, insurance is mandatory in California but it also protects more than you think.
First, the majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means the state requires specific limits of liability coverage in order to license the vehicle. 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 you have a lien on your car, almost all lenders will make it mandatory that you have insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank will be required to insure your Chevy at a much higher premium rate and make you pay for it.
Third, insurance safeguards not only your Chevy but also your financial assets. It also can pay for many types of medical costs for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you cause an accident and are sued. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of buying car insurance outweigh the cost, especially with large liability claims. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying over $869 every year so smart consumers compare quotes at every policy renewal to make sure the price is not too high.
Chevy Cruze Insurance Cost Factors
Many things are used when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable such as traffic violations, but others are more transparent such as your credit history or how financially stable you are.
- Does your occupation cost you more? – Occupations such as fire fighters, architects, and financial analysts generally pay higher rates than average due to job stress and incredibly demanding work hours. On the flip side, occupations such as professors, engineers and homemakers receive lower rates.
- Policy add-ons add up – There are a lot of additional coverages that can waste your money if you don’t pay attention. Add-on coverages like rental car reimbursement, towing, and membership fees are probably not needed. You may think they are a good idea when you first buy your policy, but if they’re wasting money remove them and pocket the money.
- Rate your vehicle for proper use – The more you drive your Chevy in a year the higher the price you pay to insure it. A lot of insurance companies charge rates based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use receive better premium rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. Ask your agent if your insurance policy reflects the correct usage, because it can save money. Improper usage on your Cruze may be costing you higher rates.
- Improve your credit rating – Having a bad credit rating can be an important factor in determining premium rates. Insureds that have good credit tend to be better risks to insure than drivers who have lower credit scores. So if your credit history can be improved, you could save money insuring your Chevrolet Cruze by repairing your credit.
- A car insurance policy lapse is a bad thing – Having a lapse in insurance coverage is a guaranteed way to increase your renewal premiums. Not only will you pay higher rates, failure to provide proof of insurance will get you fines or a revoked license.
- Vehicle features that cut insurance rates – Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can earn a premium discount. Anti-theft devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping car theft and help bring rates down.
- Lower deductibles cost more – Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles represent how much money the insured will be required to pay before a claim is paid by your company. Physical damage insurance, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered are collision with another vehicle, hail damage, and damage caused by road hazards. The more damage repair cost you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the less money you will pay for insurance.
- Getting married can save on insurance – Having a spouse actually saves money compared to being single. Marriage translates into being more financially stable it has been statistically shown that married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
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Chevy Cruze insurance loss probability – Car insurance companies take into consideration historical loss data for every vehicle when setting rates for each model. Vehicles that the data determines to have higher claim frequency or loss amount will have higher rates. The next table illustrates the insurance loss data used by companies for Chevy Cruze vehicles.
For each policy coverage, the loss probability for all vehicles, without regard to make or model, is set at 100. Percentages below 100 represent a good loss history, while numbers above 100 indicate more frequent claims or tendency to have larger claims.
Chevrolet Cruze Insurance Loss Statistics Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Chevrolet Cruze 96 132 87 136 153 152 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEStatistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
Cheap San Jose car insurance rates with discounts
Some insurers do not list all available discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious ways to save on car insurance.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying a policy with several vehicles with the same car insurance company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. Many companies even apply the discount to college students until age 25.
- Senior Discount – Mature drivers are able to get lower premium rates.
- Professional Organizations – Being a member of qualifying clubs or civic groups could earn you a nice discount when getting a San Jose car insurance quote.
- Online Discount – Some of the larger companies give back up to $50 for signing up online.
- Student in College – Any of your kids who are enrolled in higher education away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle could get you a discount.
- Passive Restraints – Cars that have air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
- Switch and Save Discount – Some larger companies give discounts for renewing your policy prior to your current Cruze insurance policy expiration. It could save around 10% when you buy San Jose car insurance online.
A quick disclaimer, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck.
To choose providers that offer multiple discounts in San Jose, click here.
Local San Jose auto insurance agents
Many people would rather talk to an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. Professional agents are very good at helping people manage risk and help submit paperwork. An additional benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get cheaper premium rates and also buy local.
For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information gets sent to companies in San Jose that can provide free San Jose car insurance quotes for your business. You never need to search for any insurance agencies because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. In the event you want to quote rates from a specific auto insurance provider, feel free to find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
Choosing an insurance company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Any good agent in San Jose should know the answers to these questions.
- How long has the business existed?
- Will the quote change when the policy is issued?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in California?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Are they able to provide referrals?
When looking for a local San Jose insurance agent, it’s important to understand the different types of agencies and how they function. Agents in San Jose may be either independent or exclusive. Both types can write auto insurance policies, but it’s important to point out the differences since it can impact your agent selection.
Exclusive Agencies
Exclusive insurance agents generally can only insure with one company like Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Exclusive agencies are unable to place coverage with different providers so always compare other rates. Exclusive agents are trained well on sales techniques which helps offset the inability to provide other markets. A lot of people use the same agent mainly due to high brand loyalty rather than having low rates.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive agencies in San Jose willing to provide comparison quotes.
- Debbie Yang – State Farm Insurance Agent
3484 Stevens Creek Blvd Ste A – San Jose, CA 95117 – (408) 261-1623 – View Map - Tina Choi – State Farm Insurance Agent
4300 Stevens Creek Blvd #130 – San Jose, CA 95129 – (408) 247-4713 – View Map - Al Olseen – State Farm Insurance Agent
3267 S White Rd – San Jose, CA 95148 – (408) 274-4900 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be independent are not restricted to one company and that is an advantage because they can write policies through many companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If your premiums go up, they simply move the coverage in-house and that require little work on your part. When comparing auto insurance rates, you absolutely need to include rate quotes from a few independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison. Many can place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies that can offer cheaper rates than bigger companies.
The following are San Jose independent insurance agents who can help you get price quote information.
- Cya Insurance Agency From Sn
1271 Story Rd #50 – San Jose, CA 95122 – (408) 971-4172 – View Map - Harrington Insurance Agency
6920 Santa Teresa Blvd #101 – San Jose, CA 95119 – (408) 754-9000 – View Map - San Jose Insurance
2542 S Bascom Ave – Campbell, CA 95008 – (408) 371-3700 – View Map
Quote. Compare. Save.
Consumers switch companies for any number of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, not issuing a premium refund, extreme rates for teen drivers and even unfair underwriting practices. Regardless of your reason, finding a new auto insurance company can be pretty painless.
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your goal is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.
There are still a few companies who do not offer rate quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers only sell through independent agents. Affordable Chevy Cruze insurance in San Jose can be purchased from both online companies and from local insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from.
More information can be read on the following sites:
- Top Signs Your Brakes are Giving Out (State Farm)
- How Much is San Jose Car Insurance for a Ford Explorer? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap San Jose Auto Insurance for a Nissan Sentra? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Inexperienced Drivers in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Information for Teen Drivers (GEICO)
- Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)