If you want to save money, the best way to find lower priced car insurance rates is to regularly compare prices from companies who sell auto insurance in San Jose.
First, read and learn about how your policy works and the measures you can take to keep rates low. Many policy risk factors that cause rate increases such as accidents, traffic violations, and an unfavorable credit rating can be eliminated by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
Second, request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can give quotes from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide price quotes from many different companies. Begin your rate comparison
Third, compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper price is available in San Jose. If you can save some money, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
Fourth, tell your current agent or company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application for the new policy. Be sure to place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance in an easily accessible location.
One thing to remember is to try to use identical coverages on every quote and and to get prices from as many carriers as you can. Doing this helps ensure a fair price comparison and the best rate selection.
A recent NerdWallet.com study revealed that nearly 70% of consumers have remained with the same car insurance company for over three years, and practically 40% of car insurance customers have never even compared rates from other companies. Drivers in California could save approximately $469 each year just by getting comparison quotes, but most tend to underestimate the benefits if they changed companies.
Finding the cheapest car insurance coverage in San Jose is actually quite easy if you know where to start. In a nutshell, everyone who compares rates for car insurance will probably be able to save money. Although California drivers do need to know how the larger insurance companies calculate your policy premium and use this information to your advantage.
When comparing insurance rates, know that obtaining a wide range of quotes increases the chance that you will find more affordable rates. Some regional insurers cannot provide rate quotes online, so it’s important to also get price estimates from those companies as well.
The providers in the list below are ready to provide price quotes in California. If the list has multiple companies, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Three reasons to insure your Spark
Even though it can be expensive, buying car insurance is a good idea for several reasons.
- Most states have minimum liability requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific minimum amounts of liability coverage in order to drive the car legally. 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.
- If you bought your vehicle with a loan, almost every bank will stipulate that you buy insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender may insure your Chevy at a significantly higher premium and make you pay for it.
- Insurance protects not only your Chevy Spark but also your financial assets. It will also reimburse you for many types of medical costs incurred in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay for a defense attorney if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you have damage to your Chevy as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of insuring your car more than cancel out the cost, particularly for liability claims. But the average driver in California overpays more than $869 every year so compare rates each time the policy renews to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Save a ton by applying discounts
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you might be missing out on some discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically at the time of quoting, but some discounts are required to be asked for before you will receive the discount. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you could be saving more on your insurance.
- New Car Discount – Buying a new car instead of a used Spark is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new model year vehicles.
- No Charge for an Accident – This isn’t a discount exactly, but a few companies such as Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm permit an accident without getting socked with a rate hike with the catch being you have to be claim-free prior to the accident.
- ABS Brakes – Cars equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and the ABS can save up to 10%.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment may qualify for a discount when you quote San Jose car insurance with some insurance companies.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles on your Chevy could earn lower premium rates due to less chance of an accident.
- Discounts for Responsible Drivers – Insureds without accidents may save up to 50% more than less cautious drivers.
- Claim-Free Discount – Drivers who don’t have accidents have much lower rates as compared to frequent claim filers.
- Save over 55 – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens may receive reduced rates.
- Use Seat Belts – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to wear their seat belts can save a little on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Having primary and secondary vehicles on one policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
Don’t be shocked that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, companies don’t profit that way.
If you would like to view insurance companies that provide some of the discounts listed above in San Jose, click here to view.
Are insurance agents of importance?
A lot of people just prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that can be a smart move One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is that you can obtain cheap auto insurance quotes and still have a local agent.
After completing this simple form, your insurance coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents in San Jose that can provide free San Jose car insurance quotes for your auto insurance coverage. You won’t even need to contact any agents due to the fact that quote results will go straight to your inbox. It’s the lowest rates and an insurance agent to talk to. In the event you want to get a comparison quote from a particular provider, you can always visit that company’s website to submit a rate quote request.
Selecting an insurer should depend on more than just the price. Here are some questions to ask:
- Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in San Jose?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- Are they in the agency full-time?
The different types of car insurance agents
When researching an insurance agent, there are two different types of agents and how they can write your policy. Auto insurance agencies can be described as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
These type of agents can only write with one company and examples are State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. These agents are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Exclusive agencies receive extensive training in insurance sales and that allows them to sell at a higher price point. Consumers sometimes choose to use a exclusive agent mainly due to the prominence of the brand instead of buying on price only.
Shown below are San Jose exclusive insurance agencies who can help you get rate quotes.
- Farmers Insurance – Anh Vu
3005 Silver Creek Rd #110 – San Jose, CA 95121 – (408) 270-3978 – View Map - Lillian Moore – State Farm Insurance Agent
5589 Winfield Blvd #210 – San Jose, CA 95123 – (408) 268-8600 – View Map - Kathy Barber – State Farm Insurance Agent
5615 Cottle Rd – San Jose, CA 95123 – (408) 365-7268 – View Map
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Agents of this type are not employed by any specific company and that is an advantage because they can write policies through lots of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If they find a cheaper price, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency. When shopping rates, we recommend you contact several independent insurance agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare. Most also have access to mutual insurance companies that may provide cheaper auto insurance rates.
Below are San Jose independent insurance agents willing to provide price quote information.
- All Spectrum Insurance Brokers
4010 Moorpark Ave #117 – San Jose, CA 95117 – (408) 604-0092 – View Map - Mission Counties Insurance Agency
1777 Hamilton Ave – San Jose, CA 95125 – (408) 979-8160 – View Map - Taylor Benefits Insurance Agency
4820 Harwood Rd #130 – San Jose, CA 95124 – (408) 358-7502 – View Map
If you receive good answers for all questions you ask and an affordable coverage quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles. It’s important to know that you are entitled to terminate your policy when you choose so never feel you are locked into a specific company with no way out.
Your situation helps dictate your coverage
When it comes to buying coverage online or from an agent for your vehicles, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance needs to address that.
Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining whether or not you might need professional guidance.
- How much coverage applies to personal belongings?
- Can my teen driver be rated on a liability-only vehicle?
- Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
- Is my state a no-fault state?
- What is the difference between personal and commercial auto insurance policies?
- Are my friends covered when driving my Chevy Spark?
- Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
- What is the minimum liability in California?
- Should I bundle my homeowners policy with my auto?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area.
Find cheaper rates by being thorough
There are still a few companies who don’t offer rates over the internet and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through local independent agents. Cheap Chevy Spark insurance in San Jose is possible on the web as well as from insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best selection.
In this article, we presented some good ideas how to compare Chevy Spark insurance prices in San Jose. The key concept to understand is the more you quote San Jose car insurance, the better chance you’ll have of finding cheaper San Jose car insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the lowest prices come from a lesser-known regional company. These companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive and GEICO.
To learn more, feel free to visit these articles:
- Parking Tips to Reduce Door Dings (State Farm)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for College Students in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for Police Officers in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Nissan Rogue in San Jose? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for 17 Year Olds in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable San Jose Auto Insurance for Infrequent Drivers? (FAQ)
- Protect Yourself Against Auto Theft (Insurance Information Institute)
- Safety Belts FAQ (iihs.org)