Vehicle owners that are new to shopping for auto insurance online could find buying cheaper Astra insurance to be a formidable task.
Statistics show that the vast majority of insurance customers have stayed with the same insurance company for at least the last four years, and 38% of drivers have never compared insurance rates at all. San Jose insurance shoppers can save hundreds of dollars each year by just shopping around, but they just don’t understand how easy it is to compare rate quotes online.
It is always a good idea to shop coverage around every six months because prices tend to go up over time. Just because you had the best quotes on Saturn Astra insurance in San Jose last year you will most likely find a better rate today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding Astra insurance out there, but you can learn some proven techniques to find affordable insurance in San Jose.
Best Saturn Astra insurance rate quotes in California
The companies shown below offer price comparisons in San Jose, CA. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you visit several of them to find the cheapest car insurance rates.
Lower-cost Saturn Astra insurance quotes in San Jose
Companies offering auto insurance don’t list every policy discount very clearly, so the list below details both the well known and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance. If you don’t get every credit you deserve, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Drivers who always wear seat belts and also require passengers to buckle their seat belts may be able to save a few bucks on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- Online Discount – Many larger companies will give a small break get San Jose auto insurance on your computer.
- One Accident Forgiven – Not really a discount, but a few companies such as Allstate, State Farm and GEICO will forgive one accident before raising your premiums so long as you are claim-free before the accident.
- Data Collection Discounts – Drivers that enable their company to monitor driving manner by using a telematics device like Allstate’s Drivewise may get a rate reduction as long as the data is positive.
- Safety Course Discount – Taking time to complete a course teaching safe driver skills can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Own a Home – Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home requires a higher level of personal finance.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Insuring more than one vehicle with the same company could earn a price break for each car.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Factory options such as air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems could see savings of 20% or more.
- College Student Discount – Youth drivers who are attending college and leave their car at home can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes have fewer accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Policy discounts save money, but most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Even though it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you aren’t that lucky.
A few popular companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are detailed below.
- GEICO offers discounts for membership and employees, seat belt use, federal employee, defensive driver, anti-theft, daytime running lights, and military active duty.
- MetLife has discounts for defensive driver, multi-policy, good student, claim-free, accident-free, good driver
- Progressive may have discounts that include good student, homeowner, online quote discount, continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy.
- Travelers policyholders can earn discounts including home ownership, hybrid/electric vehicle, payment discounts, driver training, new car, and good student.
- SAFECO offers premium reductions for homeowner, teen safety rewards, bundle discounts, accident prevention training, drive less, and teen safe driver.
- AAA includes discounts for multi-car, good student, AAA membership discount, education and occupation, and multi-policy.
It’s a good idea to ask all the companies which discounts you qualify for. Some discounts may not be available everywhere. If you would like to choose from a list of companies with the best Saturn Astra insurance discounts in California, click this link.
Informed Drivers Know How to Get Insurance More Affordably
Many different elements are part of the equation when quoting car insurance. Some factors are common sense such as your driving history, although others are more transparent such as whether you are married or your commute time. The best way to find cheaper insurance is to take a look at some of the elements that aid in calculating insurance rates. If you understand what impacts premium levels, this enables informed choices that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.
Shown below are some of the factors used by insurance companies to determine premiums.
- Men pay higher costs – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, don’t assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. They both have at-fault accidents at a similar rate, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Men also statistically get ticketed for serious violations like driving under the influence (DUI). Young males generally have the highest accident percentage and therefore have the most expensive insurance rates.
- Liability insurance is important – The liability coverage on your policy kicks in when you are found liable for an accident. It will provide for a legal defense which can cost a lot. Liability insurance is pretty cheap when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.
- Accidents hurt – How you drive has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Having just one citation may increase your cost substantially. Careful drivers get better rates compared to bad drivers. Drivers who have dangerous violations like DUI or reckless driving might be required by their state to prove financial responsibility with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
- Insure car and home with the same company – Most major insurance companies apply better rates to clients that have more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can amount to ten percent or more. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s still a good idea to compare Saturn Astra rates in San Jose to make sure you are getting the best deal.
- Keep the miles off and save – The more you drive every year the more you’ll pay to insure it. Most companies price each vehicle’s coverage based upon how much you drive. Cars not used for work or commuting can get a lower rate than cars that get driven a lot. Improper usage on your Astra may be costing you. Double check that your insurance coverage properly reflects the correct driver usage.
Don’t I need to contact an agent?
Some people would rather have an agent’s advice and that is OK! One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is you may find better rates and also buy local.
To find an agent, once you fill out this simple form, the quote information is submitted to insurance agents in San Jose who will return price quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. There is no need to find an agent on your own as quotes are delivered to you. You can find better rates AND a local agent. If you need to get a rate quote from a specific company, don’t hesitate to visit that company’s website and fill out their quote form.
Selecting an company requires you to look at more than just a low price. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Which companies do they recommend if they are an independent agency?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- In the event of vehicle damage, can you pick the collision repair facility?
- Will they make sure you get an adequate claim settlement?
- Who are their largest clients?
- Is the coverage adequate for your vehicle?
Different types of San Jose auto insurance agents
If you’re trying to find a local San Jose insurance agent, you should know the different types of agents to choose from. Auto insurance policy providers are categorized either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for.
Exclusive Agents
Agents of this type can only provide one company’s prices and examples are Allstate and State Farm. They generally cannot provide prices from multiple companies so keep that in mind. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates. Consumers frequently buy from the same agent for years primarily because of loyalty to the company and solid financial strength.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in San Jose who may provide you with comparison quotes.
- Kathy Barber – State Farm Insurance Agent
5615 Cottle Rd – San Jose, CA 95123 – (408) 365-7268 – View Map - Van (Von) Le – State Farm Insurance Agent
301 N Jackson Ave #12 – San Jose, CA 95133 – (408) 259-8826 – View Map - Al Olseen – State Farm Insurance Agent
3267 S White Rd – San Jose, CA 95148 – (408) 274-4900 – View Map
Independent Agents
These type of agents often have many company appointments and that enables them to quote your coverage through many companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If you want to switch companies, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to do anything. If you are comparing rate quotes, you absolutely need to include independent agents to get the best comparison. Most also have access to companies you’ve never heard of which may provide better rates.
Listed below is a list of independent agents in San Jose that can give you rate quotes.
- Taylor Benefits Insurance Agency
4820 Harwood Rd #130 – San Jose, CA 95124 – (408) 358-7502 – View Map - Gatewood Insurance Agency Inc
1095 Bird Ave #2 – San Jose, CA 95125 – (408) 298-1611 – View Map - All Coverage Insurance Agency
3033 Moorpark Ave #27 – San Jose, CA 95128 – (408) 244-9100 – View Map
If you get satisfactory answers for all questions you ask as well as affordable Saturn Astra insurance rates in San Jose quotes, chances are good that you have found an insurance agent that is a good match to service your policy.
The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest
People switch companies for a variety of reasons including being labeled a high risk driver, poor customer service, not issuing a premium refund or delays in paying claims. It doesn’t matter what your reason, choosing a new company is not as difficult as it may seem.
Budget-conscious Saturn Astra insurance is attainable online in addition to many San Jose insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. A few companies may not provide online rate quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
When shopping online for car insurance, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.
Steps to finding more affordable Saturn Astra insurance in San Jose
The preferred way to find low-cost Saturn Astra insurance is to compare prices annually from providers that sell auto insurance in San Jose. You can shop around by completing these steps.
- Try to comprehend the coverage provided by your policy and the changes you can make to prevent rate increases. Many factors that result in higher rates like traffic citations, accidents, and a negative credit history can be controlled by paying attention to minor details.
- Compare price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can only give rate quotes from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide price quotes for many different companies. Select a company
- Compare the quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper price is available in San Jose. If you can save money and buy the policy, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Give proper notification to your current agent or company of your decision to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit the required down payment along with the signed application to the new insurer. As soon as you receive it, place the new certificate verifying coverage with the vehicle registration.
One tip to remember is to try to compare identical limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get quotes from as many carriers as you can. Doing this provides the most accurate price comparison and a good representation of prices.
Additional detailed information is available in the articles below:
- Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for a Honda CR-V in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers Under 25 in San Jose? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Jeep Grand Cherokee in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Teenage Males in San Jose? (FAQ)
- How Much is San Jose Auto Insurance for a GMC Sierra? (FAQ)
- Red Light Cameras (State Farm)
- If I File a Claim will My Insurance Go Up? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Auto Theft Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)