It’s easy to assume that auto insurance companies don’t want you to look for a cheaper policy. People who get price quotes annually are very likely to switch companies because the odds are good of finding coverage at a cheaper rate. A recent insurance study revealed that people who regularly compared rates saved as much as $3,450 over four years compared to those who didn’t regularly shop around.
If finding the lowest price on car insurance is the reason you’re here, learning how to find companies and compare coverages can help you succeed in saving money.
If saving money is your primary concern, then the best way to find cheaper quotes for car insurance rates is to compare prices regularly from insurance carriers that sell auto insurance in San Jose.
- Step 1: Take a little time to learn about the coverage provided by your policy and the changes you can make to keep rates down. Many things that drive up the price like inattentive driving and a not-so-good credit score can be controlled by making minor changes to your lifestyle. Later in this article we will cover more details to prevent high prices and find discounts that may have been missed.
- Step 2: Compare price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give rate quotes from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide prices for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium and determine if cheaper Uplander coverage is available. If you can save some money and make a switch, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Tell your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit payment along with a signed and completed policy application to your new carrier. As soon as you receive it, store the proof of insurance paperwork with your registration paperwork.
One tip to remember is that you use the same amount of coverage on each price quote and and to get prices from as many different companies as possible. Doing this ensures an apples-to-apples comparison and the best price quote selection.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to buy cheaper car insurance using the concepts covered in this article. Locating the best rates in San Jose is really not that difficult. Although California car owners can benefit by having an understanding of how companies market insurance on the web and use it to your advantage.
It’s important to know that comparing more rates from different companies will increase your chances of finding lower pricing.
The car insurance companies shown below can provide comparison quotes in San Jose, CA. If several companies are displayed, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get the cheapest price.
Protect your Uplander and other assets
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Chevy Uplander in San Jose, paying for car insurance serves several important purposes.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means state laws require a minimum amount of liability 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.
- If you bought your Chevy with a loan, it’s most likely the lender will require that you have physical damage coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If the policy lapses, the bank may insure your Chevy at a much higher premium rate and make you pay for it.
- Insurance protects both your assets and your vehicle. Insurance will also pay for many types of medical costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers legal expenses if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your Chevy gets damaged, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of buying car insurance definitely exceed the price paid, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer overpays more than $700 annually so it’s recommended you shop around at every renewal to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Lower-cost San Jose auto insurance rates with discounts
Car insurance companies don’t list every policy discount in an easy-to-find place, so we break down both well-publicized as well as the least known discounts that you can inquire about if you buy San Jose car insurance online.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- Multi-car Discount – Purchasing coverage when you have multiple cars or trucks with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you may have a lower total premium amount.
- First Accident Forgiveness – This one is not really a discount per se, but a few companies such as GEICO and Allstate may permit one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims before the accident.
- Bundled Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles and insure them both with the same insurance company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Life Insurance – Select insurance companies reward you with lower premium rates if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Taking a driver safety class could possibly earn you a 5% discount and make you a better driver.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Just being a homeowner may trigger a policy discount on auto insurance because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of 20% or more.
- Good Grades Discount – Being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
Policy discounts save money, but some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won’t be that lucky.
A partial list of companies that have most of these discounts are:
Double check with all the companies which discounts you may be entitled to. Some discounts listed above might not be offered in your state. If you would like to view providers with discount auto insurance rates in California, click here to view.