If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to get cheaper auto insurance rates in San Jose is to regularly compare price quotes from companies in California. Prices can be compared by completing these steps.
- Step 1: Try to learn about individual coverages and the changes you can make to keep rates low. Many policy risk factors that cause rate increases such as tickets, at-fault accidents, and a negative credit history can be amended by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
- Step 2: Request price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only quote rates from a single company like GEICO and Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote prices for many different companies.
- Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your existing coverage to see if a cheaper price is available. If you can save some money and buy the policy, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Step 4: Tell your current company to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit a down payment and signed policy application to your new agent or company. Once coverage is bound, place the new proof of insurance certificate in an accessible location in your vehicle.
One tip to remember is that you use identical coverages on each quote and and to look at all possible companies. Doing this ensures a fair price comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
Astonishing but true according to a recent study, a large majority of drivers renewed their policy with the same company for four years or more, and practically 40% of car insurance customers have never shopped around. San Jose consumers could save almost 35% a year by just comparing quotes, but they feel it’s too difficult to find lower-cost rates by getting comparison quotes.
The following companies have been selected to offer free quotes in California. If multiple companies are listed, it’s highly recommended you visit as many as you can in order to find the cheapest rates.
Car insurance is not optional
Despite the potentially high cost of Audi A8 insurance, buying car insurance may be required for several reasons.
First, almost all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires specific limits of liability protection 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 your vehicle has a lienholder, almost every bank will make it a condition of the loan that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If the policy lapses, the bank may buy a policy for your Audi at a much higher rate and force you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
Third, car insurance preserves both your Audi A8 and your assets. It also can pay for medical bills for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, will also pay to defend you if you are sued as the result of your driving. If you have damage to your Audi as the result of the weather or an accident, your policy will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance more than cancel out the cost, particularly for liability claims. As of last year, the average driver in California is currently overpaying as much as $750 every year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison at least once a year to save money.
Rates and statistics
The rate table displayed next outlines a range of insurance policy prices for Audi A8 models. Understanding how rate quotes are calculated is important to be able to make smart choices when comparing insurance rates.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A8 4.2 Quattro 4-Dr Sedan | $412 | $914 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $2,052 | $171 |
| A8 4.2L Quattro 4-Dr Sedan | $448 | $1010 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $2,184 | $182 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Table data assumes single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, and homeowner. Premium amounts do not factor in zip code location which can influence insurance rates substantially.
Audi A8 insurance rates by age and gender
The example below illustrates the comparison of Audi A8 auto insurance rates for male and female drivers. The data is based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, full physical damage coverage, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are factored in.
Rate difference between full and liability-only coverage
The information below illustrates the difference between Audi A8 insurance prices when comparing full coverage to liability only. The costs are based on no claims, a clean driving record, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no additional discounts are factored in.
When to drop comprehensive and collision
There is no exact formula of when to drop full coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is about 10% or more of the settlement you would receive from your company, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s say your Audi A8 replacement cost is $5,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would get paid by your company is $4,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If it’s costing in excess of $400 a year for your policy with full coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
There are some situations where eliminating full coverage is not financially feasible. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should not consider dropping full coverage.
Get cheaper Audi A8 insurance in San Jose with discounts
Buying insurance is not cheap, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that you may not even know about. Certain discounts will be applied when you purchase, but some need to be inquired about before they will apply.
- ABS Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with ABS or steering control have fewer accidents and the ABS can save up to 10%.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Drivers who insure primary and secondary vehicles on a single policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Air Bag Discount – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may qualify for discounts of 25 to 30%.
- Own a Home and Save – Just being a homeowner can save you money because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
- Military Deployment Discount – Having a family member in the military could mean lower premium rates.
As a sidenote, most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Even though it appears you can get free auto insurance, nobody gets a free ride.
The example below illustrates the comparison of Audi A8 insurance premiums with and without discounts applied to the policy premium. The rates are based on a female driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, safe-driver, multi-car, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-policy discounts applied.
Companies that may offer policyholders these benefits may include but are not limited to:
When getting a coverage quote, ask all the companies what discounts are available to you. A few discounts may not apply to policies in San Jose. If you would like to choose from a list of insurers that offer the discounts shown above in California, follow this link.
Auto insurance agents can help
Many people just want to sit down and talk to an agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases Experienced insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help you file claims. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is you may find cheap rate quotes and still have a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, your coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents who will gladly provide quotes for your car insurance coverage. There is no reason to do any legwork because prices are sent to your email. If you need to compare rates from a particular provider, don’t hesitate to find their quoting web page and complete a quote there.
Deciding on an company should include more criteria than just the bottom line cost. Below are some questions you should ask.
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- How many companies do they write for?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
Choose the right auto insurance agent
When looking for a good San Jose insurance agent, it’s important to understand the types of insurance agents and how they are slightly different. Agents in San Jose are considered either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Either one can sell and service car insurance coverage, but it’s worth mentioning the difference in how they write coverage since it can affect which type of agent you select.
Exclusive Agents
Agents that choose to be exclusive write business for a single company and examples are Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide rate quotes from other companies so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive insurance agents are trained well on their company’s products and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive agents in San Jose that are able to give price quote information.
Nhut Ho – State Farm Insurance Agent
2048 Tully Rd – San Jose, CA 95122 – (408) 223-6163 – View Map
Farmers Insurance
1080 Minnesota Ave # 4 – San Jose, CA 95125 – (408) 294-4348 – View Map
Tina Choi – State Farm Insurance Agent
4300 Stevens Creek Blvd #130 – San Jose, CA 95129 – (408) 247-4713 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents in the independent channel are not restricted to one company and that allows them to write policies through many different car insurance companies and find the cheapest car insurance rates. If they find a lower price, your agent can switch companies and the insured can keep the same agent. If you need cheaper car insurance rates, it’s recommended you get quotes from several independent insurance agents to have the most options to choose from.
Listed below are independent agents in San Jose willing to provide rate quotes.
All Spectrum Insurance Brokers
4010 Moorpark Ave #117 – San Jose, CA 95117 – (408) 604-0092 – View Map
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
Which policy gives me the best coverage?
When it comes to buying the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if you would benefit from professional advice.
- When can I cancel my policy?
- Why am I required to buy liability insurance?
- Is a blown tire covered by insurance?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Who is covered by my policy?
- Will filing a claim cost me more?
- When would I need additional glass coverage?
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.
Affordable car insurance rates are available
When trying to cut insurance costs, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to find out that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest cost, not the least amount of coverage.
People switch companies for any number of reasons including high prices, questionable increases in premium, denial of a claim or even policy cancellation. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new company is less work than it seems.
We covered some good ideas how to shop for Audi A8 insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get auto insurance rates for, the better your chances of lowering your auto insurance rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates are with a lesser-known regional company.
More detailed car insurance information is located at these sites:
- Auto Insurance Facts and Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- What is the Cheapest Auto Insurance in San Jose, California? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers Under 25 in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Nissan Rogue in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Homeowners in San Jose? (FAQ)
- What is Gap Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Help Your Teen Be a Better Driver (State Farm)
- Hybrid vehicles cost insurers more (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)