Scraping up a payment for expensive Pontiac Aztek insurance in San Jose can consume your funds, especially in this economy.
We don’t have to tell you that insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. Insureds who compare other rates will presumably move their business because there is a significant possibility of finding a more affordable policy premium. A study showed that drivers who compared prices once a year saved on average $865 a year compared to policyholders who never compared rates.
If finding low prices for insurance in San Jose is your objective, then having a good understanding the best ways to shop for car insurance can make the process less intimidating. Numerous auto insurance companies battle for your insurance dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare car insurance companies to get the lowest cost out there.
If you have coverage now or are just looking to switch companies, follow these tips to find better prices without reducing coverage. Locating the best rates in San Jose is much easier if you know where to start. Drivers just have to learn the most efficient way to compare rate quotes from many different companies.
The auto insurance companies shown below have been selected to offer price comparisons in San Jose, CA. If multiple companies are shown, we suggest you click on several of them in order to find the lowest rates.
Take these six policy discounts and save on Pontiac Aztek insurance in San Jose
Insurance is not cheap nor is it fun to buy but you may be missing some discounts that you may not even be aware of. Some trigger automatically at quote time, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about before you will receive the discount.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to fasten their seat belts can save a little off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some larger companies give discounts for renewing your policy before your current Aztek insurance policy expires. You can save around 10% with this discount.
- Multiple Policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same insurance company you could get a discount of as much as 10 to 15 percent.
- Defensive Driving Course – Passing a class that teaches defensive driver techniques could save 5% or more if you qualify.
- Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break when getting a San Jose auto insurance quote.
- Save over 55 – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens are able to get lower premium rates.
Don’t be surprised that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most cut specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way. But all discounts will cut your insurance premiums.
A list of insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts include:
- Farmers Insurance offers premium reductions for homeowner, multi-car, mature driver, bundle discounts, and electronic funds transfer.
- State Farm offers discounts for passive restraint, Drive Safe & Save, multiple autos, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good driver, anti-theft, and safe vehicle.
- Liberty Mutual may have discounts that include exclusive group savings, preferred payment discount, new move discount, teen driver discount, new vehicle discount, and new graduate.
- MetLife may offer discounts for good student, multi-policy, accident-free, good driver, claim-free, and defensive driver.
- Progressive may include discounts for online signing, multi-vehicle, good student, online quote discount, homeowner, and continuous coverage.
Before buying, ask each company which discounts can lower your rates. Discounts may not be available in San Jose. To view providers with the best Pontiac Aztek insurance discounts in California, click here.
Buying the right vehicle insurance in California is an important decision
Despite the high insurance cost for a Pontiac Aztek in San Jose, buying auto insurance is required in California but also provides important benefits.
- The majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific level of liability protection in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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 your vehicle has a lienholder, most lenders will have a requirement that you have full coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Pontiac at a more expensive rate and require you to fork over much more than you were paying before.
- Auto insurance preserves both your car and your personal assets. Insurance will also pay for all forms of medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your Pontiac gets damaged, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance are definitely more than the cost, particularly for liability claims. The average driver in America is wasting up to $865 each year so we recommend shopping around once a year at a minimum to make sure the price is not too high.
Compare rates but buy from a neighborhood San Jose auto insurance agent
A small number of people just prefer to talk to a local agent and that is a personal choice. Professional insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help submit paperwork. The biggest benefit of getting free rate quotes online is that you can find cheap rate quotes but also keep your business local.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this quick form, your information is transmitted to insurance agents in San Jose who will give you quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to even leave your home since rate quotes are delivered instantly to you. If for some reason you want to get a price quote for a specific company, you would need to find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
Choosing the best insurer should include more criteria than just the premium amount. Any good agent in San Jose should know the answers to these questions.
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in California?
- How long has their agency been open in San Jose?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
- How will an accident affect your rates?
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
Detailed coverages of your insurance policy
Understanding the coverages of your insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find typical coverage types available from insurance companies.
Collision coverage – This pays for damage to your Aztek resulting from colliding with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage pays for things like crashing into a building, rolling your car and backing into a parked car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible on your Aztek to bring the cost down.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Pontiac Aztek.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law (15/30/5 in California), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.
Insurance for medical payments – Med pay and PIP coverage pay for short-term medical expenses such as hospital visits, pain medications, rehabilitation expenses, doctor visits and X-ray expenses. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like vandalism, theft, a broken windshield and damage from getting keyed. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Liability coverages – Liability insurance can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property that is your fault. This coverage protects you from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 15/30/5 which means a limit of $15,000 per injured person, $30,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage protects against things like medical expenses, court costs, legal defense fees, repair costs for stationary objects and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford. California requires drivers to carry at least 15/30/5 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.
The illustration below shows why buying low liability limits may not provide you with enough coverage.