Really, the only way to find affordable quotes for car insurance rates in San Jose is to start comparing rates regularly from different companies who provide car insurance in California. Rate comparisons can be done by following these steps.
First, try to learn a little about how insurance works and the measures you can control to keep rates down. Many factors that are responsible for high rates such as inattentive driving and a negative credit score can be rectified by making minor changes in your lifestyle. Later in this article we will cover the details to get cheaper coverage and find discounts that you may qualify for.
Second, quote rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only quote rates from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can quote prices for a wide range of insurance providers.
Third, compare the price quotes to your current policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you can save some money and change companies, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
Fourth, provide notification to your current agent or company to cancel your current policy. Submit a down payment along with a signed application to the newly selected company. As soon as you have the new policy, put the certificate verifying proof of insurance in your vehicle.
A good tip to remember is to make sure you’re comparing identical coverages on every quote and and to get prices from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this provides an apples-to-apples comparison and and a good selection of different prices.
Remarkably, a study showed that over 70% of consumers have been with the same company for at least four years, and approximately 40% of consumers have never compared rates from other carriers. San Jose drivers can save almost $470 each year just by getting comparison quotes, but they don’t believe the benefits if they replace their high priced policy.
This article’s intent is to help you learn how car insurance companies work and how to save the most money. If you have insurance now, you should be able to find the best rates using this strategy. Drivers just need to use the most efficient way to shop their coverage around from multiple carriers.
Getting a more affordable price on Lexus RX 450h insurance is not rocket science. The only requirement is to spend a little time comparing price quotes from some recommended companies.
The companies shown below offer comparison quotes in California. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get a more complete price comparison.
Do you qualify for discounts?
Car insurance companies don’t always publicize every possible discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down a few of the more well known as well as some of the hidden discounts you could be receiving when you buy San Jose car insurance online.
- Discount for New Cars – Putting car insurance coverage on a new RX 450h may earn a small discount compared to insuring an older model.
- Life Insurance Discount – Not all insurance carriers offer life insurance, but some may give you a discounted price on car insurance if you buy life insurance from them.
- Accident Free – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims get the best car insurance rates in comparison to policyholders that have many claims.
- Low Mileage – Maintaining low annual mileage could earn cheaper premium rates.
- Driver Safety – Participating in a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
- Full Payment Discount – By making one initial payment instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
- Driver’s Ed – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers participate in a local driver’s education class if it’s offered in school.
- Employee of Federal Government – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could provide a small rate reduction with certain companies.
Just know that many deductions do not apply to the whole policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. If you do the math and it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
The illustration below shows the comparison of Lexus RX 450h car insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the rates. The rates are based on a male driver, no accidents or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-policy, safe-driver, marriage, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-car discounts applied.
To locate companies that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts in California, follow this link.
Insurance statistics and figures
The premium information displayed below covers different insurance premium costs for Lexus RX 450h models. Having a better idea how prices are established can aid in making smart policy decisions.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX 450H Hybrid 2WD 4-Dr | $318 | $580 | $514 | $30 | $154 | $1,596 | $133 |
| RX 450H Hybrid 4WD 4-Dr | $318 | $580 | $514 | $30 | $154 | $1,596 | $133 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Price data assumes married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and safe-driver. Information does not factor in specific garaging location which can increase or decrease rates substantially.
Impact of citations and accidents on San Jose insurance rates
The example below shows how speeding tickets and at-fault accidents can affect Lexus RX 450h car insurance rates for each age group. The data is based on a single female driver, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Difference between liability only and full coverage rates
The illustration below illustrates the comparison of Lexus RX 450h insurance premiums with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The premium estimates are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, single status, and no policy discounts are applied.
When to drop comprehensive and collision
There is no set rule of when to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a general school of thought. If the annual cost of having full coverage is about 10% or more of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Lexus RX 450h settlement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company would pay you is $5,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are currently paying more than $500 annually for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
There are some conditions where dropping full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should not consider dropping full coverage.
Components of Your Lexus RX 450h Insurance Premiums
A large part of saving on insurance is knowing a few of the rating criteria that are used to determine the price you pay for insurance. When you know what positively or negatively positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make good choices that may result in lower premium levels.
Shown below are most of the major factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set rates.
- Discounts for auto and home policies – Some insurance companies apply better rates to insureds who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to compare other company rates to verify if the discount is saving money.
- Rural vs Urban Areas – Living in a rural area has it’s advantages when shopping for auto insurance. Fewer drivers on the road means a lower chance of having an accident. People in densely populated areas tend to have much more traffic and more time behind the wheel. Spending more time driving statistically corresponds to a higher accident and claim rate.
- Never have policy lapses – Allowing your insurance policy to lapse can be a guaranteed way to pay more for insurance. Not only will you pay higher rates, the inability to provide proof of insurance can result in a steep fine or even jail time.
- Low mileage costs less – The more miles you rack up on your Lexus each year the higher the price you pay to insure it. Most companies calculate rates based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks that are left in the garage receive better premium rates than vehicles that have high annual mileage. It’s a smart idea to ensure your declarations sheet properly reflects the correct driver usage. Having an incorrect usage rating on your RX 450h can result in significantly higher rates.
- Lower premiums with theft deterrents – Choosing a vehicle that has a built-in theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Systems that thwart thieves like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent car theft and help bring rates down.
- Do you really need to file that policy claims? – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims don’t be surprised to see either higher rates or even cancellation. Companies in California provide the lowest premiums to drivers who do not file claims often. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
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Insurance loss probability for a Lexus RX 450h – Auto insurance companies use past loss statistics for each vehicle when they set coverage costs for each model. Vehicles that have higher losses will be charged more to insure.
The table below illustrates the compiled insurance loss statistics for Lexus RX 450h vehicles. For each insurance policy coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles as a whole is represented as 100. Values that are under 100 mean the vehicle has better than average losses, while values that are above 100 point to more frequent losses or an increased chance of a larger loss.
Lexus RX 450h Insurance Loss Statistics Vehicle Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Lexus RX 450h Hybrid 4dr 2WD 125 119 110 60 Lexus RX 450h Hybrid 4dr 4WD 144 112 136 79 57 84 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
When to have guidance from an insurance agency
Certain consumers just prefer to sit down with an agent and that can be a smart move Good insurance agents can help you build your policy and give you someone to call. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is you may find the lowest rates and still choose a local agent. Buying insurance from local agents is especially important in San Jose.
For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information is sent to companies in San Jose who will give you quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to do any legwork since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. If you have a need to get a comparison quote for a specific company, you just need to go to their quote page and fill out their quote form.
If you want to buy insurance from a reputable agency, there are a couple of different types of agents and how they work. Insurance agencies in San Jose can be categorized as either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive). Both types can properly insure your vehicles, but it is a good idea to know why they differ since it may influence the type of agent you choose.
Independent Agents
These agents are not limited to a single company and that enables them to quote your coverage through many different insurance companies and get the cheapest rates. If your premiums go up, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you stay with the same agent.
If you need lower rates, you definitely need to get insurance quotes from a couple of independent agencies to get the best comparison. Many write coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which can be an advantage.
Shown below is a short list of independent agencies in San Jose who may be able to give you comparison quotes.
- LNA Insurance Agency Inc
999 Story Rd – San Jose, CA 95122 – (408) 280-5815 – View Map - Taylor Benefits Insurance Agency
4820 Harwood Rd #130 – San Jose, CA 95124 – (408) 358-7502 – View Map - HealthMarkets Insurance Agency
543 W Capitol Expy – San Jose, CA 95136 – (408) 441-7777 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents can only place business with one company like State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive insurance agents are usually well trained on their products and sales techniques which aids in selling service over price. Some people will only choose to use an exclusive agent partially due to the prominence of the brand rather than having low rates.
Below are San Jose exclusive agents that can give you comparison quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: David Tofig
6116 Camino Verde Dr Ste 9 – San Jose, CA 95119 – (408) 281-9190 – View Map - Van (Von) Le – State Farm Insurance Agent
301 N Jackson Ave #12 – San Jose, CA 95133 – (408) 259-8826 – View Map - Gary Sanchez – State Farm Insurance Agent
2053 Lincoln Ave a – San Jose, CA 95125 – (408) 269-5001 – View Map
Choosing a insurance agency requires you to look at more than just the quoted price. These are valid questions to ask:
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- Where would glass claims be handled in San Jose?
- How is replacement cost determined on your vehicle?
Find cheaper car insurance prices by comparing often
Throughout this article, we presented many ideas to find cheap Lexus RX 450h insurance in San Jose. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote San Jose car insurance, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the best auto insurance rates are with some of the smallest insurance companies.
Low-cost Lexus RX 450h insurance in San Jose can be bought online in addition to many San Jose insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both to have the best selection. Some insurance providers may not have online rate quotes and these smaller companies only sell through independent agents.
People leave their current company for a variety of reasons including policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, extreme rates for teen drivers and even questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new company can be less work than you think.
To learn more, feel free to browse the following helpful articles:
- Drunk Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for a Nissan Versa in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Nissan Rogue in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Toyota Highlander in San Jose? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Business Use in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for a Honda Accord in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Homeowners in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Car Insurance for Teen Drivers with Divorced Parents (Allstate)
- Rollover Crash FAQ (iihs.org)
- What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- What is Gap Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)