Purchasing low-cost San Jose Mazda CX-5 insurance quotes online may seem to be rather challenging for people that are relatively new to buying insurance online. With so many agents and companies in the marketplace, how are people able to efficiently compare the different rates to find the lowest price available?
Steps to buying affordable Mazda CX-5 insurance in San Jose
If saving money is your primary concern, then the best way to get budget auto insurance rates in San Jose is to begin comparing prices regularly from insurance carriers in California. Rate comparisons can be done by completing these steps.
- Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of car insurance and the measures you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many things that cause rate increases such as multiple speeding tickets and poor credit history can be improved by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. This article provides instructions to find cheap prices and find discounts that may have been missed.
- Step 2: Request rate estimates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can quote prices for many different companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find a better price and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Step 4: Provide adequate notice to your current company of your intent to cancel your current coverage and submit payment and a signed application to the new company. As soon as you receive it, put the new certificate verifying proof of insurance in your vehicle.
A key point to remember is to use the same liability limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to get price quotes from as many companies as you can. Doing this guarantees a level playing field and the best price selection.
It’s a fact that insurance companies don’t want you quoting rates from other companies. Consumers who shop rates annually are inclined to buy a different policy because there are good odds of finding coverage at a cheaper rate. A recent car insurance study revealed that drivers who routinely shopped for cheaper coverage saved on average $865 annually as compared to drivers who didn’t regularly shop around.
If finding the cheapest price for Mazda CX-5 insurance in San Jose is why you’re reading this, then learning about how to quote and compare coverage rates can help make the process easier and more efficient.
Consumers need to compare rates once or twice a year since insurance prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you had the best deal on Mazda CX-5 insurance in San Jose a couple years back the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the best way to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.
When comparison shopping, there are several ways of comparing rate quotes from car insurance companies in your area. The fastest way to lower the rate you pay for insurance involves getting comparison quotes online. Just remember that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps improve the odds of finding better pricing. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide price estimates online, so you also need to get price quotes from them as well.
The companies in the list below provide comparison quotes in San Jose, CA. If more than one company is shown, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them to get the lowest price.
Three reasons to insure your CX-5
Even though it can be expensive, car insurance serves several important purposes.
- Most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a minimum amount of liability protection in order to be legal. 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 have a loan on your Mazda CX-5, almost every bank will require that you have insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank will be required to insure your Mazda at a significantly higher premium and force you to reimburse them for the expensive policy.
- Car insurance protects not only your Mazda CX-5 but also your assets. It also can pay for all forms of medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability insurance will also pay to defend you if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your Mazda gets damaged, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of having insurance more than offset the price you pay, particularly when you have a large claim. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver overpays as much as $865 each year so it’s important to compare rates at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
The Mazda CX-5 Insurance Price Equation
The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at a few of the rating criteria that come into play when calculating your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.
The itemized list below are most of the major factors used by your company to calculate premiums.
Married drivers pay less – Being married actually saves money compared to being single. It means you’re more mature and responsible and it’s statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Credit score impact auto insurance costs – Credit score can be a huge factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. Insureds that have very good credit scores tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than those with lower ratings. If your credit score is low, you could save money insuring your Mazda CX-5 by improving your rating.
Keep premiums low by being claim-free – Auto insurance companies in California award cheaper rates to insureds who are claim-free. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to increased rates or even have your policy non-renewed. Auto insurance is intended for larger claims.
Teen drivers pay higher costs – More experienced drivers have been proven to be more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents, and get fewer tickets. Youthful drivers have been known to be more careless with other occupants in the car so auto insurance rates are higher.
Performance makes a difference – The performance level of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a substantial difference in determining your rates. Lower performance four cylinder passenger cars generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.
Safer vehicles mean better prices – Cars with five star safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. Vehicles built for safety result in less severe injuries and reduced instances of injuries means less money paid by your insurance company and thus lower rates.
Men drivers tend to cost more – Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. The data does not necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but the men have accidents that have higher claims. Not only that, but men also have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving.
Small coverages can add up – Insurance companies have many additional coverages that can add up but may not be useful. Coverages like personal injury protection, towing, and motor club memberships are examples of these. They may sound like good ideas initially, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
Insurance losses for a Mazda CX-5 – Insurers use claims history to help determine costs. Vehicles that the statistics show to have a trend towards higher claim severity or frequency will cost more to insure.
The next table shows the insurance loss data used by companies for Mazda CX-5 vehicles. For each type of coverage, the claim probability for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is a value of 100. Numbers that are below 100 are indicative of better than average losses, while percentage values above 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.
| Specific Mazda Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda CX-5 4dr 2WD | 66 | 88 | 85 | 79 | 83 | 76 |
| Mazda CX-5 4dr 4WD | 71 | 83 | 102 | 79 | 74 | 72 |
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Car insurance discounts are available for cheaper rates
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but there are discounts available that many consumers don’t even know exist. Some trigger automatically when you get a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied before being credited.
- Anti-theft System – Anti-theft and alarm system equipped vehicles are stolen with less frequency and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Sign Online – A handful of companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application over the internet.
- Multi-line Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a discounted price on car insurance if you buy life insurance.
- Policy Bundle Discount – If you can combine your auto and homeowners policy with one insurance company you could save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Professional Organizations – Participating in certain professional organizations is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for car insurance.
Just know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck. Any qualifying discounts will reduce the premium cost.
A few popular companies and a partial list of their discounts are outlined below.
- American Family discounts include Steer into Savings, bundled insurance, defensive driver, early bird, and multi-vehicle.
- State Farm offers discounts for safe vehicle, good driver, passive restraint, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good student, and accident-free.
- 21st Century has discounts for anti-lock brakes, automatic seat belts, theft prevention, air bags, and driver training.
- Travelers offers premium reductions for home ownership, early quote, new car, IntelliDrive, and continuous insurance.
- GEICO has savings for anti-theft, seat belt use, anti-lock brakes, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and daytime running lights.
If you need lower rates, check with every prospective company which discounts they offer. All car insurance discounts might not apply everywhere. To locate companies that offer multiple discounts in California, click this link.
What if I want to buy from local San Jose car insurance agents?
Some people just prefer to get advice from a local agent. A nice benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that you can find cheap auto insurance rates and still choose a local agent.
Once you complete this quick form, your coverage information is submitted to local insurance agents who will return price quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to find an agent since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. It’s the lowest rates AND a local agent. In the event you want to get a rate quote from a specific auto insurance provider, just visit that company’s website and submit a quote form there.
Picking a company should include more criteria than just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:
- Are they full-time agents?
- Are all drivers listed on the coverage quote?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Where would glass claims be handled in San Jose?
- Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- What are their preferred companies if they are an independent agency?
- How long have they been in business?
When researching a reputable insurance agent or broker, it’s helpful to know the different types of agents and how they can quote your rates. Agents may be either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Exclusive Agents
Agents in the exclusive channel are contracted to one company and examples are Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. They generally cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so always compare other rates. Exclusive agents receive a lot of sales training on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents. Some insured continue to buy insurance from these agents mostly because of the brand name and strong financial ratings.
Listed below is a list of exclusive insurance agents in San Jose that are able to give comparison quotes.
- Farmers Insurance – Anh Vu
3005 Silver Creek Rd #110 – San Jose, CA 95121 – (408) 270-3978 – View Map - Rolando Suarez – State Farm Insurance Agent
696 E Santa Clara St #110 – San Jose, CA 95112 – (408) 642-1399 – View Map - Debbie Yang – State Farm Insurance Agent
3484 Stevens Creek Blvd Ste A – San Jose, CA 95117 – (408) 261-1623 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
Agents in the independent channel do not have single company limitations and that is an advantage because they can write policies with an assortment of companies and find you the best rates. If premiums increase, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to switch agencies.
When shopping rates, you will want to compare quotes from multiple independent agents to maximize your price options. Most independent agents also contract with additional companies that you may not be familiar with who may have lower rates.
Listed below is a short list of independent insurance agents in San Jose that are able to give comparison quotes.
- Donald Browne Insurance Services
330 W Hedding St #207 – San Jose, CA 95110 – (408) 292-4329 – View Map - Oasis Insurance Agency Inc. Branch 4
1629 Alum Rock Ave – San Jose, CA 95116 – (408) 929-6111 – View Map - San Jose Insurance
2542 S Bascom Ave – Campbell, CA 95008 – (408) 371-3700 – View Map
After getting answers to your satisfaction as well as a price you’re happy with, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agent that will properly insure your vehicles. But remember, you are entitled to cancel your policy whenever you want so never feel you’re contractually obligated to any specific company indefinitely.
In conclusion
People leave their current company for many reasons like denial of a claim, poor customer service, extreme rates for teen drivers or high prices. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a new company is not as hard as you think.
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the lowest possible cost.
We covered a lot of information how to get a better price on Mazda CX-5 insurance in San Jose. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get prices for, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the best premium rates are with the smaller companies.
How to buy low-cost Mazda CX-5 insurance in San Jose
If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to get budget auto insurance rates is to do an annual price comparison from different companies that sell auto insurance in San Jose. Rates can be compared by completing these steps.
- Take a few minutes and learn about how insurance companies determine prices and the factors you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating criteria that cause rate increases such as high-risk driving behaviors and a not-so-good credit history can be eliminated by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can give quotes from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can quote rates from multiple companies.
- Compare the price quotes to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper price is available. If you can save money and buy the policy, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
- Give proper notification to your current agent or company of your intent to cancel the current policy and submit a signed application and payment to the new company. When you receive it, keep the new certificate verifying coverage somewhere easily accessible.
An important note is that you use identical limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to get prices from as many different companies as possible. Doing this ensures the most accurate price comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
For more information, feel free to visit these articles:
- Booster Seat Ratings (iihs.org)
- Who Has Cheap San Jose Car Insurance for 19 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- What is Full Coverage? (Allstate)
- What is a Telematics Device? (Allstate)