It goes without saying that auto insurance companies want to prevent you from shopping around. Consumers who shop around for cheaper price quotes will probably switch to a new company because of the high probability of finding a more affordable policy premium. A survey found that people who regularly compared price quotes saved an average of $70 a month as compared to drivers who never compared prices.
If finding discount rates on car insurance is your objective, learning the best way to shop and compare insurance can make it easier to find better rates.
The preferred way to get more affordable Subaru BRZ insurance in San Jose is to regularly compare price quotes from providers who provide car insurance in California. You can compare prices by following these steps.
- Try to learn about what coverages are included in your policy and the changes you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many factors that cause rate increases such as high-risk driving behaviors and an imperfect credit rating can be controlled by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
- Get rate quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes for a wide range of companies.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium and determine if cheaper BRZ coverage is available. If you find a lower rate quote and decide to switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Give notification to your current company of your decision to cancel the current policy. Submit the application along with any required down payment to the newly selected company. Once the application is submitted, place your new proof of insurance paperwork in an accessible location in your vehicle.
The most important part of shopping around is that you’ll want to make sure you compare similar deductibles and liability limits on every quote and and to get price estimates from as many different insurance providers as possible. This enables a level playing field and the best price selection.
How to get low cost Subaru BRZ insurance in San Jose, California
Most larger insurance companies make it easy to get prices on the web. The process is fairly simple as you simply enter the amount of coverage you want as requested by the quote form. After the form is submitted, the quote system makes automated requests for your driving record and credit report and quotes a price based on the information you submitted.
The ability to get online rates for Subaru BRZ insurance in San Jose simplifies rate comparisons, and it is important to do this if you are searching for cheap prices.
To compare pricing, compare rate quotes from the providers shown below. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you copy the coverages identical to your current policy. This ensures you will get a rate comparison for similar coverage.
The car insurance companies shown below can provide quotes in San Jose, CA. If more than one company is shown, it’s highly recommended you compare several of them to get the lowest price.
Save a ton on Subaru BRZ insurance in San Jose with these discounts
Some providers don’t always advertise the complete list of policy discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following list contains some of the best known and also the more inconspicuous discounts you could be receiving when you buy San Jose auto insurance online.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Maintaining low annual mileage could earn cheaper prices.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
- Responsible Driver Discount – Insureds without accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accident claims.
- Save over 55 – Older drivers can get a discount up to 10%.
- Distant College Student Discount – Any of your kids who live away from home to go to college and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
It’s important to note that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like you could get a free car insurance policy, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
Some of the insurance companies that may have some of the discounts shown above may include but are not limited to:
- State Farm
- Liberty Mutual
- American Family
- Progressive
- Farmers Insurance
- Auto-Owners Insurance
- SAFECO
If you need low cost San Jose auto insurance quotes, ask all companies you are considering the best way to save money. Savings may not apply in San Jose. For a list of insurance companies with significant discounts in San Jose, click this link.
Compare rate quotes but still have a local neighborhood San Jose car insurance agent
A lot of people just prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is a smart decision Licensed agents can help determine the best coverages and give you someone to call. An additional benefit of getting online price quotes is the fact that drivers can get cheap insurance rates and still have a local agent. Buying insurance from local insurance agents is important especially in San Jose.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your coverage information is transmitted to local insurance agents who can give free rate quotes for your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact any insurance agencies because quoted prices will be sent to you instantly. In the event you want to get a rate quote from a particular provider, you can always visit that company’s website and complete a quote there.
Selecting an provider is decision based upon more than just a low price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- Is the agency active in community causes in San Jose?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
- Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in San Jose?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
San Jose Insurance Prices are Influenced by These Factors
The best way to find cheaper insurance is to take a look at the factors that go into determining the price you pay for insurance. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower insurance prices.
- Your address can influence price – Choosing to live in a small town may provide you with better prices if you are looking for the lowest rates. Fewer drivers means a lower chance of having an accident and lower theft and vandalism rates. Residents of big cities have to deal with much more traffic and more time behind the wheel. Longer commute distances means a statistically higher chance of an accident.
- Add-on coverages that aren’t used – There are many extra coverages that may not really be needed but may not be useful. Things like roadside assistance, towing, and term life insurance are examples of these. The coverages may be enticing when discussing your needs, but if you’ve never needed them in the past remove them and pocket the money.
- Gender and insurance coverage prices – The statistics show that females tend to be a little less risky than males. Now that doesn’t mean women are BETTER drivers than men. Females and males are in at-fault accidents in similar numbers, but the male of the species cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI. Young men ages 16 to 20 are most likely to cause an accident so it costs more to insure them.
- Reduce prices by driving cars with good safety ratings – Cars with five star safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Vehicles built for safety result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts and lower rates for you. If your Subaru BRZ earned at least four stars on Safercar.gov you may pay a lower rate.
- Frequent insurance claims increase insurance rates – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can expect higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Insurance companies in California generally give the lowest premiums to people who do not file claims often. Your insurance policy is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Deter theft and save – Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Systems that thwart thieves like vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack can thwart your car from being stolen.
- Do you work long hours in a stressful job? – Did you know your insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as real estate brokers, airline pilots, and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates because of intense work requirements and long work hours. Other careers such as farmers, engineers and performers have lower than average premiums.
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Subaru BRZ claim probability – Insurance companies take into consideration historical loss data for every vehicle as a way to help calculate a profitable premium rate. Vehicles that tend to have higher frequency or amount of claims will have a higher premium rate. The data below shows the loss history for Subaru BRZ vehicles.
For each policy coverage type, the loss probability for all vehicles, as a total average, is represented as 100. Numbers below 100 are indicative of better than average losses, while numbers shown that are more than 100 point to more claims or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.
Insurance Loss Ratings for Subaru BRZ Vehicles Vehicle Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Subaru BRZ 156 78 150 87 88 76 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEData Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Auto insurance in California serves several purposes
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Subaru BRZ in San Jose, maintaining insurance is required for several reasons.
- Almost all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to buy a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage if you drive a 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 your Subaru has a loan, almost all lenders will make it mandatory 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 Subaru at a much higher rate and force you to pay the higher premium.
- Auto insurance protects your Subaru BRZ and your assets. Insurance will pay for medical bills incurred in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your Subaru gets damaged, your auto insurance policy will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of buying auto insurance definitely exceed the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. According to a 2015 survey, the average American driver overpays more than $820 a year so it’s recommended you shop around at every policy renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.
In conclusion
We just showed you some good ideas how you can save on Subaru BRZ insurance in San Jose. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the lowest auto insurance rates come from an unexpected company.
As you shop your coverage around, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, but do not skimp to save money.
Insureds who switch companies do it for many reasons like not issuing a premium refund, high prices, poor customer service and even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. No matter why you want to switch, switching companies is actually quite simple.
Even more information can be read by following these links:
- Automakers compete to add autobraking (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Drivers with Accidents in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Drivers Under 21 in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Side airbags reduce rollover fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Medical Payments Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Auto Crash Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)