If you want to save the most money, the best way to get low-cost Chevy Spark EV insurance is to regularly compare prices from companies in San Jose.
First, read about how auto insurance works and the things you can change to keep rates low. Many risk factors that result in higher rates such as careless driving and an imperfect credit rating can be eliminated by being financially responsible and driving safely. This article gives information to get low prices and find available discounts that you may qualify for.
Second, obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can give you price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.
Third, compare the new rate quotes to your current policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find better rates and decide to switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
The key thing to remember is that you use similar deductibles and liability limits on every price quote and and to get price estimates from every insurance company. This ensures a fair rate comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
Astonishing but true, nearly 70% of customers have bought car insurance from the same company for at least the last four years, and 38% of drivers have never quoted car insurance rates at all. With the average premium in California being $1,390, drivers could save themselves almost 35% a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they underestimate how much money they would save if they switched.
Buying the cheapest car insurance in San Jose is really quite easy. If you are insured now or want to find a cheaper company, follow these tips to cut your premiums and still have adequate protection. You just have to use the proper methods to shop online from multiple companies.
The providers in the list below provide quotes in California. If the list has multiple companies, it’s a good idea that you get rates from several of them to get the most competitive price.
Discount San Jose auto insurance rates
Not too many consumers would say auto insurance is affordable, but there may be some discounts that you may not even be aware of. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically when you quote, but a few must be asked for prior to receiving the credit.
- Senior Citizen Rates – Mature drivers could receive better auto insurance rates.
- Data Collection Discounts – Drivers that enable their company to look at driving manner through the use of a telematics system such as Drivewise from Allstate or Snapshot from Progressive could possibly reduce rates if they have good driving habits.
- Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government could provide a small rate reduction depending on your company.
- Homeowners Savings – Simply owning a home can save a few bucks because it requires personal responsibility.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles and place coverage with the same company you may earn at least 10% off all policies.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can pay as much as 50% less than their less cautious counterparts.
- Discounts for New Vehicles – Buying a new car model can be considerably cheaper due to better safety requirements for new vehicles.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Drivers who require all occupants to use their safety belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- Active Military Service – Having a family member in the military could qualify you for better auto insurance rates.
Consumers should know that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn’t quite work that way. But all discounts should definitely cut your premiums.
A few of the larger companies and a selection of discounts include:
- GEICO may have discounts that include anti-lock brakes, air bags, daytime running lights, anti-theft, membership and employees, and emergency military deployment.
- USAA discounts include family discount, multi-policy, vehicle storage, multi-vehicle, good student, safe driver, and new vehicle.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, online quote discount, online signing, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, homeowner, and good student.
- American Family has discounts for mySafetyValet, good driver, air bags, bundled insurance, accident-free, TimeAway discount, and Steer into Savings.
- Esurance may include discounts for online shopper, emergency road assistance, Switch & Save, good driver, homeowner, and renters.
- Farmers Insurance may offer discounts for teen driver, youthful driver, bundle discounts, switch companies, pay in full, and mature driver.
- State Farm has savings for defensive driving training, Drive Safe & Save, multiple policy, passive restraint, good student, and driver’s education.
When quoting, ask all the companies which discounts they offer. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply to policyholders in San Jose. To choose companies that have a full spectrum of discounts in California, click here to view.
Buying insurance from San Jose car insurance agents
Many people still like to buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! Agents can answer important questions and help you file claims. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is that you can obtain lower rates and still buy from a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, the coverage information gets sent to insurance agents in San Jose who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no need to visit any agencies since rate quotes are delivered to your email. If you wish to quote rates from a particular provider, you just need to visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
Picking the best insurer is decision based upon more than just the quoted price. A good agent in San Jose will have answers to these questions.
- Will one accident increase rates?
- What insurance companies do they work with in San Jose?
- Will the agent or a CSR service your policy?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Do they have designations such as AIC, CPCU, or CIC?
- Will the quote change when the policy is issued?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
- Which family members are covered?
When finding a local insurance agency, you need to know there are two different types of agencies that you can choose from. Insurance agents in San Jose can be described as either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Either type can sell affordable insurance policies, but it’s a good idea to understand the difference between them since it could factor into the selection process.
Exclusive Agents
Exclusive agents can only quote rates from one company and examples are AAA, Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agents cannot give you multiple price quotes so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agents receive a lot of sales training in insurance sales which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive agencies in San Jose who can help you get comparison quotes.
Farmers Insurance – Roger Nguyen
478 E Santa Clara St #216 – San Jose, CA 95112 – (408) 293-7250 – View Map
Frank Kachkouche – State Farm Insurance Agent
901 S White Rd – San Jose, CA 95127 – (408) 923-2073 – View Map
Debbie Yang – State Farm Insurance Agent
3484 Stevens Creek Blvd Ste A – San Jose, CA 95117 – (408) 261-1623 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents do not work for one specific company and that is an advantage because they can write policies with many different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If your premiums go up, they simply switch companies in-house and that require little work on your part. When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you contact several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.
Listed below are independent insurance agencies in San Jose that are able to give rate quotes.
Casey Nguyen Insurance Agency, Inc.
1639 Meridian Ave a – San Jose, CA 95125 – (408) 286-4467 – View Map
Mission Counties Insurance Agency
1777 Hamilton Ave – San Jose, CA 95125 – (408) 979-8160 – View Map
Khalsa Insurance Agency
3750 McKee Rd A – San Jose, CA 95127 – (408) 272-2500 – View Map
After you get acceptable answers to your questions as well as a price you’re happy with, you’ve probably found an auto insurance agent that meets the requirements to adequately provide insurance. Keep in mind you can cancel your policy for any reason so don’t assume that you are obligated to any particular company for the full policy term.
Insurance can get complicated
Always keep in mind that when comparing coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Each situation is unique and your insurance should unique, too.
For instance, these questions can aid in determining whether you might need professional guidance.
- Which companies are cheaper for teen drivers?
- What is the minimum liability in California?
- Is my teen driver covered when they drive my company car?
- What does UM/UIM cover?
- Should I waive the damage coverage when renting a car?
- Does car insurance cover theft of personal property?
- Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
- Do I have newly-acquired coverage?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
How do Insurance Providers Determine Chevy Spark EV Insurance Rates?
An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to lower premium levels.
The itemized list below are a few of the “ingredients” used by companies to determine your prices.
Advanced alarms and GPS tracking – Driving a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack help track and prevent auto theft.
Get a ticket, pay higher prices – Having a single chargeable violation can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers with clean records receive lower rates than bad drivers. Drivers who have received license-revoking citations like DUI or willful reckless driving are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
Premiums are lower the older you get – Mature drivers are more cautious drivers, are lower risk to insure, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets. Drivers with little experience have been known to be more careless when driving so auto insurance rates are higher.
Do you know your coverage deductibles? – The deductibles you choose state the amount of money the insured will be required to pay if a claim is determined to be covered. Protection for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. Some coverage claims are collision with another vehicle, damage from fire, and having a roll-over accident. The larger the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the less your auto insurance will be.
Performance makes a difference – The type of car or truck you drive makes a big difference in the rate you pay. The lowest rates are for economy passenger cars, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.
Gender is a factor – Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn’t mean females are better at driving than males. Females and males cause at-fault accidents at about the same rate, but men get into accidents with more damage. Not only are claims higher, but men receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI.
Frequent policy claims will increase rates – If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims you can look forward to either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Companies in California award the best rates to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Insurance coverage is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Lower miles driven equals lower premium – Driving more miles annually the more you will pay for auto insurance. Almost all companies price each vehicle’s coverage partially by how you use the vehicle. Vehicles left parked in the garage can be on a lower rate level as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Verify your auto insurance policy states the proper vehicle usage. Having the wrong rating on your Spark EV can result in significantly higher rates.
Three reasons to not skimp on insurance
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Chevy in San Jose, maintaining insurance is a good idea for several reasons.
- The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to buy a minimum amount of liability insurance 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 Chevy Spark EV has a lienholder, almost every bank will make it mandatory that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank may buy a policy for your Chevy at a significantly higher premium and force you to pay for the expensive policy.
- Insurance safeguards both your Chevy and your personal assets. It will also provide coverage for medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability insurance will also pay to defend you if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, your policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of having insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially for larger claims. On average, a vehicle owner in San Jose overpays as much as $825 a year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison each time the policy renews to ensure rates are inline.
Insurance savings summarized
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest cost and still be able to protect your assets.
There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents. More affordable insurance in San Jose is attainable from both online companies in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from.
Additional information is available at these links:
- Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap San Jose Auto Insurance Quotes for Uber Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes with Multiple Speeding Tickets in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Toyota Highlander in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable San Jose Auto Insurance for Infrequent Drivers? (FAQ)
- Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Coverage Information (Progressive Insurance)
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Institute)