If saving money is your primary concern, then the best way to get discount Pontiac Solstice insurance is to start comparing rates regularly from different companies that sell auto insurance in San Jose.
- Get a basic knowledge of what coverages are included in your policy and the changes you can make to prevent high rates. Many risk factors that increase rates such as inattentive driving and a negative credit rating can be rectified by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Quote rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agencies can give you price quotes for a wide range of companies.
- Compare the new rates to your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available in San Jose. If you can save money, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
- Notify your current company of your intention to cancel the current policy. Submit a completed application and payment to the new insurer. Once received, put the new certificate verifying proof of insurance along with your vehicle registration.
The most important part of shopping around is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical deductibles and limits on every price quote and to quote with as many carriers as you can. Doing this guarantees a level playing field and a good representation of prices.
It’s well known that car insurance companies want to keep you from comparing rates. Insureds who compare other rates are inclined to switch to a new company because of the good chance of finding a policy with better rates. A study discovered that people who routinely compared rates saved as much as $865 annually as compared to drivers who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding budget-friendly Pontiac Solstice insurance in San Jose is why you’re here, then having a good understanding how to get free comparison quotes and analyze car insurance can help you succeed in saving money.
Decisions You Make Can Impact Your Insurance Costs
When buying auto insurance it’s important to understand the different types of things that are used to determine your auto insurance rates. If you understand what determines premiums, this enables informed choices that can earn you cheaper rates. Many factors are used when you get your auto insurance bill. Most are fairly basic like a motor vehicle report, although others are less obvious such as your marital status or how financially stable you are.
The items below are some of the most rate-impacting factors used by insurance companies to determine your rates.
Insurance is expensive for teenage drivers – More experienced drivers are viewed as being more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets. Beginning drivers are known to be inattentive when driving with friends so auto insurance rates are higher.
Where you live – Being located in small towns and rural areas is a good thing when trying to find low car insurance rates. People in densely populated areas have to deal with congested traffic and higher rates of accident claims. Fewer people means less chance of accidents in addition to lower liability claims.
Do you really need to file that auto insurance claims? – Companies in California award most affordable rates to people that do not abuse their auto insurance. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of more catastrophic claims.
Liability protection limits are a factor – Liability insurance will protect you if you are responsible for physical damage or personal injury to other. Your policy’s liability insurance provides you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. It is affordable coverage compared to physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
Prices and vocation – Occupations such as real estate brokers, architects, and emergency personnel tend to pay higher rates than the rest of us attributed to high stress levels and lots of time spent away from family. On the other hand, jobs such as professors, engineers and retirees pay lower than average rates.
Premiums are impacted by vehicle performance – The type of car or truck you need to insure makes a big difference in your car insurance bill. Lower performance four cylinder passenger models usually have the lowest rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Keep in mind that comparing a wide range of rates gives you a better chance of getting more affordable insurance. Not every company allows you to get San Jose Solstice insurance quotes online, so you need to compare rates from those companies as well.
The following companies offer price comparisons in California. If the list has multiple companies, we recommend you visit several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Buying the right Pontiac Solstice insurance in California is an important decision
Despite the fact that insurance is not cheap in San Jose, insurance is required in California but it also protects you in many ways.
First, the majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific limits of liability insurance 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.
Second, if your vehicle has a loan, almost all lenders will require that you have physical damage coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Pontiac for a much higher rate and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
Third, insurance protects not only your Pontiac but also your financial assets. It will also provide coverage for medical bills for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability insurance also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you cause an accident and are sued. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of insuring your car outweigh the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. Unknowingly, the average driver is overpaying more than $810 a year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison once a year at a minimum to save money.
Auto insurance discounts are available to lower rates
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you may find discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Some of these discounts will be visible at the time of quoting, but a few must be specifically requested before you get the savings.
- Own a Home – Owning your own home or condo can save you money since owning and maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
- First Accident Forgiveness – This one isn’t a discount, but a handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident before they charge you more for coverage if your claims history is clear for a set time period.
- 55 and Retired – Seniors can possibly qualify for lower premium rates.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Factory options such as air bags or automatic seat belts may get savings up to 30%.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver’s education in school or through a local driver safety program.
- No Claims – Drivers with accident-free driving histories are rewarded with significantly better rates on San Jose auto insurance quote compared to bad drivers.
- Early Switch Discount – A few companies allow discounts for signing up before your current Solstice insurance policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Low annual miles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Telematics Devices – Insureds who allow driving data collection to look at when and where they use their vehicle by using a telematics device such as State Farm’s In-Drive may get a rate reduction as long as they are good drivers.
- ABS Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with anti-lock braking systems can stop better under adverse conditions and the ABS can save up to 10%.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the whole policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, that’s just not realistic.
Some of the insurance companies who might offer some of the discounts shown above include:
Before you buy a policy, ask each company or agent how many discounts you can get. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not apply everywhere. To see a list of insurance companies with discount rates in San Jose, click here.
Insurance agents are trained to help
Certain consumers just want to have an agent’s advice and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the great benefits of comparing auto insurance online is that you can find lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. And supporting small agencies is definitely important in San Jose.
For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is submitted to participating agents in San Jose who will gladly provide quotes for your coverage. You won’t even need to find an agent due to the fact that quote results will go to you instantly. You can get cheaper auto insurance rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If for some reason you want to compare rates from a particular provider, feel free to jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Auto insurance agents in San Jose come in two varieties
When narrowing the list to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are a couple of different types of agencies and how they function. Auto insurance agencies can be classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer.
Independent Auto Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents of this type are not required to write business for one company and that gives them the ability to insure with any number of different companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, the agent simply finds a different carrier which is easy for the insured.
If you need lower rates, you need to contact several independent agencies in order to compare the most rates.
Listed below are independent agents in San Jose that can give you pricing information.
Harrington Insurance Agency
6920 Santa Teresa Blvd #101 – San Jose, CA 95119 – (408) 754-9000 – View Map
HealthMarkets Insurance Agency
543 W Capitol Expy – San Jose, CA 95136 – (408) 441-7777 – View Map
Care Insurance Agency Inc
900 N 1st St E – San Jose, CA 95112 – (408) 292-2925 – View Map
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents
Exclusive insurance agents generally can only insure with one company like State Farm, Allstate and AAA. Exclusive agents cannot compare other company’s rates so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agencies are well schooled on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agencies in San Jose that are able to give price quotes.
Dick Alesch – State Farm Insurance Agent
164 N Bascom Ave a – San Jose, CA 95128 – (408) 918-0877 – View Map
Andre Nguyen – State Farm Insurance Agent
4990 Speak Ln #220 – San Jose, CA 95118 – (408) 265-8888 – View Map
Lillian Moore – State Farm Insurance Agent
5589 Winfield Blvd #210 – San Jose, CA 95123 – (408) 268-8600 – View Map
Choosing the best auto insurance agent is decision based upon more than just the bottom line cost. Get answers to these questions too.
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Is the agent properly licensed in California?
- Will the agent help in case of a claim?
- Will the agent or a CSR service your policy?
- How experienced are they in personal risk management?
- Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
Which is the best insurance?
When buying adequate coverage, there is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance should reflect that
For example, these questions could help you determine if your insurance needs might need an agent’s assistance.
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Does my personal policy cover me when driving out-of-state?
- Do I need higher collision deductibles?
- I have a DUI can I still get coverage?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
If you’re not sure about those questions, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Cheaper auto insurance is out there
As you prepare to switch companies, it’s not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to find out that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at the best possible price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
The cheapest Pontiac Solstice insurance in San Jose can be purchased on the web and from local insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies may not offer internet price quotes and usually these small, regional companies sell through independent agencies.
You just read a lot of information how to find cheap Pontiac Solstice insurance in San Jose. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier. Some small companies can often provide lower prices in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive and GEICO.
To read more, take a look at the resources below:
- Collision Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Drivers with Accidents in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for Real Estate Agents in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for Nurses in San Jose? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Business Use in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Eight Auto Insurance Myths (Insurance Information Institute)
- Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)
- Can I Drive Legally without Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)