Sad but true, 70% of consumers have bought insurance from the same company for over three years, and 38% of drivers have never compared rates with other companies. With the average premium in California being $1,387, drivers can save hundreds of dollars each year by just comparing rate quotes, but most just don’t grasp the amount of money they would save if they switched.
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to find low-cost Tesla Model X insurance in San Jose is to start comparing prices yearly from insurance carriers who can sell car insurance in California.
Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of how insurance companies determine prices and the things you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many risk factors that increase rates such as accidents, careless driving, and a substandard credit history can be remedied by making minor changes in your lifestyle. This article gives more details to find cheap rates and find available discounts that you may qualify for.
Step 2: Obtain price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agencies can give you price quotes from many different companies.
Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your existing rates to see if cheaper Model X coverage is available in San Jose. If you find a better price and change companies, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
Step 4: Tell your current agent or company of your decision to cancel your current policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application for your new coverage. As soon as coverage is bound, place your new certificate verifying coverage somewhere easily accessible.
An essential thing to point out is that you’ll want to compare the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to compare all possible companies. This helps ensure a level playing field and a complete rate analysis.
Just remember that comparing a large number of companies will increase your chances of finding a better price.
The providers in the list below can provide quotes in California. If multiple companies are shown, it’s highly recommended you visit several of them to find the cheapest car insurance rates.
Car insurance is not optional but you don’t have to overpay
Despite the fact that car insurance is not cheap in San Jose, paying for car insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- Almost all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific minimum amount of liability if you want to drive legally. 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 lien on your Tesla Model X, most banks will require that you carry insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender will be forced to insure your Tesla at a much higher premium rate and require you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Car insurance preserves not only your Tesla Model X but also your financial assets. Insurance will also pay for medical expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay attorney fees if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your Tesla gets damaged, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of having insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially with large liability claims. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying over $810 a year so compare rate quotes at least once a year to make sure the price is not too high.
Informed Consumers Can Reduce Insurance Rates
The best way to find cheaper car insurance is to take a look at the rating factors that help determine car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively determines premiums, this enables informed choices that will entitle you to cheaper rates. Multiple criteria are used when premium rates are determined. Some are obvious such as your driving history, but others are not quite as obvious like where you live or your vehicle rating.
The factors shown below are a few of the things used by companies to determine rates.
- High performance vehicles cost more to insure – The make and model of the vehicle you need insurance for makes a huge difference in determining your rates. The best insurance prices are usually found on small economy passenger models, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
- Bundle policies with the same company – Lots of companies afford a discount to buyers who have multiple policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it’s in your best interest to compare Tesla Model X rates in San Jose to help ensure you have the lowest rates. It’s possible to still save money by insuring with multiple companies.
- Driving citations inflate rates – Drivers who don’t get tickets have lower premiums than people who have multiple driving citations. Even a single moving violation can increase rates substantially. Drivers with serious violations such as DUI or willful reckless driving may need to complete a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
- Insurance rates for married couples – Your spouse actually saves money on your car insurance bill. Marriage means you’re more mature and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Car insurance claims cost money – If you file a lot of claims don’t be surprised to see higher rates. Insurance companies in California generally give the best rates to policyholders who only file infrequent claims. Your insurance policy is intended for claims that pose a financial burden.
- Vehicle features impact car insurance rates – Buying a car with a theft deterrent system can help lower your premiums. Theft prevention features such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system help track and prevent car theft and help bring rates down.
- Car insurance rates and age – More mature drivers are more responsible, file fewer claims, and receive fewer citations. Inexperience drivers tend to be less responsible when behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher.
- Bad credit will cost you – Your credit rating can be an important factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with lower ratings. Therefore, if your credit rating can be improved, you could be paying less to insure your Tesla Model X if you clean up your credit.
Auto insurance discounts are available for cheaper rates
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always list the entire discount list very well, so the list below gives a summary of both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that may be available. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Paper-free Discount – Some of the larger companies will give you a small discount for signing up on the web.
- Waiver for an Accident – This one is not really a discount per se, but some insurance companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don’t have any claims for a specific time period.
- Defensive Driver Discount – Completing a class that teaches safe driver techniques could earn you a small percentage discount and also improve your driving technique.
- Save over 55 – Older drivers are able to get lower premium rates.
- Military Rewards – Being deployed in the military could mean lower auto insurance rates.
Don’t be surprised that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So when it seems like you could get a free auto insurance policy, you aren’t that lucky. But all discounts should definitely cut the amount you have to pay.
Some companies who might offer many of the previously listed discounts are:
When comparing rates, check with every insurance company which discounts can lower your rates. A few discounts might not be offered on policies in San Jose. To see insurance companies with the best Tesla Model X insurance discounts in California, click here to view.
Will just any policy work for me?
Always remember that when buying your policy, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so this has to be addressed.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if your situation will benefit from professional help.
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- If I use my vehicle for business use is it covered?
- If my Tesla Model X is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
- Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- Can I insure my car for more than it’s worth?
- Am I covered when driving a rental car?
- When can I cancel my policy?
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
You may need help from an agent
Some people would prefer to go talk to an agent and that can be a smart move An additional benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find the best rates and still buy from a local agent.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, your insurance data gets sent to insurance agents in San Jose who want to provide quotes for your auto insurance coverage. You won’t even need to find an agent on your own because quoted prices will be sent to you directly. You can find better rates and work with a local agent. If you need to get a price quote from a particular provider, you would need to search and find their rate quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Choosing the best insurer requires you to look at more than just the quoted price. The following questions are important to ask.
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
- Is the agency active in community causes in San Jose?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- When do they do a full risk review?
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
If you are searching for a reliable insurance agency, you must know there are a couple different types of agencies and how they can quote your rates. Agents in San Jose can be classified as either exclusive or independent.
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agencies
These agents work for only one company such as Farmers Insurance and State Farm. They generally cannot compare rates from other companies so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agents receive extensive training on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers sometimes purchase coverage from exclusives mainly due to loyalty to the company and solid financial strength.
Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agencies in San Jose who may provide you with price quotes.
- Reed Sparks – State Farm Insurance Agent
3119 Alum Rock Ave – San Jose, CA 95127 – (408) 923-2055 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Roger Nguyen
478 E Santa Clara St #216 – San Jose, CA 95112 – (408) 293-7250 – View Map - John Hong – State Farm Insurance Agent
1777 Saratoga Ave #100 – San Jose, CA 95129 – (408) 777-8700 – View Map
Independent Auto Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be independent often have many company appointments so they can write business with lots of companies and find the cheapest rate. If they find a lower price, your policy is moved internally and that require little work on your part. When comparing auto insurance prices, you need to contact a couple of independent agencies to get the most accurate price comparison. They also have the ability to place coverage with different regional companies which may provide better rates.
The following are independent insurance agents in San Jose willing to provide price quote information.
- Mission Counties Insurance Agency
1777 Hamilton Ave – San Jose, CA 95125 – (408) 979-8160 – View Map - LNA Insurance Agency Inc
999 Story Rd – San Jose, CA 95122 – (408) 280-5815 – View Map - Oasis Insurance Agency Inc. Branch 4
1629 Alum Rock Ave – San Jose, CA 95116 – (408) 929-6111 – View Map
Insurance savings summarized
You just read many ways to save on Tesla Model X insurance in San Jose. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of getting inexpensive San Jose auto insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest premium rates come from some of the lesser-known companies. These smaller insurers may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
Affordable Tesla Model X insurance in San Jose can be found from both online companies and also from your neighborhood San Jose agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies may not have the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small insurance companies prefer to sell through independent agents.
Additional detailed information is located at these sites:
- Self-driving cars won’t replace humans (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Chevrolet Equinox in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for a Chevrolet Silverado in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Where can I buy Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Alcohol Impaired Driving FAQ (iihs.org)
- What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)