It goes without saying that insurance companies don’t want you comparing rates. Consumers who get price quotes annually are likely to buy a different policy because there is a good chance of finding a more affordable policy. Remarkably, a study showed that people who did price comparisons regularly saved over $72 a month compared to people who never shopped around for lower prices.
If finding the cheapest rates on Toyota Avalon insurance in San Jose is your target objective, then understanding how to get price quotes and compare insurance premiums can help simplify the task of finding more affordable coverage.
The recommended way to quote cheaper auto insurance rates in San Jose is to start comparing prices regularly from insurance carriers who sell insurance in California.
- Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of how insurance works and the steps you can take to keep rates in check. Many things that result in higher prices like at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and an imperfect credit rating can be improved by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
- Step 2: Compare prices from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can give quotes from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agents can quote prices for many different companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you can save some money and buy the policy, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
- Step 4: Notify your agent or company to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit a completed policy application and payment to the new company. Make sure you keep the new proof of insurance paperwork in an accessible location in your vehicle.
The most important part of shopping around is to use identical limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get price estimates from as many carriers as you can. Doing this enables an accurate price comparison and maximum price selection.
Decisions You Make Can Impact Your Insurance Premiums
Part of the insurance buying process is learning some of the factors that help calculate your premiums. If you know what determines base rates, this allows you to make good choices that can help you get lower insurance prices.
Cars with good safety ratings are cheaper to insure – Safe vehicles tend to be cheaper to insure. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and fewer injuries means less money paid by your insurance company and thus lower rates.
Poor driving habits leads to higher premiums – How you drive influences premium rates substantially. Having a single ticket may cause rates to rise to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers with clean records tend to pay less for car insurance as compared to careless drivers. Drivers who have received serious tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may face state-mandated requirements to file a SR-22 with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
The information below demonstrates how speeding tickets and at-fault collisions can raise Toyota Avalon car insurance rates for different age groups. The data is based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are applied.
Discounts for married drivers – Having a spouse helps lower the price when shopping for insurance. Having a significant other means you’re more mature and it’s proven that married couples file fewer claims.
Youthful vs. older drivers – Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents, and usually have better credit. Teenage drivers have a tendency to be less responsible when at the wheel of a vehicle so they pay higher insurance rates.
The following data is based on a single driver, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
Battle of the sexes – Over time, data shows that women are safer drivers than men. However, this does not mean males are worse at driving than females. Both genders cause at-fault accidents in similar percentages, but the males have accidents that have higher claims. In addition to higher claims, males also get cited for more serious violations like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving. Teenage male drivers cause the most accidents and are penalized with high insurance rates.
The example below illustrates the difference between Toyota Avalon insurance prices for male and female drivers. The premiums assume no claims or driving citations, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Costs may be higher where you live – Being located in a rural area has it’s advantages when trying to find low car insurance rates. Less people means reduced accidents and a lower car theft rate. Urban drivers tend to have more road rage incidents and longer commute times. Higher commute times can result in more accidents.
Lower insurance rates with continuous insurance coverage – Having a gap between insurance policy dates can be a guaranteed way to increase your insurance rates. Not only will you pay higher rates, getting caught without coverage could earn you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license. You may have to file a SR-22 with the California motor vehicle department.
Companies want multiple policies – Most insurance companies provide a discount to customers who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it’s still a good idea to shop around to guarantee you are still saving the most. You may still find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
Toyota Avalon claim data – Auto insurance companies include the past claim history for a vehicle to calculate a rate that offsets possible losses. Models that the statistics show to have high amounts or severity of claims will cost more to insure. The information below illustrates the loss history for Toyota Avalon vehicles.
For each coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles, as an average, equals 100. Percentages below 100 suggest a positive loss record, while numbers above 100 point to more claims or tendency to have higher losses.
| Vehicle Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Avalon | 113 | 72 | 112 | 106 | 98 | 74 |
| Toyota Avalon Hybrid | 120 | 72 | 132 | 107 | 85 | 80 |
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
Most larger insurance companies allow consumers to get coverage prices on their websites. Getting online rates for Toyota Avalon insurance in San Jose is pretty painless as you simply type in the coverage amounts you desire as detailed in the form. After you submit the form their rating system pulls your driving record and credit report and returns a price based on many factors.
Using the web to get price quotes for Toyota Avalon insurance in San Jose makes it easy to compare insurance prices and it is imperative to perform this step if you are searching for the lowest payment possible.
To quickly compare pricing, visit the companies below or click here to submit a quote request to multiple companies at once. To compare your current rates, we recommend you input the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. This guarantees you will receive rate quotes using the same coverage and limits.
The following companies are ready to provide price comparisons in California. If the list has multiple companies, we suggest you visit several of them in order to find the lowest rates.
Car insurance statistics and figures
The premium table below showcases different prices for Toyota Avalon models. Being able to understand how premiums are established can assist in making decisions when choosing a new policy provider.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalon XL | $416 | $672 | $384 | $22 | $114 | $1,608 | $134 |
| Avalon XLS | $416 | $792 | $384 | $22 | $114 | $1,728 | $144 |
| Avalon Limited | $464 | $792 | $384 | $22 | $114 | $1,776 | $148 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data variables include married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and claim-free. Estimates do not factor in specific location information which can lower or raise coverage rates substantially.
Deductible comparison
A question often asked by San Jose drivers is where should you set your physical damage deductibles. The rates below may help to illustrate the difference in cost between low and high physical damage coverage deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $250 deductible and the second price chart uses a $1,000 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalon XL | $386 | $576 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,497 | $125 |
| Avalon XLS | $386 | $678 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,599 | $133 |
| Avalon Limited | $430 | $678 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,643 | $137 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalon XL | $238 | $362 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,110 | $93 |
| Avalon XLS | $238 | $426 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,174 | $98 |
| Avalon Limited | $266 | $426 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,202 | $100 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Rate quotes do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can increase or decrease coverage rates considerably.
Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $250 deductible will cost you roughly $35 more each month or $420 each year averaged for all Avalon models than requesting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $750 more to file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you usually have at least 21 months between claim filings, you would save more money if you opt for a higher deductible.
The chart below highlights how deductible choice and can impact Toyota Avalon insurance costs for different age groups of insureds. The price estimates are based on a married female driver, full coverage, and no discounts are applied.
Should you buy full coverage?
The diagram below illustrates the difference between Toyota Avalon car insurance costs when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The costs are based on no claims or driving citations, $250 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
When to stop buying physical damage coverage
There is no definitive formula to delete physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is 10% or more of replacement cost minus your deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Toyota Avalon replacement cost is $5,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would get paid by your company is $4,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are paying over $400 a year for your policy with full coverage, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
There are some situations where buying only liability insurance is not recommended. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest in the vehicle. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should maintain full coverage.
Why you need insurance
Despite the high insurance cost for a Toyota Avalon in San Jose, maintaining insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
First, the majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to carry a specific minimum amount of liability 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.
Second, if your car has a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will have a requirement that you have comprehensive coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank will be required to insure your Toyota at a much higher premium rate and force you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
Third, insurance protects not only your car but also your financial assets. Insurance will pay for medical transport and hospital expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your Toyota gets damaged, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having insurance more than offset the price you pay, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. On average, a vehicle owner in San Jose is wasting up to $750 every year so compare rates every year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Get lower-cost rates by taking advantage of discounts
Insurance is not inexpensive, but you might find some hidden discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Certain credits will be shown when you complete an application, but some must be specially asked for before you get the savings.
- Discount for New Cars – Insuring a vehicle that is new may earn a small discount compared to insuring an older model.
- Discount for Swiching Early – A few insurance companies offer discounts for buying a policy prior to your current Avalon insurance policy expiring. The savings is around 10%.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Purchasing coverage when you have more than one vehicle on one policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have factory anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- 55 and Retired – Mature drivers may be able to get a slight reduction on a San Jose auto insurance quote.
- Professional Memberships – Joining certain professional organizations may earn a discount when shopping for insurance.
- Online Discount – Certain insurance companies may give you up to $50 for signing up on your computer.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Safe drivers could pay up to 40% less than drivers with accident claims.
Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, nobody gets a free ride.
The diagram below shows the difference between Toyota Avalon insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. The premiums are based on a male driver, no accidents, no driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, marriage, homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, and safe-driver discounts applied.
Some companies that may have some of the discounts shown above include:
It’s a good idea to ask every insurance company to give you their best rates. Discounts may not apply to policyholders in San Jose. To see a list of providers that have a full spectrum of discounts in San Jose, click here.
Are car insurance agents a thing of the past?
Some consumers prefer to buy from a local agent and that is a personal choice. A nice benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in San Jose who will return price quotes for your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to even leave your home because prices are sent straight to your inbox. It’s the lowest rates without a big time investment. In the event you want to compare prices from a specific company, feel free to go to their quote page and complete a quote there.
Picking an insurer is decision based upon more than just the quoted price. These are some questions your agent should answer.
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Does the agent help file claims?
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
- How will an accident affect your rates?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
When looking for a local agent, you should know the different types of agents and how they operate. Insurance agents can be classified as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies are contracted to one company such as Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm, and AAA. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive agents receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage. Some people will only buy insurance from these agents primarily because of the prominence of the brand instead of buying on price only.
Below are San Jose exclusive agents that are able to give comparison quotes.
- Mike Murillo – State Farm Insurance Agent
1449 Park Ave #3 – San Jose, CA 95126 – (408) 295-0554 – View Map - Steve Sosnowski – State Farm Insurance Agent
841 Blossom Hill Rd #102 – San Jose, CA 95123 – (408) 629-4700 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Jeff Senigaglia
950 S Bascom Ave #2113 – San Jose, CA 95128 – (408) 297-6686 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agencies
Agents in the independent channel often have affiliation with several companies so they can quote policies with lots of companies and get the cheapest rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, they can switch companies in-house and you stay with the same agent. When shopping rates, we highly recommend that you get several quotes from at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection. Most also have access to mutual insurance companies that can offer cheaper rates than bigger companies.
Shown below is a short list of independent agents in San Jose who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Lords Insurance Agency Inc
2239 Moorpark Ave #100 – San Jose, CA 95128 – (408) 289-5445 – View Map - Khalsa Insurance Agency
3750 McKee Rd A – San Jose, CA 95127 – (408) 272-2500 – View Map - Oasis Insurance Agency Inc. Branch 4
1629 Alum Rock Ave – San Jose, CA 95116 – (408) 929-6111 – View Map
Cheaper auto insurance premiums are possible
When getting San Jose auto insurance quotes online, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where someone dropped collision coverage only to regret at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
Insureds change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including high prices, policy non-renewal, policy cancellation or questionable increases in premium. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding the right auto insurance provider is not as difficult as it may seem.
You just learned a lot of information how to compare Toyota Avalon insurance rates in San Jose. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a lesser-known regional company.
Helpful articles
- Rollover Crash FAQ (iihs.org)
- How Much is San Jose Auto Insurance for First-time Drivers? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for Drivers Requiring a SR22 in San Jose? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for Veterans in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)
- Where can I buy Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- How to Avoid Buying a Flooded Car (Insurance Information Institute)
- What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)