Save Money on Ford Five Hundred Insurance in San Jose

Are you a victim of an expensive car insurance policy? Trust us, there are lots of San Jose residents who feel the same.

Unthinkable but true, about 70% of customers have stayed with the same insurance company for more than four years, and almost 40% of drivers have never compared car insurance rates at all. San Jose consumers could save as much as $500 a year just by comparing rates, but they underestimate how much they could save if they switched to a cheaper policy. Due to the fact that there are so many companies to choose from that have cheap insurance for a Ford Five Hundred in San Jose, it is very difficult to pick a more affordable company.

It’s important to do price comparisons on a regular basis due to the fact that insurance prices are usually higher with each renewal. Just because you found the lowest rate on Ford Five Hundred insurance in San Jose on your last policy other companies may now be cheaper. There is too much inaccurate information about Five Hundred insurance online, but you can learn some excellent ideas to buy car insurance cheaper in San Jose.

Best Ford Five Hundred insurance prices in California

The companies shown below provide free quotes in California. If multiple providers are shown, it’s a good idea that you visit two to three different companies to get a more complete price comparison.

Auto insurance policy discounts for Ford Five Hundred insurance in San Jose

Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize every discount available in an easy-to-find place, so we researched both well-publicized and also the more inconspicuous discounts that may be available.

• Passive Restraints – Cars that have air bags can receive discounts of 25 to 30%.
• Drive Less and Save – Low annual miles could earn lower prices due to less chance of an accident.
• Student Discount for Driver Training – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them take driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
• Policy Bundle Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same company you will save up to 20% off your total Five Hundred insurance premium.
• Discounts for New Vehicles – Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% since new model year vehicles have better safety ratings.
• Switch and Save Discount – Select insurance companies give a discount for switching policies early. You could save around 10% when you buy San Jose car insurance online.
• Student in College – College-age children living away from San Jose attending college and leave their car at home can be insured at a reduced rate.
• Military Deployment Discount – Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
• Good Grades Discount – This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
• Telematics Data – Drivers who elect to allow driving data submission to monitor when and where they use their vehicle by using a telematics device in their vehicle like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot could save a few bucks if they show good driving skills.

Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, that’s just not realistic.

Some companies that may have these discounts include:

• GEICO
• Travelers
• Farm Bureau
• Liberty Mutual
• American Family
• Progressive

If you are trying to find affordable San Jose car insurance quotes, ask each company how you can save money. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not apply to policies everywhere. If you would like to see a list of companies that offer multiple discounts in San Jose, click here.

It’s not one size fits all

When selecting a policy, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Each situation is unique.

For instance, these questions can help discover if you may require specific advice.

• When should I drop full coverage on my Ford Five Hundred?
• Does low annual mileage earn a discount?
• Am I getting all the discounts available?
• What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
• Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
• Is there a penalty for late payment?
• Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
• What are the financial responsibility laws in my state?

If you can’t answer these questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.

Getting quotes from local San Jose insurance agencies

A small number of people just want to visit with an insurance agent and often times that is recommended Professional agents can help you build your policy and give you someone to call. A nice benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get lower rates and still buy from a local agent.

Upon completion of this quick form, your coverage information is transmitted to companies in San Jose that can provide free San Jose car insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to contact an agency because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. If you have a need to get a comparison quote from one company in particular, feel free to navigate to their website and submit a quote form there.

Deciding on a insurer should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. The answers to these questions are important, too.

• When do they do a full risk review?
• Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?
• Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
• Are they paid to recommend certain coverages?
• Are there any discounts for paying up front?
• How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
• Are they in the agency full-time?
• Do they see any coverage gaps in your plan?

Choose the right auto insurance agent

If you are wanting to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, it helps to know the two different agency structures and how they are distinctly different. Insurance agencies in San Jose can be classified as either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive). Both can write policy coverage, but it is important to understand the difference in the companies they write for because it may have an impact on the selection process.

Exclusive Agencies

Exclusive insurance agents can only provide one company’s prices and examples are State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. Exclusive agencies are unable to place coverage with different providers so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agents are well trained on their company’s products and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.

Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in San Jose who can help you get price quotes.

More San Jose agents

Independent Car Insurance Agents

Agents of this type often have affiliation with several companies and that gives them the ability to insure with multiple insurance companies and get the cheapest rates. If prices rise, your agent can switch companies and the insured can keep the same agent.

When shopping rates, we recommend you include independent agents to maximize your price options.

Listed below is a short list of independent insurance agents in San Jose who can help you get price quote information.

More San Jose agents

Parts of your insurance policy

Learning about specific coverages of your insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.

Comprehensive coverage

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like vandalism, hitting a bird, damage from a tornado or hurricane, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and hail damage. The maximum payout your insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Medical payments coverage and PIP

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for short-term medical expenses such as pain medications, prosthetic devices, hospital visits and surgery. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Ford Five Hundred.

Since many California drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (California limits are 15/30/5), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Coverage for liability

This coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property. It protects YOU against other people’s claims. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see liability limits of 15/30/5 which stand for a $15,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property.

Liability coverage pays for things such as repair costs for stationary objects, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, court costs and bail bonds. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but buy higher limits if possible. California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but drivers should carry more coverage.

The chart below demonstrates why buying the state minimum limits may not be adequate.

Collision coverage

Collision insurance pays for damage to your Five Hundred caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, backing into a parked car, hitting a parking meter, crashing into a ditch and sideswiping another vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also choose a higher deductible on your Five Hundred in order to get cheaper collision rates.

You can find affordable coverage

People switch companies for a variety of reasons including delays in paying claims, policy non-renewal, denial of a claim or even high prices. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch choosing a new company is less work than it seems.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to regret that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your objective should be to buy enough coverage at the best cost while still protecting your assets.

Affordable Ford Five Hundred insurance in San Jose is available online as well as from independent agents in San Jose, and you should compare rates from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies don’t offer online rate quotes and usually these regional carriers sell through independent agencies.

Steps to finding better rates for Ford Five Hundred insurance in San Jose

To save the most money, the best way to find cheaper Ford Five Hundred insurance in San Jose is to start doing a yearly price comparison from insurers that sell auto insurance in California.

1. Read about what is in your policy and the things you can change to keep rates in check. Many things that increase rates like traffic citations and an imperfect credit score can be remedied by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
2. Quote rates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can quote prices from many different companies.
3. Compare the new quotes to your existing coverage to determine if you can save on Five Hundred insurance. If you can save money and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
4. Tell your current agent or company of your decision to cancel the current policy. Submit payment and a signed application to your new company or agent. As soon as you have the new policy, keep your new proof of insurance paperwork with your vehicle’s registration.

One bit of advice is that you’ll want to compare the same liability limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to analyze as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this guarantees a level playing field and the best price selection.

More detailed insurance information is available in the articles below:

• Choosing a Car for Your Teen (State Farm)
• What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Over Age 50 in San Jose? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for Drivers with Good Credit in San Jose? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for a Honda Accord in San Jose? (FAQ)
• Young Drivers: The High Risk Years Video (iihs.org)
• Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)
• Get the Right Protection (InsureUonline.org)