Smart shoppers know that car insurance companies want to keep you from shopping around. Insureds who shop around for cheaper prices will probably move their business because they stand a good chance of finding better rates. A survey found that people who compared prices once a year saved about $3,450 over four years compared to policyholders who never shopped around.
If saving money on Honda CR-Z insurance in San Jose is why you’re reading this, then having an understanding of how to quote and compare insurance coverage can help simplify the process.
The best way to get the cheapest Honda CR-Z insurance in San Jose is to begin comparing prices regularly from different companies that insure vehicles in California. You can shop around by following these steps.
- Gain an understanding of how companies price auto insurance and the measures you can take to keep rates in check. Many factors that result in higher prices like at-fault accidents and a low credit rating can be eliminated by making minor changes to your lifestyle. This article provides the details to find cheap prices and find overlooked discounts.
- Compare prices from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from one company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes for a wide range of companies.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to determine if you can save on CR-Z insurance. If you find a lower rate and decide to switch, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
- Provide notification to your current company of your intent to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit a down payment along with a completed application to your new carrier. Don’t forget to place your new certificate verifying coverage along with your vehicle registration.
The key thing to know about shopping around is to use identical limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get rate quotes from every company you can. This ensures an accurate price comparison and a thorough price selection.
How much does Honda CR-Z insurance in San Jose, CA cost?
When looking for inexpensive San Jose auto insurance quotes, there are a couple ways of comparing rate quotes from different San Jose insurance companies. The easiest way to compare Honda CR-Z insurance prices is to use the internet to compare rates.
When comparing insurance rates, know that more quotes will enable you to find more affordable rates. Not every company does San Jose CR-Z insurance quotes online, so it’s recommended that you also compare rates from those companies as well.
The companies in the list below have been selected to offer quotes in California. If multiple companies are shown, we recommend you visit several of them to find the lowest car insurance rates.
Why you need quality insurance for your CR-Z
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Honda in San Jose, insurance is mandatory in California but it also protects more than you think.
First, almost all states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to 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 you took out a loan on your CR-Z, more than likely the lender will require you to have physical damage coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank may buy a policy for your Honda at a much higher rate and make you pay for the expensive policy.
Third, insurance protects not only your vehicle but also your financial assets. It will also reimburse you for most medical and hospital costs for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, will also pay to defend you if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance definitely exceed the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. But the average American driver overpays as much as $850 per year so it’s important to compare rates once a year at a minimum to save money.
Get Honda CR-Z Insurance for Less
Multiple criteria are used when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable such as traffic violations, but other factors are less apparent like your continuous coverage or your commute time. An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the things that go into determining auto insurance rates. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this enables informed choices that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.
Listed below are a few of the things used by your company to calculate prices.
GPS tracking and theft deterrents reduce premiums – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all help stop vehicle theft.
More performance means higher prices – The type of car, truck or SUV you are insuring makes a huge difference in the rate you pay. The lowest rates will normally be found when insuring lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
Credit rating impacts premiums – Having a bad credit rating is a big factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. So if your credit rating leaves room for improvement, you may save money insuring your Honda CR-Z by taking the time to improve your credit score. People that have very high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims than drivers who have worse credit.
Save miles driven and save money – The higher the mileage driven in a year’s time the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies calculate rates determined by how the vehicle is used. Autos that sit idle most of the time can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Double check that your vehicle rating properly reflects the correct usage, because it can save money. Having an incorrect usage rating on your CR-Z may be costing you.
Rates impacted by your city – Being located in small towns and rural areas is a good thing when buying auto insurance. Less people means less chance of accidents in addition to lower liability claims. People who live in big cities have to deal with more road rage incidents and higher rates of accident claims. More time on the road means higher likelihood of an accident.
Honda CR-Z claim statistics – Companies factor in insurance loss information in order to profitably underwrite each model. Models that the data shows to have higher loss trends will have a higher premium rate. The next table illustrates the loss history for Honda CR-Z vehicles.
For each coverage category, the claim amount for all vehicles, as a total average, is considered to be 100. Values under 100 are indicative of better than average losses, while values that are above 100 indicate more frequent claims or statistically larger losses.
| Vehicle Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CR-Z Hybrid | 106 | 87 | 83 | 98 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Do I need special coverages?
When selecting the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed.
These are some specific questions can aid in determining if your situation might need professional guidance.
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Are my friends covered when driving my car?
- Who is covered when they drive my Honda CR-Z?
- Can my teen drive my company car?
- Do I need to call my car insurance company before buying a new car?
- Can good grades get a discount?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in California?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Persistence pays off
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your objective should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
We covered a lot of ways to shop for Honda CR-Z insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest rates are with an unexpected company. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give better rates compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.
Discount Honda CR-Z insurance in San Jose is definitely available from both online companies as well as from independent agents in San Jose, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies may not provide online quoting and these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
Additional detailed information can be read in these articles:
- Think You’re a Safe Driver? (State Farm)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Unemployed Drivers in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap San Jose Auto Insurance for a Nissan Sentra? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Low Credit Scores in San Jose? (FAQ)
- How Much are San Jose Car Insurance Rates for a 20 Year Old Male? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for Nurses in San Jose? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for Uninsured Drivers in San Jose? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap San Jose Car Insurance Quotes for Electric Cars? (FAQ)
- Medical Payments Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- A Tree Fell on Your Car: Now What? (Allstate)
- Steps to Take After an Auto Accident (Insurance Information Institute)