Save Money on Mitsubishi Lancer Insurance in San Jose

If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to get cheaper auto insurance rates in San Jose is to make a habit of regularly comparing prices from companies who provide car insurance in California.

Step 1: Spend a few minutes and learn about policy coverages and the factors you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many risk factors that result in higher rates like speeding tickets, careless driving and poor credit can be remedied by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.

Step 2: Compare rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agents can quote rates from multiple sources.

Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a better price, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.

Step 4: Notify your company or agent of your intention to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application for the new coverage. Once coverage is bound, place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance in your glove compartment.

A valuable tip to remember is that you’ll want to compare identical coverage information on each quote and and to get prices from as many companies as possible. This provides a fair rate comparison and a complete selection of prices.

We don’t have to tell you that auto insurance companies don’t want you to compare rates. Insureds who shop around for the cheapest rate will probably buy a different policy because of the good chance of finding a lower-cost company. A study showed that consumers who made a habit of comparing rates saved an average of $3,500 over four years compared to people who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.

If finding the best rates on auto insurance is your ultimate goal, then understanding how to compare insurance premiums can make it easier to shop your coverage around.

Free San Jose Mitsubishi Lancer insurance rate quotes

When shopping for cheaper San Jose car insurance quotes, there are a couple of ways to obtain and compare prices from lots of California car insurance companies. By far the easiest way to find the cheapest Mitsubishi Lancer insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online. It’s important to know that comparing more rates from different companies helps increase your odds of locating the best offered rates.

The auto insurance companies shown below can provide price quotes in California. If multiple companies are listed, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them to find the cheapest auto insurance rates.

These discounts can lower Mitsubishi Lancer insurance rates

Companies do not list every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down both the well known and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using when you buy San Jose car insurance online.

• One Accident Forgiven – This isn’t a discount exactly, but some insurance companies will turn a blind eye to one accident before they charge you more for coverage so long as you haven’t had any claims before the accident.
• Early Signing – A few larger companies give discounts for switching policies prior to your current Lancer insurance policy expiring. You can save around 10% with this discount.
• Driving Data Discount – San Jose drivers who agree to allow driving data submission to spy on driving patterns remotely such as State Farm’s In-Drive might get better premium rates if they have good driving habits.
• Savings for New Vehicles – Adding a new car to your policy can get you a discount because newer models have to meet stringent safety requirements.
• Use Seat Belts – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle up could cut 10% or more off PIP or medical payments premium.
• Drivers Ed for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
• Discounts for Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off but check with your company.
• Anti-theft System – Cars and trucks optioned with advanced anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently so companies will give you a small discount.

As a sidenote, many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck.

The diagram below visualizes the comparison of Mitsubishi Lancer car insurance costs with and without discounts. The data is based on a female driver, no tickets, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, marriage, multi-car, and safe-driver discounts applied.

Large car insurance companies and the discounts they provide are detailed below.

• State Farm has savings for Drive Safe & Save, driver’s education, defensive driving training, multiple policy, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
• GEICO may offer discounts for anti-theft, good student, federal employee, multi-vehicle, military active duty, daytime running lights, and anti-lock brakes.
• SAFECO offers discounts including homeowner, anti-lock brakes, teen safe driver, drive less, bundle discounts, teen safety rewards, and anti-theft.
• Farmers Insurance offers premium reductions for teen driver, switch companies, multi-car, distant student, youthful driver, alternative fuel, and homeowner.
• AAA includes discounts for AAA membership discount, anti-theft, good driver, multi-car, and good student.
• USAA offers discounts for new vehicle, good student, annual mileage, vehicle storage, defensive driver, family discount, and military installation.

If you need inexpensive San Jose car insurance quotes, ask each company which credits you are entitled to. A few discounts may not be available everywhere. If you would like to view providers that offer discounts in San Jose, follow this link.

Rates and other information

The rate information shown next outlines estimates of policy rates for Mitsubishi Lancer models. Having a good grasp of how insurance policy premiums are established can help you make informed purchases.

Prices based on single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and multi-policy. Rate information does not factor in specific garaging location which can alter premiums considerably.

The chart below shows how choosing a deductible and can influence Mitsubishi Lancer yearly insurance costs for each age group. The premium estimates are based on a married female driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are factored in.

Premiums by gender and age

The diagram below illustrates the difference between Mitsubishi Lancer insurance prices for male and female drivers. The rate quotes are based on no claims, a clean driving record, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are factored in.

Does it make sense to buy full coverage?

The chart below shows the difference between Mitsubishi Lancer insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The information is based on a clean driving record, no claims, $500 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are factored in.

Are you wasting money on full coverage?

There is no written rule to stop buying full coverage, but there is a general school of thought. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

For example, let’s say your Mitsubishi Lancer replacement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident, the most you would get paid by your company is $6,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If premium cost is more than $600 annually for full coverage, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.

There are a few situations where eliminating full coverage is not a good idea. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to keep full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not remove full coverage.

Informed Consumers Know How to Get Car Insurance at a Discount

Many factors are part of the calculation when premium rates are determined. A few of the factors are predictable like your driving record, but other factors are more obscure such as your marital status or how safe your car is. One of the most helpful ways to save on car insurance is to to have a grasp of some of the elements that are used to determine your premiums. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.

Extra policy coverages push up prices – Insurance companies have many extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t diligent. Add-on coverages like replacement cost coverage, towing coverage, and extra life insurance coverage could be just wasting money. The coverages may be enticing when talking to your agent, but if you’ve never needed them in the past get rid of them and save.

Don’t cut corners with liability coverage – The liability coverage on your policy is the protection when a jury decides you are liable for damages from an accident. It provides you with a defense in court which can cost a lot. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.

Your vocation may affect rates – Did you know your career choice can influence rates? Occupations like lawyers, social workers, and dentists generally pay higher rates than average attributed to high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, jobs such as farmers, engineers and homemakers generally pay rates lower than average.

Single vs. married – Walking down the aisle may earn you lower rates when buying car insurance. It means you’re less irresponsible it has been statistically shown that married couples file fewer claims.

Good drivers pay the best rates – Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than their less careful counterparts. Having a single speeding ticket could increase your next policy renewal by as much as thirty percent. People who have dangerous violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may face state-mandated requirements to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive.

The illustration below demonstrates how speeding tickets and fender-benders can drive up Mitsubishi Lancer insurance costs for different insured age categories. The data assumes a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.

Improve your credit rating – Having a good credit rating will be a significant factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Consumers who have excellent credit scores tend to file fewer claims than drivers with lower ratings. If your credit history is not that good, you could save money insuring your Mitsubishi Lancer if you clean up your credit.

Safer cars cost less to insure – Cars with high safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. Vehicles engineered for safety reduce injuries and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company and more competitive rates for policyholders.

Optional features can affect car insurance rates – Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you some money. Systems that thwart thieves like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.

Loss statistics for a Mitsubishi Lancer – Insurance companies use past loss statistics for each vehicle to help determine the rate you pay. Models that statistically have higher claim frequency or loss amount will cost more for coverage.

The data below shows the historical loss data for Mitsubishi Lancer vehicles. For each coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles as a whole is represented as 100. Numbers that are below 100 indicate better than average losses, while values that are above 100 point to more frequent losses or a tendency for claims to be larger.