Cheap Subaru Legacy Insurance in San Jose

Truthfully, the best way to find affordable quotes for auto insurance rates in San Jose is to start doing a yearly price comparison from insurers who sell auto insurance in California. Rate comparisons can be done by completing these steps.

1. Spend some time learning about how car insurance works and the steps you can take to drop your rates. Many rating criteria that cause rate increases such as at-fault accidents, careless driving, and an imperfect credit rating can be rectified by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
2. Request rate estimates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can only give prices from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can give you price quotes for a wide range of companies.
3. Compare the price quotes to the premium of your current policy to determine if you can save on Legacy insurance. If you find a lower rate quote and buy the policy, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
4. Provide written notification to your current company of your intent to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit a signed application and payment to the new insurer. Once received, put the certificate of insurance in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.

One key aspect when comparing rates is to try to compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every quote request and and to analyze as many carriers as you can. Doing this guarantees an accurate price comparison and a thorough selection of prices.

We don’t have to point out that fact that insurance companies don’t want you to compare rates. Consumers who compare rates annually are highly likely to buy a new policy because of the high probability of finding coverage at a cheaper rate. Remarkably, a study showed that people who shopped around saved over $860 a year compared to those who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.

If finding the cheapest rates on insurance is the reason you’re here, then having some insight into how to choose a company and compare insurance can save time, money, and frustration.

Quoting and buying the lowest-priced policy in San Jose is not as hard as you may think. Just about every vehicle owner who compares rates for auto insurance will more than likely be able to save money. Nevertheless, California drivers must learn how big insurance companies sell online and use this information to your advantage.

Companies offering Subaru Legacy insurance in California

The companies shown below are our best choices to provide free quotes in San Jose, CA. If the list has multiple companies, we recommend you visit as many as you can in order to get a fair rate comparison.

Insurance coverage analysis

The premium table displayed next covers detailed analysis of coverage prices for Subaru Legacy models. Having insight into how insurance rates are determined is important for making informed coverage decisions.

Data based on single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Price estimates do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can lower or raise auto insurance rates greatly.

Analysis of deductible levels

One of the more difficult decisions when buying insurance is which comprehensive and collision deductibles to buy. The comparisons below help summarize the cost difference when you choose different physical damage deductibles. The first pricing table uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second pricing table uses a $500 deductible.

Data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, and safe-driver. Premium costs do not factor in specific location information which can increase or decrease premiums substantially.

Based on the above data, using a $250 deductible will cost you roughly $19 more each month or $228 for a full year averaged for all Legacy models than selecting the higher $500 deductible. Since you would pay $250 more out-of-pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you go at least 13 months between claim filings, you would come out ahead if you choose the higher deductible. Here’s how you can do this calculation yourself.

An important thing to remember is that increasing deductibles to save money results in having to pay to pay more out-of-pocket when you file a claim. That will require some funds available in order to pay the deductible for vehicle repair.

The example below shows how different deductible levels and can increase or decrease Subaru Legacy insurance prices for each age group. The price estimates are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, and no policy discounts are applied.

Rate comparison of male drivers versus female drivers

The chart below illustrates the comparison of Subaru Legacy auto insurance rates for male and female drivers. The rates are based on no violations or claims, full coverage, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

Price comparison of only insuring for liability

The chart below shows the comparison of Subaru Legacy insurance costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The costs are based on no violations or accidents, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.

When to eliminate full coverage

There is no definitive formula of when to eliminate full coverage, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than about 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s say your Subaru Legacy claim settlement value is $4,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most your company would pay you is $3,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If premium cost is more than $300 a year for physical damage coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.

There are a few cases where eliminating full coverage is not a good plan. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest in the vehicle. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not remove full coverage.

Seven discounts for cheap insurance rates

Some providers don’t list all available discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following list contains a few of the more well known as well as the least known credits available to lower your premiums when you buy San Jose auto insurance online.

• Policy Bundle Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles and place coverage with the same company you may save as much as 10 to 15 percent.
• Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents get the best insurance rates in comparison with drivers with a long claim history.
• Save with a New Car – Buying a new car model can get you a discount due to better safety requirements for new model year vehicles.
• Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings up to 30%.
• Good Student Discount – This discount could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. You can use this discount normally up until you turn 25.
• San Jose Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home can save you money because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
• Payment Method – By making one initial payment as opposed to paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most cut specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

The diagram below illustrates the difference between Subaru Legacy insurance premiums with and without some available policy discounts. The data is based on a male driver, no claims or violations, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, marriage, multi-policy, multi-car, homeowner, and safe-driver discounts applied.

Popular insurance companies and their possible discounts are shown below.

• GEICO has discounts for daytime running lights, multi-policy, membership and employees, military active duty, and good student.
• Auto-Owners Insurance may offer discounts for company car, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, group or association, teen driver, safe driver, and paid in full.
• American Family offers premium reductions for accident-free, defensive driver, early bird, good driver, and air bags.
• Esurance offers discounts including claim free, multi-car, anti-lock brakes, online shopper, anti-theft, emergency road assistance, and Pac-12 alumni.
• Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, good student, online quote discount, homeowner, online signing, and multi-vehicle.
• State Farm includes discounts for Drive Safe & Save, good driver, student away at school, accident-free, and anti-theft.
• AAA discounts include good student, education and occupation, anti-theft, good driver, pay-in-full, multi-car, and AAA membership discount.

When comparing rates, check with every prospective company the best way to save money. Discounts may not be available in your state.

Exclusive and independent insurance agencies

Many people prefer to get advice from a local agent and often times that is recommended An additional benefit of getting free rate quotes online is you may find cheap car insurance quotes and also buy local. Putting coverage with neighborhood insurance agencies is important particularly in San Jose.

After filling out this simple form, the quote information is transmitted to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your business. You won’t need to visit any agencies due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. You can find the lowest rates without having to waste a lot of time. If you have a need to compare prices for a specific company, you just need to jump over to their website and fill out their quote form.

If you prefer to buy car insurance from a reliable insurance agent, it can be helpful to understand the different agency structures and how they operate. Car insurance agencies can be classified as either exclusive agents or independent agents.

Independent Insurance Agents

These type of agents do not sell for just one brand and that gives them the ability to insure with a variety of different insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If they find a lower price, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency. If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you definitely need to include several independent insurance agents for the best price selection.

Shown below are San Jose independent insurance agents that may be able to give you price quote information.

More insurance agents

Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies

Agents that elect to be exclusive generally can only insure with one company and examples are Allstate, AAA, Farmers Insurance, and State Farm. These agents are not able to shop your coverage around so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which aids in selling service over price.

Listed below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in San Jose willing to provide price quotes.

More insurance agents

Deciding on an insurance agency requires you to look at more than just the price. These are some valid questions you should ask.

• Will the agent or a CSR service your policy?
• How will an accident affect your rates?
• How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
• Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?
• How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
• Who is covered by the car insurance policy?
• Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in California?
• Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?

After getting positive responses to all your questions and a low price estimate, it’s a good possibility that you have found an insurance agent that is a good match to properly service your car insurance policy. Just remember policyholders can terminate coverage at any time so don’t think you are locked into a specific agent for the entire policy term.

Auto insurance coverage information

Understanding the coverages of car insurance aids in choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are typical coverages offered by car insurance companies.

Liability car insurance

This coverage protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 15/30/5 which means a $15,000 limit per person for injuries, $30,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $5,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which limits claims to one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability can pay for claims such as legal defense fees, court costs and medical expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as large an amount as possible. California state law requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.

The chart below shows why low liability limits may not provide adequate coverage.

Medical costs insurance

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for short-term medical expenses such as doctor visits, prosthetic devices, ambulance fees and rehabilitation expenses. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

UM/UIM Coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (15/30/5 in California), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Frequently these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Coverage for collisions

Collision coverage pays for damage to your Legacy resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. 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, damaging your car on a curb, hitting a parking meter, sideswiping another vehicle and rolling your car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible on your Legacy in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision

Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as a broken windshield, damage from a tornado or hurricane, rock chips in glass and hail damage. The maximum amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Find affordable auto insurance prices by comparing often

While you’re price shopping online, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. In too many instances, consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits to discover at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your focus should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best cost, but do not skimp to save money.

You just learned a lot of information how to save on Subaru Legacy insurance in San Jose. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the lowest car insurance rates come from some of the lesser-known companies. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like Progressive or GEICO.

More learning opportunities

• Liability Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
• Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for a Learners Permit in San Jose? (FAQ)
• What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Young Drivers in San Jose? (FAQ)
• How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for College Students in San Jose? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for a Toyota Tacoma in San Jose? (FAQ)
• What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Honda Civic in San Jose? (FAQ)
• What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Lyft Drivers in San Jose? (FAQ)
• How Much is Car Insurance for Drivers Requiring a SR22 in San Jose? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable San Jose Auto Insurance for Infrequent Drivers? (FAQ)
• What is Covered by GAP Insurance? (Allstate)
• Avoiding Deer Collisions (Insurance Information Institute)
• Safety Belts FAQ (iihs.org)
• How to shop for a safer car (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)