Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced car insurance policy? Don’t feel bad because you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse.
Unthinkable but true, nearly 70% of drivers have been with the same company for over three years, and just short of a majority have never quoted car insurance rates at all. Many consumers in San Francisco could save almost $500 each year by just comparing rate quotes, but they just feel it’s too hard to compare rate quotes online.
Steps to quoting cheaper Tesla Model X insurance in San Francisco
The best way we recommend to find lower priced auto insurance rates in San Francisco is to regularly compare price quotes from providers that sell auto insurance in California.
- Step 1: Take a few minutes and learn about how car insurance works and the modifications you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating criteria that result in higher prices like accidents, traffic violations, and a not-so-good credit score can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Later in this article we will cover additional tips to prevent high rates and find possible discounts that are available.
- Step 2: Request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agents can give you price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper price is available in San Francisco. If you can save some money, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
- Step 4: Notify your current company of your intent to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit the required down payment along with the signed application to your new insurance company. Be sure to store the certificate of insurance in an accessible location in your vehicle.
One tip to remember is that you’ll want to compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on each quote and and to get prices from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this enables a level playing field and a complete selection of prices.
Popular companies such as State Farm and GEICO continually hit you with catchy ads and it can be hard to see past the geckos and flying pigs and do the work needed to find the best deal.
You should make it a habit to do rate comparisons once or twice a year because insurance prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Even if you think you had the best rates on Tesla Model X insurance in San Francisco on your last policy there may be better deals available now. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the fastest and easiest way to find great coverage at a great price.
If you currently have insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce the price you pay using the techniques presented in this article. Finding the cheapest coverage in San Francisco can be much easier if you know how to start. Nevertheless, California car owners can benefit from knowing how insurance companies market insurance on the web because it varies considerably.
Most major insurance companies allow consumers to get prices online. This process is pretty painless as all you need to do is type in your coverage preferences as requested by the quote form. When the form is submitted, their system will order your driving record and credit report and gives you a price quote based on these factors. The ability to get online rates for Tesla Model X insurance in San Francisco simplifies rate comparisons, and it is important to perform this step if you want to get a lower rate.
To use this form to compare rates, visit the companies below or click here to submit a quote request to multiple companies at once. If you currently have coverage, we recommend that you enter the coverages as shown on your current policy. Doing this assures you will have an apples-to-apples comparison based on identical coverages.
The companies in the list below have been selected to offer comparison quotes in San Francisco, CA. If multiple providers are shown, it’s highly recommended you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Insuring your Tesla Model X just makes sense
Despite the potentially high cost of Tesla Model X insurance, insuring your vehicle is not optional due to several reasons.
First, most states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require a minimum amount of liability protection 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 have a loan on your Tesla Model X, more than likely the lender will require that you buy insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender will be forced to insure your Tesla at an extremely high rate and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
Third, insurance safeguards not only your car but also your assets. It will also provide coverage for medical bills for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability coverage will also pay attorney fees if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver is overpaying over $855 a year so it’s recommended you shop around once a year at a minimum to help ensure money is not being wasted.
How Insurers Determine Tesla Model X Insurance Premiums
Part of the insurance buying process is learning some of the factors that help calculate your insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates, this enables you to make decisions that can earn you big savings.
Bump up physical damage deductibles to lower rates – Insurance for physical damage to your car, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your vehicle. Some instances where coverage would apply would be a windshield shattered by a rock, collision with an animal, and having your car stolen. Physical damage deductibles define how much you are willing to pay if a claim is determined to be covered. The more of the claim the insured is willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
How much liability protection do you need? – Your insurance policy’s liability coverage kicks in when you are ruled to be at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides for a legal defense which can cost a lot. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.
Is your car, truck or SUV built for speed? – The make and model of the car, truck or SUV you need insurance for makes a huge difference in your rates. The lowest base rates will generally be found on the lowest performance passenger models, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Men tend to take more risk – Over the last 30 years, statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean females are better at driving than males. They both get in accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also get ticketed for serious violations like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving.
Prices may be lower depending on your vocation – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for insurance? Careers like lawyers, executives, and stock brokers generally pay higher rates than the rest of us in part from stressful work requirements and long work days. On the flip side, occupations like professors, athletes and the unemployed pay the least.
These discounts can reduce Tesla Model X insurance rates
Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise all available discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of some of the more common and the harder-to-find credits available to you.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower auto insurance rates.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle up could cut 10% or more on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- Organization Discounts – Being in a civic or occupational organization in San Francisco could earn you a nice discount when shopping for auto insurance.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Owning a home in San Francisco can help you save on auto insurance since home ownership requires personal responsibility.
- Theft Deterrent Discount – Cars and trucks that have factory anti-theft systems are less likely to be stolen and that can save you a little bit as well.
- Accident Free – San Francisco drivers who stay claim-free can earn big discounts when compared with accident-prone drivers.
- Auto/Life Discount – Not all auto insurance companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
- Student in College – Children who live away from home to go to college and won’t have access to an insured vehicle can receive lower rates.
One thing to note about discounts is that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Large auto insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts can be read below.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including good student, online signing, continuous coverage, online quote discount, homeowner, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle.
- The Hartford may offer discounts for anti-theft, driver training, vehicle fuel type, good student, air bag, bundle, and defensive driver.
- Mercury Insurance includes discounts for location of vehicle, professional/association, type of vehicle, multi-policy, and good driver.
- GEICO may have discounts that include federal employee, good student, anti-theft, military active duty, multi-vehicle, seat belt use, and membership and employees.
- AAA offers discounts for education and occupation, AAA membership discount, multi-policy, pay-in-full, multi-car, anti-theft, and good driver.
- State Farm discounts include passive restraint, Steer Clear safe driver discount, driver’s education, accident-free, and safe vehicle.
When getting free San Francisco auto insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to every company to give you their best rates. Some discounts may not apply to policies in your area. To see a list of insurers with the best discounts in San Francisco, click here.
Independent and exclusive car insurance agents
Some people still like to talk to a local agent and that is just fine! A nice benefit of comparing car insurance online is that you can find lower premium rates and still have a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, the quote information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents that can give you free San Francisco auto insurance quotes to get your business. You don’t have to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent to your email. You can get cheaper car insurance rates AND an agent nearby. If you need to get a price quote from a particular provider, you can always navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.
Choosing the best company should include more criteria than just the price. Any good agent in San Francisco should know the answers to these questions.
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- If you raise deductibles, how much can you save?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
Do you need an independent or exclusive car insurance agent?
When finding a local San Francisco insurance agent, it’s important to understand the different agency structures and how they operate. Agents in San Francisco can be described as either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).
Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agencies can only write with one company and some examples include State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. Exclusive agents cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so keep that in mind. These agents receive extensive training on sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Listed below are San Francisco exclusive agents who may provide you with price quotes.
Joe Freund – State Farm Insurance Agent
1734 Divisadero St – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 359-9311 – View Map
Linda Williams – State Farm Insurance Agent
1536 20th St – San Francisco, CA 94107 – (415) 648-1155 – View Map
Jing Lee – State Farm Insurance Agent
4444 Geary Blvd #300 – San Francisco, CA 94118 – (415) 752-8888 – View Map
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Agents that choose to be independent do not have single company limitations so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies and get you the best rates possible. If you are not satisfied with one company, your policy is moved internally and you don’t have to do anything.
If you are trying to find cheaper rates, we recommend you include rate quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to maximize your price options.
Below is a short list of independent agencies in San Francisco that can give you price quote information.
Robert E. Kennedy Insurance Agency
Flood Building, 870 Market St #740 – San Francisco, CA 94102 – (415) 951-0738 – View Map
Scarborough Insurance Agency
329 Bryant St – San Francisco, CA 94107 – (415) 371-1398 – View Map
Sam and Associates Insurance Agency
2225 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 665-0181 – View Map
Cheaper coverage is out there
As you shop your coverage around, it’s not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut physical damage coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. Your goal is to find the BEST coverage at the lowest possible cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
We just showed you a lot of information how to reduce Tesla Model X insurance prices online in San Francisco. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the biggest savings come from a small mutual company. Smaller companies often have lower rates on specific markets than their larger competitors like State Farm and Allstate.
Steps to finding better rates for Tesla Model X insurance in San Francisco
If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to find more affordable Tesla Model X insurance is to do a yearly price comparison from companies in San Francisco.
First, take a little time to learn about how your policy works and the steps you can take to drop your rates. Many risk factors that are responsible for high rates like accidents, careless driving, and poor credit rating can be rectified by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
Second, compare price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give rate quotes from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide prices for many different companies. Compare rates now
Third, compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find better rates and switch companies, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
One thing to point out is to make sure you enter similar coverage information on every quote and and to get price quotes from as many companies as you can. Doing this provides a level playing field and the best price selection.
More detailed insurance information is available by following these links:
- Uninsured Motorists: Threats on the Road (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for Welfare Recipients in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Speed and Speed Limit FAQ (iihs.org)