Anyone knows that auto insurance companies don’t want their policyholders to compare prices. People who shop around for cheaper prices will presumably switch auto insurance companies because they have good chances of finding discount prices. A recent survey found that drivers who regularly compared price quotes saved on average $865 annually compared to other drivers who never shopped around for cheaper prices.
If finding the best price on auto insurance in San Francisco is the reason you’re reading this, then learning about how to quote and compare coverage rates can save time, money, and frustration.
It takes a few minutes, but the best way to find low-cost prices for auto insurance rates is to compare quotes annually from providers who provide auto insurance in San Francisco.
- Step 1: Gain an understanding of how car insurance works and the steps you can take to keep rates in check. Many things that cause high rates like traffic violations and a poor credit rating can be improved by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
- Step 2: Obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide price quotes for a wide range of companies. Compare rates
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Step 4: Notify your company or agent to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit a completed application and payment to the new company. Once the paperwork is finalized, safely store the proof of insurance paperwork in your glove compartment.
One important bit of advice is to use similar deductibles and liability limits on every quote request and and to look at every insurance company. This provides a fair rate comparison and a thorough selection of prices.
If you have a current auto insurance policy, you will surely be able to find better prices using the tips covered below. Obtaining price quotes for the lowest cost auto insurance policy in San Francisco is simple if you know the tricks. But California drivers must understand the way companies determine what you pay because rates are impacted by many factors.
Companies offer lots of discounts on Audi Q7 insurance in San Francisco
Companies don’t list every discount available very clearly, so the list below gives a summary of both well-publicized and also the more inconspicuous discounts that you can inquire about if you buy San Francisco car insurance online. If you are not receiving all the discounts you qualify for, you may be paying too high a price.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being deployed in the military could trigger a small discount.
- Student Discounts – Maintaining excellent grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- ABS Braking Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Auto/Life Discount – If the company offers life insurance, you could get better premium rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
- Senior Citizen Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive better car insurance rates.
- Claim-Free Discount – Insureds with no claims or accidents are rewarded with significantly better rates on San Francisco car insurance quote as opposed to bad drivers.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your car insurance provider.
Don’t be shocked that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, you aren’t that lucky.
The diagram below compares Audi Q7 auto insurance costs with and without discounts applied. The costs are based on a female driver, no claims or driving citations, 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 homeowner, multi-car, claim-free, multi-policy, marriage, and safe-driver discounts applied.
A few of the larger companies and some of their more popular discounts are:
- State Farm may offer discounts for good driver, driver’s education, accident-free, multiple autos, and Drive Safe & Save.
- Progressive offers premium reductions for multi-policy, good student, online quote discount, continuous coverage, homeowner, online signing, and multi-vehicle.
- Progressive may have discounts that include homeowner, online signing, online quote discount, continuous coverage, multi-policy, and multi-vehicle.
- MetLife has savings for claim-free, accident-free, multi-policy, good student, defensive driver, good driver
- Farm Bureau offers discounts including driver training, youthful driver, multi-vehicle, renewal discount, safe driver, 55 and retired, and multi-policy.
- GEICO offers discounts for daytime running lights, driver training, seat belt use, emergency military deployment, membership and employees, and air bags.
- SAFECO discounts include drive less, multi-car, anti-lock brakes, homeowner, and teen safe driver.
It’s a good idea to ask every prospective company how many discounts you can get. All car insurance discounts may not apply to policies in San Francisco. If you would like to choose from a list of providers who offer free Audi Q7 insurance quotes in California, click here.
When quoting car insurance, remember that quoting more will improve the odds of getting more affordable insurance.
The providers in the list below have been selected to offer quotes in California. If multiple providers are shown, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get the lowest price.
Insurance coverage analysis
The coverage information shown next covers a range of prices for Audi Q7 models. Being aware of how car insurance prices are established can benefit drivers when making smart choices when comparing insurance rates.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q7 3.6 Quattro | $512 | $912 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,034 | $170 |
| Q7 3.6 Premium | $512 | $912 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,034 | $170 |
| Q7 3.0 Premium Turbo | $512 | $912 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,034 | $170 |
| Q7 3.6 Quattro Turbo Diesel | $512 | $912 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,034 | $170 |
| Q7 3.6 Premium Plus | $512 | $912 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,034 | $170 |
| Q7 3.6 Prestige S-Line | $512 | $1032 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,154 | $180 |
| Q7 3.6 Prestige | $512 | $1032 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,154 | $180 |
| Q7 3.6 Premium Plus SLINE | $512 | $1032 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,154 | $180 |
| Q7 3.0 Premium Plus S-Line Turbo | $512 | $1032 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,154 | $180 |
| Q7 3.0 Premium Plus Turbo | $512 | $1032 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,154 | $180 |
| Q7 3.0 Prestige S-Line Turbo | $558 | $1032 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,200 | $183 |
| Q7 3.0 Prestige | $558 | $1032 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,200 | $183 |
| Q7 4.2 Prestige Turbo | $558 | $1032 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,200 | $183 |
| Q7 4.2 Prestige S-Line 8Cyl | $558 | $1032 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,200 | $183 |
| Q7 4.2 Quattro | $558 | $1032 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $2,200 | $183 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data based on married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Table data does not factor in San Francisco location which can lower or raise premium rates noticeably.
Audi Q7 insurance rates by gender in San Francisco
The diagram below illustrates the comparison of Audi Q7 car insurance costs for male and female drivers. The premium estimates are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Do you need full coverage?
The illustration below compares Audi Q7 car insurance costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in California. The information is based on a clean driving record, no claims, $100 deductibles, marital status is single, and no policy discounts are applied.
When to stop buying full coverage
There is no definitive formula to eliminate physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Audi Q7 replacement cost is $5,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most your company would pay you is $4,000 after paying your deductible. If premium cost is more than $400 annually to have full coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
There are some cases where removing full coverage is not in your best interest. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not consider dropping full coverage.
Will just any policy work for me?
Always keep in mind that when comparing a policy, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that
For instance, these questions may help you determine whether your personal situation may require specific advice.
- Is my Audi Q7 covered if I use it for business?
- Can I insure my car for more than it’s worth?
- What does medical payments cover?
- Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
- Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
- Do I need more liability coverage?
- When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
- What is the difference between personal and commercial auto insurance policies?
- What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in California?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
You may need help from a local insurance agent
Some people would rather have an agent’s advice and we recommend doing that One of the best bonuses of comparing rate quotes online is you can get cheap insurance rates and still have a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, the quote information is instantly submitted to insurance agents in San Francisco who will give you bids and help you find cheaper coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to even leave your home because prices are sent to you instantly. You can get cheaper insurance rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you wish to quote rates from a particular provider, just go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.
Picking the best provider shouldn’t rely on just the price. Any good agent in San Francisco should know the answers to these questions.
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies in San Francisco?
- Who are their largest clients?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
- How many years have they been established?
If you are searching for a local San Francisco insurance agency, it can be helpful to understand the types of agencies and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Agencies in San Francisco can be classified as either independent or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates and some examples include Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. These agents are unable to shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. They are usually quite knowledgeable on what they offer and that allows them to sell at a higher price point. Drivers often buy from the same agent for years mostly because of the prominent brand name rather than low rates.
Listed below are San Francisco exclusive insurance agencies that can give you comparison quotes.
- Farmers Insurance – Elbert Taylor
386 29th St – San Francisco, CA 94131 – (415) 285-4800 – View Map - Angela Chan – State Farm Insurance Agent
756 Sacramento St – San Francisco, CA 94108 – (415) 956-4888 – View Map - Linda Williams – State Farm Insurance Agent
1536 20th St – San Francisco, CA 94107 – (415) 648-1155 – View Map
Independent Agents
These agents can quote rates with many companies and that allows them to write policies with many different companies and find the cheapest insurance rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing insurance rates, you will definitely want to include several independent agencies in order to compare the most rates. Many can place coverage with small mutual carriers that may provide cheaper insurance rates.
The following is a list of independent agencies in San Francisco who can help you get rate quotes.
- Nationwide Insurance: Nathan Douglas Gleason Agency
101 California St #2710 – San Francisco, CA 94111 – (415) 870-6999 – View Map - Primeras Insurance Agency
3339 23rd St – San Francisco, CA 94108 – (415) 829-7312 – View Map - CAL Insurance and Associates
2311 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 661-6500 – View Map
Persistence pays off
We just covered quite a bit of information on how to compare Audi Q7 insurance prices in San Francisco. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the better chance you’ll have of finding affordable San Francisco car insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the lesser-known companies. These companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate or State Farm.
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your objective should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.
Cost effective Audi Q7 insurance is definitely available from both online companies and with local San Francisco insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some auto insurance companies don’t offer price quotes online and many times these regional carriers prefer to sell through independent insurance agents.
Even more information can be found at these sites:
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Nurses in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Dodge Ram in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap San Francisco Auto Insurance for a 20 Year Old Male? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest San Francisco Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Camry? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Inexperienced Drivers in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)
- Rearview cameras reduce backing crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)