If you want to save money, the best way to quote cheaper Chevy Uplander insurance is to begin comparing prices regularly from different companies who provide auto insurance in San Francisco. Rates can be compared by completing these steps.
- Step 1: Read about what coverages are included in your policy and the things you can change to prevent high rates. Many rating criteria that cause rate increases like inattentive driving and poor credit can be controlled by making minor changes in your lifestyle. This article gives more ideas to find cheap prices and get additional discounts that may have been overlooked.
- Step 2: Compare prices from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote rates from multiple sources. Begin your rate comparison
- Step 3: Compare the quotes to your existing coverage and see if you can save money. If you can save money and make a switch, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
- Step 4: Notify your agent or company of your intention to cancel the current policy and submit the application along with any required down payment to the new company. Immediately upon receiving it, store the proof of insurance certificate in your glove compartment.
The most important part of this process is that you’ll want to make sure you compare similar coverage information on each quote request and and to get price estimates from as many different companies as possible. This guarantees the most accurate price comparison and the best price quote selection.
A recent insurance study discovered that the vast majority of consumers renewed their policy with the same company for over three years, and nearly the majority have never compared rates to find affordable insurance. Drivers in the United States could save about 47% each year, but most tend to underestimate the large savings they would see if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one.
How to get San Francisco Chevy Uplander insurance quotes
Getting a cheaper price on Chevy Uplander insurance isn’t really that difficult. All that’s required is to take a couple of minutes comparing price quotes from online providers.
Comparison shopping rate quotes online is easy and it replaces the need to spend time driving to and from local San Francisco insurance agencies. The ability to get quotes online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you want the trained guidance that can only be provided by a licensed insurance agent. It is possible with some companies obtain prices from the web and get advice from an agent in your area.
The companies shown below are our best choices to provide price quotes in San Francisco, CA. If several companies are displayed, we suggest you click on several of them to get the cheapest price.
Why you need insurance for your Chevy Uplander
Despite the high cost, buying auto insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- Most states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific minimum amount of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car. 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.
- If your Chevy Uplander has a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it mandatory that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank will be required to insure your Chevy at a much higher premium rate and force you to reimburse them the higher premium.
- Insurance protects your car and your assets. It will also pay for medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability coverage will also pay to defend you if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, your auto insurance policy will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance more than cancel out the cost, especially for larger claims. Unknowingly, the average driver overpays more than $820 a year so you should quote your policy with other companies at every renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Get discounts on San Francisco car insurance
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but discounts can save money and there are some available that may help make it more affordable. Certain credits will be shown at the time you complete a quote, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for prior to receiving the credit.
- College Student – Older children living away from San Francisco attending college and do not have a car may be insured at a cheaper rate.
- Early Switch Discount – Some larger companies provide a discount for switching companies before your current expiration date. It could save around 10% when you buy San Francisco auto insurance online.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Taking a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – By making one initial payment as opposed to paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
- Discounts for New Vehicles – Buying a new car instead of a used Uplander can get you a discount since new model year vehicles are generally safer.
- Life Insurance – Not all insurance companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Driving less may allow you to get substantially lower premium rates.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Forcing all vehicle occupants to fasten their seat belts can save a little off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Government Employee Discount – Active or former government employment can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
As a sidenote, most credits do not apply to the whole policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Despite the fact that it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
To view insurance companies that offer the discounts shown above in California, follow this link.
When to get advice from an agent
Many people still prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Experienced insurance agents can make sure you are properly covered and will help you if you have claims. The biggest benefit of getting free rate quotes online is that you can find lower rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for local insurance agencies is important particularly in San Francisco.
After completing this form (opens in new window), your information is submitted to agents in your area that give free quotes for your insurance coverage. You never need to drive around due to the fact that quote results will go to you directly. In the event you want to get a rate quote from a specific company, feel free to find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
If you prefer to buy auto insurance from a reputable agency, it’s helpful to know the types of insurance agents and how they operate. Agents in San Francisco are classified as either exclusive or independent. Both can sell auto insurance policies, but it’s important to know the difference in the companies they write for because it can impact which type of agent you select.
Independent Auto Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents in the independent channel are not limited to a single company so they can quote policies through many companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing auto insurance prices, you absolutely need to contact multiple independent agents to have the best price comparison.
Listed below are independent insurance agencies in San Francisco that can give you free rate quotes.
Scarborough Insurance Agency
329 Bryant St – San Francisco, CA 94107 – (415) 371-1398 – View Map
Robert E. Kennedy Insurance Agency
Flood Building, 870 Market St #740 – San Francisco, CA 94102 – (415) 951-0738 – View Map
Carrie Insurance
2126 Sutter St – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 567-7660 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be exclusive can only provide one company’s prices and examples are State Farm, AAA, and Liberty Mutual. Exclusive agents cannot place coverage with different providers so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which aids in selling service over price.
Shown below are San Francisco exclusive insurance agencies willing to provide price quotes.
Tiffany Won – State Farm Insurance Agent
1250 Missouri St Unit 305 – San Francisco, CA 94107 – (415) 872-5734 – View Map
Rebekah Shapiro – State Farm Insurance Agent
1736 Stockton St #9 – San Francisco, CA 94133 – (415) 525-3344 – View Map
Anita M Merrihew – State Farm Insurance Agent
3801 3rd St #585 – San Francisco, CA 94124 – (415) 285-2021 – View Map
Finding the right auto insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a cheap quote. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Will you get a loaner vehicle if you car is being repaired?
- Is insurance their full-time profession?
- Are they able to provide referrals?
- Do they have designations such as AIC, CPCU, or CIC?
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
Car insurance coverage basics
Understanding the coverages of your policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are typical coverage types offered by car insurance companies.
Collision insurance
This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Uplander caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against claims like scraping a guard rail, driving through your garage door and hitting a mailbox. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible on your Uplander to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as rock chips in glass, damage from getting keyed, theft and falling objects. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Liability car insurance
Liability insurance protects you from damage or injury you incur to people or other property by causing an accident. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have values of 15/30/5 that means you have a $15,000 limit per person for injuries, $30,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $5,000. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) that pays claims from the same limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability insurance covers claims like attorney fees, medical expenses, pain and suffering and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but buy as large an amount as possible. California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
The next chart demonstrates why low liability limits may not be high enough to adequately cover claims.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for short-term medical expenses such as chiropractic care, funeral costs, doctor visits, nursing services and hospital visits. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers both the driver and occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
This coverage provides protection when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many California drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (California limits are 15/30/5), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liability limits.
Smart shoppers get results
There are still a few companies who do not offer online quoting and usually these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents. Cheaper Chevy Uplander insurance in San Francisco can be found both online in addition to many San Francisco insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis.
When shopping online for auto insurance, it’s a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to find out that the savings was not a smart move. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
We just covered a lot of ways to lower your Chevy Uplander insurance car insurance rates in San Francisco. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest car insurance rates are with a small local company. These companies often have lower premium rates on specific markets compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.
More detailed auto insurance information is available at these sites:
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for a Jeep Wrangler in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Infrequent Drivers in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap San Francisco Car Insurance for Veterans? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Postal Workers in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)
- Collision Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
- Auto Insurance Basics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)