If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to find lower priced car insurance rates in San Francisco is to regularly compare quotes from insurers that insure vehicles in California. Drivers can shop around by completing these steps.
- Step 1: Try to comprehend auto insurance and the steps you can take to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating criteria that result in higher prices like at-fault accidents and a not-so-good credit history can be controlled by making minor changes in your lifestyle. This article provides additional ideas to help reduce prices and find more discounts that you may not know about.
- Step 2: Get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while agents who are independent can quote rates for a wide range of insurance providers. Click to view companies
- Step 3: Compare the quotes to the price on your current policy and determine if cheaper Mariner coverage is available. If you find a lower rate, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Provide adequate notice to your current company of your intent to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit the application along with any required down payment to your new insurance company. Make sure you put the proof of insurance certificate above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
The key thing to remember is to try to compare the same deductibles and limits on every quote and and to get price quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. This provides a level playing field and a good representation of prices.
Shockingly, a large majority of auto insurance policyholders kept buying from the same company for at least four years, and just under half have never compared quotes from other companies. Drivers in California can cut their rates by nearly $470 a year just by shopping around, but they don’t know the large savings they would see if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one.
Finding and buying the lowest cost insurance coverage in San Francisco is easy to do. If you’re already insured or are shopping for new coverage, follow these tips to reduce the price you pay without sacrificing coverage. Comparison shoppers only have to learn the quickest way to buy insurance from many different companies online.
The method we recommend to compare policy rates for Mercury Mariner insurance in San Francisco is to realize all the major auto insurance companies pay for the opportunity to give free rates quotes. The one thing you need to do is take a few minutes to give details such as if you have an active license, the type of vehicles you drive, how much school you completed, and marital status. The data is instantly sent to multiple insurance providers and you will receive price estimates instantly to find the best rate.
To check Mercury Mariner insurance prices now, click here and find out if you can get cheaper insurance in San Francisco.
The companies in the list below can provide free rate quotes in San Francisco, CA. If the list has multiple companies, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get the best price comparison.
Insurance data for a Mercury Mariner
The data table displayed below covers a range of rate quotes for Mercury Mariner models. Being able to understand how insurance policy premiums are calculated can help guide drivers when making informed decisions when comparing rates.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mariner 2WD | $308 | $470 | $508 | $30 | $152 | $1,468 | $122 |
Mariner Premier 2WD | $308 | $570 | $508 | $30 | $152 | $1,568 | $131 |
Mariner AWD | $308 | $570 | $508 | $30 | $152 | $1,568 | $131 |
Mariner Hybrid 2WD | $308 | $672 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,790 | $149 |
Mariner Premier AWD | $348 | $570 | $508 | $30 | $152 | $1,608 | $134 |
Mariner Hybrid AWD | $348 | $672 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,830 | $153 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Table data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in vehicle garaging location which can alter rates substantially.
Physical damage deductibles
The hardest decision when buying coverage is how high should the deductibles for physical damage be. The tables below illustrate the rate difference between low and high physical damage coverage deductibles. The first rate table uses a $100 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second price table uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mariner 2WD | $380 | $564 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,479 | $123 |
Mariner Premier 2WD | $380 | $686 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,601 | $133 |
Mariner AWD | $380 | $686 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,601 | $133 |
Mariner Hybrid 2WD | $380 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,815 | $151 |
Mariner Premier AWD | $430 | $686 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,651 | $138 |
Mariner Hybrid AWD | $430 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,865 | $155 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mariner 2WD | $278 | $382 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,170 | $98 |
Mariner Premier 2WD | $278 | $464 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,252 | $104 |
Mariner AWD | $278 | $464 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,252 | $104 |
Mariner Hybrid 2WD | $278 | $546 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,424 | $119 |
Mariner Premier AWD | $314 | $464 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,288 | $107 |
Mariner Hybrid AWD | $314 | $546 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,460 | $122 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, and homeowner. Price estimates do not factor in San Francisco location which can alter price quotes significantly.
We can estimate from the data above that using a $100 deductible will cost in the ballpark of $30 more each month or $360 every year across all Mercury Mariner models than buying the higher $500 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $400 more to file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you usually have at least 13 months between claim filings, you would probably be better off if you choose the higher deductible. The table below shows how you can perform this determination yourself.
Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $139 |
Average monthly premium for $500 deductibles (subtract): | – $109 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $30 |
Difference between deductibles ($500 – $100): | $400 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $400 / $30 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 13 months |
One important issue to know is that raising deductibles to save money means you will have to pay more out-of-pocket when you have a physical damage claim. You should have some money saved in the event you have to pay more to get your vehicle repaired.
Impact of careless driving on San Francisco insurance rates
The chart below illustrates how speeding tickets and at-fault collisions impact Mercury Mariner annual premium costs for different ages of insureds. The premium estimates are based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Insurance premiums for males and females
The chart below compares Mercury Mariner car insurance rates for male and female drivers. The information is based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Does full coverage make sense?
The illustration below shows the comparison of Mercury Mariner yearly insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage. The rate quotes are based on no accidents or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Are you wasting money on full coverage?
There isn’t a steadfast formula to drop comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than around 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
For example, let’s say your Mercury Mariner claim settlement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, you would only receive $4,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are paying over $400 a year for full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are some situations where removing full coverage is not advised. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you are required to maintain full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest in the vehicle. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should keep full coverage.
Why insurance is not optional
Despite the high cost, buying insurance serves several important purposes.
- Just about all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific limits of liability in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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 Mariner has a loan, more than likely the lender will have a requirement that you carry insurance to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender will be forced to insure your Mercury at a much higher rate and force you to reimburse them for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance protects not only your Mercury but also your financial assets. Insurance will pay for all forms of medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your Mercury gets damaged, collision and comprehensive coverages will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance outweigh the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer overpays as much as $810 a year so shop around at every policy renewal to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Do I need special coverages?
When quoting and comparing coverage online or from an agent, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s needs are different.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
- How long can I keep a teen driver on my policy?
- What is roadside assistance coverage?
- When should I remove comp and collision on my Mercury Mariner?
- How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
- Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- When can my company non-renew my policy?
- Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.
Car insurance coverages explained
Understanding the coverages of your policy can help you determine the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.
Collision coverage protection
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as hitting a mailbox, damaging your car on a curb and backing into a parked car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible on your Mariner in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Liability car insurance
This can cover injuries or damage you cause to people or other property. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: 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 which means a limit of $15,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and a limit of $5,000 paid for damaged property. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability can pay for claims such as pain and suffering, emergency aid, attorney fees and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford. California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but it’s recommended drivers buy better liability coverage.
The illustration below shows why low liability limits may not provide you with enough coverage.
Comprehensive insurance
This will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, damage from getting keyed and falling objects. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Mercury Mariner.
Due to the fact that many California drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 15/30/5), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Normally the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Med pay and PIP coverage pay for bills such as ambulance fees, dental work, hospital visits and prosthetic devices. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers all vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Smart consumers save more
As you shop your coverage around, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate and still be able to protect your assets.
Consumers leave their current company for any number of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in paying claims or unfair underwriting practices. Regardless of your reason, finding a new company can be easier than you think.
There are still a few companies who don’t offer online price quotes and these smaller companies only sell through independent agencies. Discount Mercury Mariner insurance is attainable online and with local San Francisco insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best selection.
Additional information is located below:
- Determining Your Vehicle’s Value and Repair Cost (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Subaru Impreza in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Single Moms in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with Accidents in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Front crash protection reduces rear-end crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)