Save Money on Ford C-Max Hybrid Insurance in San Francisco

It’s amazing but nearly 70% of customers have purchased from the same company for four years or more, and nearly 40% of drivers have never taken the time to shop around. The average driver in San Francisco can cut their rates by about $500 a year, but they don’t understand how simple it is to go online and compare rates.

The recommended way to get affordable Ford C-Max Hybrid insurance in San Francisco is to begin comparing prices regularly from different companies who can sell car insurance in California. Rates can be compared by following these steps.

• Step 1: Spend a few minutes and learn about what coverages are included in your policy and the steps you can take to prevent expensive coverage. Many things that result in higher rates like multiple speeding tickets and a poor credit score can be remedied by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. This article gives more details to help prevent costly coverage and get bigger discounts that may have been overlooked.
• Step 2: Compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.
• Step 3: Compare the quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if a cheaper rate is available in San Francisco. If you find a better price and make a switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.

The most important part of shopping around is to use similar limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to get rates from as many auto insurance providers as possible. This helps ensure an accurate price comparison and the best rate selection.

The companies shown below have been selected to offer quotes in California. If several companies are displayed, it’s a good idea that you visit two to three different companies to get the lowest price.

Do you qualify for discounts on Ford C-Max Hybrid insurance in San Francisco?

Companies do not list every discount they offer in an easy-to-find place, so we break down both well-publicized and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving when you buy San Francisco auto insurance online.

• Good Students Pay Less – Excelling in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. You can use this discount normally well after school through age 25.
• Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save 10% or more off the medical payments premium.
• Distant College Student Discount – Youth drivers who live away from home to go to college and do not take a car to college could qualify for this discount.
• Discounts for Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government may qualify for a discount when you quote San Francisco auto insurance depending on your auto insurance provider.
• San Francisco Homeowners Discount – Being a homeowner can save you money because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
• Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags may earn rate discounts of 25 to 30%.
• Defensive Driver Discount – Completing a course in safe driver could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily pay for the cost of the class.

A little disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Despite the fact that it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you’re out of luck.

Large auto insurance companies and some of the discounts include:

• GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including good student, multi-policy, driver training, daytime running lights, federal employee, and emergency military deployment.
• Travelers has discounts for student away at school, driver training, payment discounts, early quote, multi-policy, and hybrid/electric vehicle.
• Nationwide offers discounts for multi-policy, anti-theft, business or organization, Farm Bureau membership, good student, family plan, and defensive driving.
• Farmers Insurance includes discounts for homeowner, distant student, bundle discounts, multi-car, teen driver, business and professional, and switch companies.
• Esurance may include discounts for claim free, Pac-12 alumni, renters, anti-lock brakes, homeowner, DriveSense, and multi-policy.
• State Farm may offer discounts for Drive Safe & Save, multiple policy, anti-theft, safe vehicle, driver’s education, and defensive driving training.
• Progressive has savings for continuous coverage, online signing, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, good student, and online quote discount.
• Mercury Insurance offers premium reductions for multi-car, anti-theft, location of vehicle, good driver, and accident-free.

Before you buy a policy, ask all companies you are considering to give you their best rates. Discounts may not apply in your area.

Why insurance is not optional

Even though San Francisco C-Max Hybrid insurance rates can get expensive, insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.

• Most states have minimum liability requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability 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 Ford has a lienholder, more than likely the lender will have a requirement that you buy insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If the policy lapses, the lender may insure your Ford at an extremely high rate and require you to reimburse them the higher premium.
• Insurance preserves your car and your assets. It will also provide coverage for all forms of medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your Ford gets damaged, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.

The benefits of buying enough insurance definitely exceed the price paid, particularly for liability claims. The average driver in California overpays as much as $800 each year so compare rate quotes at every renewal to ensure rates are competitive.

How much insurance do I need?

When buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique.

These are some specific questions may help you determine whether or not you might need professional guidance.

• Will my Ford C-Max Hybrid be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
• I have a DUI can I still get coverage?
• Do they offer discounts for home and auto coverage?
• What is an adequate liability insurance limit?
• Is my trailer covered?
• Does my Ford C-Max Hybrid need full coverage?
• Are my friends covered when driving my Ford C-Max Hybrid?
• Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
• Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?

If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form. It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.

When do I need to get advice from a local insurance agent?

Many drivers prefer to sit down with an agent and that can be a smart move Licensed agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help in the event of a claim. One of the best bonuses of getting free rate quotes online is that you can obtain lower prices but still work with a licensed agent.

To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), your insurance data gets sent to insurance agents in San Francisco who will give you bids for your car insurance coverage. You don’t have to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent to you. If you want to quote rates for a specific company, just go to their quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.

Choosing a company requires more thought than just the quoted price. Any agent in San Francisco should have no problem answering these questions:

• How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
• Do you qualify for any additional discounts?
• How will an accident affect your rates?
• Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in San Francisco?
• What insurance companies do they work with in San Francisco?
• Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
• Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?

Compare rates from both independent and exclusive auto insurance agents

If you prefer to buy car insurance from a reliable agent, there are two types of agencies that you can select. Agents in San Francisco can be described as either independent agents or exclusive agents. Either type can write car insurance policies, but it is important to understand why they differ because it can factor into the selection process.

Exclusive Car Insurance Agents

Agents that choose to be exclusive can only provide one company’s prices and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm, and AAA. They generally cannot compare rates from other companies so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive agents receive extensive training on what they offer which can be an advantage.

Shown below is a list of exclusive agents in San Francisco who may provide you with comparison quotes.

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Independent Car Insurance Agencies

Agents that elect to be independent can quote rates with many companies and that is an advantage because they can write policies with lots of companies and find the cheapest car insurance rates. If they quote lower rates, they can switch companies in-house and you can keep the same agent.

When comparing car insurance rates, you absolutely need to get some free quotes from independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.

Listed below is a short list of independent agents in San Francisco who can help you get price quotes.

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Auto insurance coverages 101

Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages for your vehicles. Auto insurance terms can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – This coverage gives you protection when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many California drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (15/30/5), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as hail damage, damage from flooding and rock chips in glass. The most your auto insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Collision coverage – This coverage pays for damage to your C-Max Hybrid resulting from colliding with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision insurance covers things like hitting a mailbox, crashing into a building and hitting a parking meter. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to raise the deductible on your C-Max Hybrid in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Medical expense insurance – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for expenses for things like ambulance fees, nursing services and funeral costs. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Liability insurance – Liability insurance can cover injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people by causing an accident. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see liability limits of 15/30/5 which stand for $15,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and property damage coverage for $5,000.

Liability coverage protects against claims such as funeral expenses, loss of income, attorney fees and bail bonds. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as much as you can afford. California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.

The illustration below demonstrates why the minimum limit may not be enough coverage.