Sad but true, most California auto insurance customers have bought auto insurance from the same company for at least the last four years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never compared rates from other carriers. Many drivers in the United States could save themselves roughly $850 a year just by getting comparison quotes, but most just don’t grasp how much money they would save if they moved their coverage to a different company.
It takes a few minutes, but the best way to get cheaper car insurance rates in San Francisco is to start comparing prices yearly from providers in California.
- Gain an understanding of car insurance and the things you can change to keep rates in check. Many policy risk factors that drive up the price such as at-fault accidents and your credit history can be rectified by being financially responsible and driving safely. Keep reading for more details to prevent expensive rate increases and get discounts that may be overlooked.
- Obtain price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agents can quote rates from multiple insurance companies.
- Compare the quotes to your existing coverage and see if you can save money. If you can save money, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
The most important part of shopping around is to use similar coverage information on every quote and and to get price quotes from as many different insurance providers as possible. This provides an accurate price comparison and a thorough price selection.
Shopping around for the best-priced protection in San Francisco is not as confusing as people think. If you’re already insured or just want cheaper coverage, use these money-saving tips to save money while maximizing coverage. You only need to know the proper methods to compare prices on the web.
The car insurance companies shown below are ready to provide free quotes in San Francisco, CA. If more than one company is shown, it’s a good idea that you visit two to three different companies to find the most competitive car insurance rates.
Coverage information
The premium information below covers different prices for Honda Civic models. Knowing how auto insurance prices are calculated is important for drivers to make decisions on the best policy coverages.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $268 | $570 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,648 | $137 |
| Civic VP 4-Dr Sedan | $268 | $672 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,750 | $146 |
| Civic LX 4-Dr Sedan | $268 | $672 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,750 | $146 |
| Civic DX 2-Dr Coupe | $268 | $672 | $746 | $44 | $224 | $1,954 | $163 |
| Civic EX 4-Dr Sedan | $268 | $672 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,750 | $146 |
| Civic LX-S 4-Dr Sedan | $268 | $672 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,750 | $146 |
| Civic LX 2-Dr Coupe | $268 | $774 | $746 | $44 | $224 | $2,056 | $171 |
| Civic EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $308 | $774 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,892 | $158 |
| Civic SI 4-Dr Sedan | $308 | $774 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,892 | $158 |
| Civic EX 2-Dr Coupe | $308 | $774 | $746 | $44 | $224 | $2,096 | $175 |
| Civic GX 4-Dr Sedan | $308 | $774 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,892 | $158 |
| Civic EX-L 2-Dr Coupe | $308 | $774 | $746 | $44 | $224 | $2,096 | $175 |
| Civic Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $348 | $672 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,830 | $153 |
| Civic SI 2-Dr Coupe | $348 | $876 | $746 | $44 | $224 | $2,238 | $187 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data variables include single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in your specific San Francisco location which can impact coverage prices substantially.
Male drivers compared to female drivers
The example below illustrates the difference between Honda Civic insurance rates for male and female drivers. The premium estimates are based on no accidents or driving violations, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Full coverage versus liability-only
The chart below visualizes the comparison of Honda Civic insurance rates with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The prices are based on no claims or driving violations, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
When to stop buying full coverage
There is no set guideline that works best for making the decision to drop physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than around 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it might be time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s say your Honda Civic book value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company would pay you is $2,000 after you pay the deductible. If it’s costing you more than $200 a year for full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are some situations where only buying liability is not recommended. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not opt for liability only.
Insurance does more than just protect your car
Even though it can be expensive, buying insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
First, the majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific level of liability coverage 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.
Second, if you have a loan on your Civic, almost all lenders will require you to buy full coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If the policy lapses, the bank will be required to insure your Honda at a significantly higher premium and force you to reimburse them the higher premium.
Third, insurance preserves your vehicle and your assets. It will also pay for medical expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you cause an accident and are sued. If you have damage to your Honda as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of insuring your car more than offset the price you pay, particularly if you ever have a claim. Today the average American driver is currently overpaying as much as $810 a year so compare rates at every renewal to be sure current rates are still competitive.
How Insurance Providers Calculate Honda Civic Insurance Rates
A large part of saving on insurance is knowing some of the factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for insurance. If you know what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can earn you lower rates. Lots of things are considered when pricing auto insurance. Some of the criteria are obvious like your driving record, but some are more obscure like your vehicle usage or how safe your car is.
The items below are most of the major factors companies use to determine your rate level.
Accidents hurt – Being a careful driver has a big impact on rates. Just one ticket can increase the cost of insurance by as much as twenty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better rates as compared to careless drivers. People who have serious citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
The illustration below shows how speeding tickets and at-fault claims can raise Honda Civic auto insurance costs for different age categories. The prices are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
More traffic means higher claims – Choosing to live in smaller towns and rural areas of the country is a good thing if you are looking for the lowest rates. Fewer people means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Residents of big cities tend to have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Higher commute times means higher likelihood of an accident.
High credit scores save money – Credit score will be a significant factor in determining what you pay. Insureds that have excellent credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with bad credit. If your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your Honda Civic if you improve your credit rating.
Policy add-ons could be costing you – Insurance policies have a lot of add-on coverages that can add up if you aren’t careful. Things like personal injury protection, death and dismemberment, and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem like a good idea initially, but if they’re wasting money consider taking them off your policy.
Get better rates if married – Having a wife or husband may earn you lower rates on your insurance policy. Having a significant other usually means you are more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Honda Civic insurance loss probability – Auto insurance companies analyze past claim statistics to calculate a rate that will offset any claims. Vehicles that the statistics show to have increased losses will cost more to insure. The next table illustrates the loss history for Honda Civic vehicles.
For each coverage type, the claim amount for all vehicles combined as an average is considered to be 100. Values below 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while numbers above 100 indicate a higher chance of having a claim or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.
| Vehicle Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Civic | 92 | 105 | 68 | 127 | 135 | 121 |
| Honda Civic Hybrid | 90 | 85 | 106 | 105 | 78 | |
| Honda Civic Si | 126 | 97 | 117 | 124 | 104 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
Discounts mean cheaper rates for Honda Civic insurance in San Francisco
Auto insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain credits will be shown at the time of quoting, but occasionally some discounts must be inquired about before they will apply.
- Full Payment Discount – By making one initial payment rather than paying in monthly installments you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying a policy with all your vehicles with the same company can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers without accidents can save up to 40% or more on their San Francisco auto insurance quote than their less cautious counterparts.
- Online Discount – Many larger companies may give you up to $50 for signing up over the internet.
- Defensive Driving Course – Passing a class that teaches safe driver techniques is a good idea and can lower rates and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully take a driver’s education course if offered at their school.
Discounts lower rates, but most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Despite the appearance that all those discounts means the company will pay you, you aren’t that lucky. But any discount will help lower the cost of your policy.
The diagram below illustrates the difference between Honda Civic insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The price estimates are based on a male driver, a clean driving record, no claims, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, marriage, multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-car, and homeowner discounts applied.
Larger auto insurance companies and their offered discounts can be read below.
- Farm Bureau may offer discounts for multi-vehicle, driver training, safe driver, renewal discount, 55 and retired, and multi-policy.
- Liberty Mutual may have discounts that include multi-policy, hybrid vehicle, good student, multi-car, exclusive group savings, and new graduate.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for anti-theft, good driver, good student, defensive driving training, accident-free, Drive Safe & Save, and passive restraint.
- Auto-Owners Insurance offers discounts including multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, safe driver, paperless, anti-theft, and air bags.
- GEICO may include discounts for federal employee, good student, daytime running lights, multi-policy, and defensive driver.
- SAFECO includes discounts for bundle discounts, teen safe driver, drive less, homeowner, teen safety rewards, safe driver, and accident prevention training.
If you need lower rates, check with every company which discounts can lower your rates. Some discounts may not apply in every state. To locate companies with discount auto insurance rates in California, click here.
What if I want to buy from local San Francisco insurance agents?
Many people still like to talk to a local agent and that can be a smart move Professional insurance agents are highly skilled in risk management and help in the event of a claim. One of the great benefits of comparing rate quotes online is that you can obtain cheaper premium rates but still work with a licensed agent. Putting coverage with neighborhood insurance agencies is important especially in San Francisco.
By using this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is submitted to participating agents in San Francisco who will give competitive quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You never need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. If you wish to compare rates from one company in particular, feel free to jump over to their website and complete a quote there.
Pick the best car insurance agent in San Francisco for you
When finding an insurance agent, it’s helpful to know the different types of agencies and how they can write your policy. San Francisco agents can be classified as either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive). Either can write policy coverage, but it’s worth mentioning the difference between them because it can factor into your agent selection.
Independent Insurance Agencies
These agents are not required to write business for one company and that gives them the ability to insure with any number of different companies depending on which coverage is best. If your premiums go up, your policy is moved internally which is easy for the insured. If you are trying to find cheaper rates, we recommend you include rate quotes from multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection. Many independent agencies also insure through smaller companies which may have better rates.
Below is a small list of independent insurance agents in San Francisco who may provide price quotes.
- Sam and Associates Insurance Agency
2225 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 665-0181 – View Map - Primeras Insurance Agency
3339 23rd St – San Francisco, CA 94108 – (415) 829-7312 – View Map - Al Zeidler Insurance Agency
1714 Stockton St #417 – San Francisco, CA 94133 – (415) 753-1936 – View Map
View more San Francisco agents
Exclusive Agencies
These agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates and examples are Farmers Insurance and State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot provide prices from multiple companies so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Exclusive agencies are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. Some consumers prefer to choose to use an exclusive agent primarily because of high brand loyalty rather than low price.
Shown below are exclusive agents in San Francisco who can help you get price quote information.
- Lynn Petrie Lange – State Farm Insurance Agent
3717 Buchanan St #100 – San Francisco, CA 94123 – (415) 923-0192 – View Map - Traci Hollander – State Farm Insurance Agent
1501 Church St – San Francisco, CA 94131 – (415) 647-3007 – View Map - Angela Chan – State Farm Insurance Agent
756 Sacramento St – San Francisco, CA 94108 – (415) 956-4888 – View Map
View more San Francisco agents
Picking an auto insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a low price. A good agent in San Francisco will have answers to these questions.
- Can you contact them at any time?
- What insurance companies do they work with in San Francisco?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
- How long has their agency been in business in San Francisco?
- When do they do policy reviews?
- Which insurance company do they prefer to write with?
Persistence is the key to cheap rates
When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price.
Insureds switch companies for many reasons like policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy non-renewal and even being labeled a high risk driver. Regardless of your reason, finding a new company can be easier than you think.
Lower-priced Honda Civic insurance in San Francisco is definitely available both online and from local agencies, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some auto insurance companies don’t offer rates over the internet and many times these smaller providers only sell through independent agents.
More tips and info about auto insurance is located in these articles:
- Car Insurance FAQ (Trusted Choice)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for a Ford Escape in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Rates for High School Students in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Young Drivers in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap San Francisco Auto Insurance Quotes for a School Permit? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for 4×4 Vehicles in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for Used Cars in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Your Car has been Stolen: Now What? (Allstate)
- Understanding Limits and Deductibles (Allstate)
- What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- All About Airbag Safety (State Farm)