If you want to save money, the best way to get budget Acura TL insurance is to start doing an annual price comparison from providers who provide car insurance in San Francisco. You can compare rates by following these steps.
Step 1: Get an understanding of how insurance works and the things you can control to keep rates in check. Many risk factors that result in higher prices such as speeding tickets, accidents and a poor credit rating can be eliminated by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. This article provides instructions to get lower rates and find more discounts that you may not know about.
Step 2: Request price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can only quote rates from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote prices for a wide range of insurance providers.
Step 3: Compare the new rates to your current policy premium to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you can save some money and change companies, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
One tip to remember is to try to compare the same liability limits and deductibles on every quote and and to compare as many different companies as possible. Doing this guarantees a fair rate comparison and a thorough price selection.
Amazingly, most consumers have been with the same company for over three years, and virtually 40% of consumers have never quoted rates to find cheap coverage. San Francisco drivers could save themselves nearly $470 a year just by comparing rates, but most undervalue the actual amount they would save if they bought a different policy.
The purpose of this post is to let you in on how auto insurance companies operate and also pocket some savings If you have a policy now, you will definitely be able to lower your rates using the following tips. You just have to learn the fastest way to buy insurance instantly.
Why Informed Consumers Pay Less for Acura TL Insurance
Lots of things are part of the equation when premium rates are determined. Some are obvious such as traffic violations, but other factors are more obscure like where you live or your commute time. One of the most helpful ways to save on car insurance is to to have a grasp of some of the factors that help calculate your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with cheaper rates.
- Save money by raising physical damage deductibles – Coverage for physical damage, aka comp and collision, is used to repair damage to your vehicle. Examples of some claims that would be covered are running into the backend of another car, hail damage, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles are the amount of money the insured will be required to pay if you file a covered claim. The larger the amount you have to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
- Do you know you’re credit history? – Having a bad credit score can be an important factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Insureds with good credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers with lower credit ratings. If your credit can be improved, you could be paying less to insure your Acura TL by repairing your credit.
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Good drivers pay lower costs – How you drive has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. Having a single citation could increase your next policy renewal by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have received dangerous violations like DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding may face state-mandated requirements to complete a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
The diagram below shows how traffic citations and at-fault fender-benders drive up Acura TL yearly insurance costs for each age group. The premiums assume a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $250 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
- Marriage pays dividends – Having a wife or husband can actually save you money compared to being single. Having a significant other generally demonstrates drivers are less irresponsible it has been statistically shown that married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
- Low stress occupation equals lower rates – Careers like military generals, architects, and dentists tend to have the highest rates in part from intense work-related stress and lots of time spent away from family. On the other hand, occupations like scientists, engineers and performers pay lower than average rates.
- Big cities have higher costs – Living in small towns and rural areas has definite advantages if you are looking for the lowest rates. Fewer drivers and short commutes corresponds to lower accident rates and a lower car theft rate. City drivers have to deal with more traffic problems and much longer commute distances. Higher commute times translates into higher accident risk.
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Claims statistics for an Acura TL – Insurance companies factor in historical loss data to determine a rate that will be profitable for them. Models that tend to have higher losses will have higher rates.
The table below illustrates the actual insurance loss data for Acura TL vehicles. For each coverage category, the claim probability for all vehicles averaged together is equal to 100. Percentage numbers below 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while values over 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or an increased chance of a larger loss.
Acura TL Insurance Loss Statistics Vehicle Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Acura TLX 4dr 2WD 90 75 97 93 74 77 Acura TLX 4dr 4WD 120 75 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEEmpty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
The majority of larger companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive allow you to get prices for coverage direct online. Obtaining pricing for Acura TL insurance in San Francisco is quite easy as you simply type in your coverage preferences into a form. Behind the scenes, the company’s rating system will order credit information and your driving record and returns pricing information based on these factors. Being able to quote online for Acura TL insurance in San Francisco makes it a lot easier to compare rates and it is imperative to do this in order to get the best rate on car insurance.
In order to compare pricing, take a look at the companies shown below. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you replicate the coverages as close as possible to your current policy. Doing this assures you will be getting a price comparison for similar insurance coverage.
The companies shown below are ready to provide quotes in California. If more than one company is shown, it’s a good idea that you click on several of them to get the lowest price.
Acura TL coverage analysis
The rate table displayed below covers different rate quotes for Acura TL models. Being able to understand how insurance premiums are determined can be of help when making smart choices when choosing a car insurance company.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL 3.5 | $242 | $454 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,260 | $105 |
| TL 3.5 W/Technology Package | $242 | $454 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,260 | $105 |
| TL 3.7 SH AWD | $242 | $454 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,260 | $105 |
| TL 3.7 SH W/Technology Package AWD | $242 | $522 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,328 | $111 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices based on married female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Premium costs do not factor in zip code location which can impact insurance rates noticeably.
The diagram below illustrates how choosing a deductible and can change Acura TL insurance costs for different age groups. The prices are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Premiums by gender and age
The example below illustrates the comparison of Acura TL car insurance costs for male and female drivers. The costs are based on no claims or driving violations, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Cost comparison with and without full coverage
The illustration below illustrates the difference between Acura TL car insurance costs when comparing full coverage to liability only. The premiums are based on a clean driving record, no claims, $250 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied.
Guidelines for dropping full coverage
There is no written rule for excluding comp and collision coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of full coverage is 10% or more of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Acura TL book value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most your company would pay you is $6,000 after paying your policy deductible. If premium cost is more than $600 a year for physical damage coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
There are some scenarios where eliminating full coverage is not a good idea. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Three reasons car insurance is important
Despite the high cost, car insurance is required in California but it also protects you in many ways.
First, almost all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific minimum amount 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.
Second, if you have a loan on your Acura TL, almost all lenders will force you to have insurance to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you default on your policy, the lender will be forced to insure your Acura at a much higher premium rate and require you to fork over the higher premium.
Third, car insurance protects your Acura and your assets. It will also provide coverage for many types of medical costs that are the result of an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance will also pay to defend you if you are sued as the result of your driving. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of buying car insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially for larger claims. According to a 2015 survey, the average American driver overpays as much as $800 each year so shop around every year to save money.
Get cheaper Acura TL insurance rates in San Francisco
Auto insurance companies do not advertise their entire list of discounts very well, so the following list contains both the well known as well as some of the hidden savings tricks you should be using when you buy San Francisco auto insurance online.
- Air Bag Discount – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
- Discount for Multiple Policies – If you can bundle your auto and home insurance with the same insurance company you may earn at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Drive Safe and Save – Insureds who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% than drivers with accidents.
- No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents can earn big discounts in comparison to bad drivers.
- Own a Home – Simply owning a home can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home requires a higher level of personal finance.
A quick disclaimer, most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, nobody gets a free ride.
The diagram below compares Acura TL insurance costs with and without discounts applied. The data is based on a male driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, safe-driver, homeowner, marriage, multi-car, and multi-policy discounts applied.
To find insurance companies with discount insurance rates in San Francisco, click this link.
Compare prices but buy from a local San Francisco insurance agent
Certain consumers still prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that can be a smart move Most agents can help you build your policy and help you file claims. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance online is that you can find cheap insurance quotes and still have a local agent. Supporting neighborhood agents is especially important in San Francisco.
Upon completion of this short form, your insurance data is immediately sent to participating agents in San Francisco that can give you free San Francisco auto insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to contact any agents as quotes are delivered directly to you. If for some reason you want to get a comparison quote from a particular provider, you can always navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.
What type of San Francisco car insurance agent is right for you?
If you want to use an insurance agent, it can be helpful to understand the different types of agencies and how they operate. Insurance agents are considered either exclusive or independent. Either type can insure your vehicles, but it’s a good idea to understand the difference in how they write coverage since it could factor into the kind of agent you use.
Independent Insurance Agencies or Brokers
Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company so they can quote policies with multiple insurance companies and find the cheapest rate. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can just switch to a different company and the insured can keep the same agent. If you need cheaper insurance rates, we recommend you get insurance quotes from several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices.
Featured below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in San Francisco who can help you get free insurance rate quotes.
Robert E. Kennedy Insurance Agency
Flood Building, 870 Market St #740 – San Francisco, CA 94102 – (415) 951-0738 – View Map
Express Service Insurance
2085 Van Ness Ave – San Francisco, CA 94109 – (415) 440-5136 – View Map
Carrie Insurance
2126 Sutter St – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 567-7660 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Exclusive agents have only one company to place business with such as Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. They are unable to shop your coverage around so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive insurance agents are highly trained on the products they sell which helps them sell on service rather than price.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive agencies in San Francisco willing to provide price quote information.
Anita M Merrihew – State Farm Insurance Agent
3801 3rd St #585 – San Francisco, CA 94124 – (415) 285-2021 – View Map
State Farm: Debra O’Farrell
870 Market St #440 – San Francisco, CA 94102 – (415) 982-9900 – View Map
Ron Burks – State Farm Insurance Agent
220 Montgomery St #480 – San Francisco, CA 94104 – (415) 397-2994 – View Map
Finding a good insurance agency requires you to look at more than just a cheap quote. Below are some questions you should ask.
- Do they see any coverage gaps in your plan?
- Are they giving you every discount you deserve?
- Can glass claims be handled at your home?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
Car insurance is unique, just like you
When it comes to your policy, there really isn’t a best way to insure your cars. Your financial needs are unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply.
For instance, these questions might point out whether your personal situation might need an agent’s assistance.
- I have health insurance so do I need medical payments coverage?
- When can my company non-renew my policy?
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- What is GAP insurance?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Should I carry comprehensive and collision coverage?
- Is water damage covered by my policy?
- How much can I save by bundling my policies?
- Can my teen drive my company car?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can provide invaluable advice.
Don’t give up on cheaper coverage
We just showed you some good ideas how you can reduce Acura TL insurance rates online in San Francisco. The key concept to understand is the more you quote San Francisco auto insurance, the better your chances of lowering your auto insurance rates. You may even find the most savings is with some of the lesser-known companies. They may have significantly lower auto insurance rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.
Low-cost Acura TL insurance in San Francisco can be sourced from both online companies and also from your neighborhood San Francisco agents, and you should compare rates from both to have the best rate selection. A few companies do not offer internet price quotes and many times these small, regional companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies.
Helpful learning opportunities
- Liability Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for a GMC Acadia in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Hyundai Elantra in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for a Ford Escape in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- How Much is San Francisco Auto Insurance for Drivers with a DUI? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Felons in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- A Tree Fell on Your Car: Now What? (Allstate)
- Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- What is Covered by an Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Institute)