Amazingly, about 70% of customers have bought auto insurance from the same company for more than four years, and nearly half have never quoted auto insurance rates at all. California drivers can cut their rates by about $470 a year by just comparing quotes, but most undervalue the large savings they would see if they switched to a cheaper policy.
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to save money on auto insurance rates in San Francisco is to start comparing rates regularly from providers that insure vehicles in California. This can be done by completing these steps.
- Step 1: Try to comprehend how companies set rates and the modifications you can make to prevent rate increases. Many things that cause high rates like traffic citations, accidents, and a negative credit history can be controlled by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. Later in this article we will cover more ideas to get low prices and find additional discounts.
- Step 2: Get rate quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide prices for a wide range of companies.
- Step 3: Compare the price quotes to the premium of your current policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you can save money, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
The key aspect of shopping around is that you’ll want to compare similar coverage information on each quote request and and to get rates from as many carriers as you can. Doing this helps ensure a fair rate comparison and maximum price selection.
Car insurance providers offering low-cost price quotes in California
The car insurance companies shown below can provide quotes in California. If multiple providers are shown, it’s highly recommended you visit several of them to find the most affordable car insurance rates.
Infiniti FX35 coverage statistics
The table displayed below showcases detailed analysis of prices for Infiniti FX35 models. Having a good grasp of how insurance prices are established can be of help when making informed decisions when shopping around for a new policy.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FX35 2WD 4-Dr | $260 | $564 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,644 | $137 |
FX35 AWD 4-Dr | $260 | $564 | $604 | $36 | $180 | $1,644 | $137 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Price data assumes single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Rate information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can raise or lower rates greatly.
Physical damage deductibles: Should you raise them?
One of the most common car insurance questions is which comprehensive and collision deductibles to buy. The data tables below can help you visualize the rate fluctuation between high and low deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $100 deductible for physical damage and the second rate table uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FX35 2WD 4-Dr | $478 | $932 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $2,115 | $176 |
FX35 AWD 4-Dr | $478 | $932 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $2,115 | $176 |
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Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FX35 2WD 4-Dr | $348 | $630 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,658 | $138 |
FX35 AWD 4-Dr | $348 | $630 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,658 | $138 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Price data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Prices do not factor in vehicle location which can lower or raise premiums significantly.
Based on the above data, using a $100 deductible costs approximately $38 more each month or $456 annually than requesting the higher $500 deductible. Because you would pay $400 more out of your own pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to go at least 11 months between claim filings, you would most likely save money if you opt for a higher deductible.
Impact of careless driving on San Francisco car insurance rates
The example below demonstrates how speeding tickets and accident claims can influence Infiniti FX35 car insurance rates for each different age group. The data is based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
Why You Might Pay Lower Rates in San Francisco
One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of the factors that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that can earn you cheaper rates.
Premiums are lower the older you get – Older, more experienced drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims, and receive fewer citations. Teen drivers have been known to be less responsible when driving so auto insurance rates are higher.
The following chart assumes a single driver, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.
Safer vehicles are cheaper to insure – Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and fewer injuries means less money paid by your insurance company and thus lower rates.
Uninterrupted coverage saves money – Having a gap between insurance policy dates is a quick way to increase your rates. And not only will your rates increase, not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a license revocation or jail time. You may then be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the California motor vehicle department.
Prices also based on gender – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown that females take fewer risks when driving. Now that doesn’t mean females are better at driving than males. They both tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but the males have costlier accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also get cited for more serious violations like DWI (DUI) or reckless driving.
The chart below shows the comparison of Infiniti FX35 insurance prices for male and female drivers. The information is based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no other discounts are factored in.
Marriage is a factor – Your spouse can get you a discount on your auto insurance bill. Having a spouse generally demonstrates drivers are more mature and responsible and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Too many claims and you’ll pay more – If you file a lot of claims you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Companies in California award most affordable rates to people who file claims infrequently. Insurance coverage is designed for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
Excellent credit saves on auto insurance – Credit rating is a large factor in determining your rates. Insureds with excellent credit tend to be more responsible than drivers who have lower ratings. If your credit can be improved, you may save money insuring your Infiniti FX35 if you improve your credit rating.
Car insurance discounts help lower rates for Infiniti FX35 insurance in San Francisco
Car insurance is not cheap, but you might find some hidden discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Some of these discounts will be visible when you complete an application, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about in order for you to get them.
- Responsible Driver Discounts – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accidents.
- College Student – Children who are enrolled in higher education away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Some car insurance companies reward drivers for switching companies prior to the expiration date on your current FX35 insurance policy. You can save around 10% with this discount.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts could see savings up to 30%.
- Paperwork-free – Some insurance companies provide a small discount for buying a policy and signing up on the internet.
- Telematics Data Discounts – People who choose to allow their insurance company to analyze driving habits by using a telematics device such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system might get better premium rates if their driving habits are good.
- Low Mileage – Driving less may enable drivers to earn lower premium rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Save over 55 – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
- Own a Home – Owning a house in San Francisco can save you money since owning and maintaining a home requires a higher level of personal finance.
- Government Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government could provide a small rate reduction with a few car insurance companies.
As a sidenote, some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, that’s just not realistic. But any discount should definitely cut your policy cost.
The example below shows the difference between Infiniti FX35 insurance rates with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The costs are based on a male driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, 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 multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, safe-driver, marriage, and multi-car discounts applied.
To locate providers with significant discounts in California, click this link.
Insurance agents near you
A small number of people just prefer to have an agent’s advice and that is OK! An additional benefit of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find cheap insurance rates and still buy from a local agent.
After completing this short form, your insurance data is immediately sent to agents in your area who will gladly provide quotes for your insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to search for any insurance agencies since rate quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. You can find the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with. If you wish to get a rate quote from one company in particular, just search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
Choosing the best provider requires more thought than just a cheap quote. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- Which companies do they recommend if they are an independent agency?
- By raising physical damage deductibles, how much would you save?
- Will they give you a referral list?
- Do they see any coverage gaps in your plan?
When to get professional advice
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing coverage online or from an agent for your vehicles, there really isn’t a one size fits all plan. Every insured’s situation is different.
These are some specific questions could help you determine if you could use an agent’s help.
- Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
- Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
- Do I pay less for low miles?
- Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
- Do I need replacement cost coverage?
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.
Affordable insurance rates are out there
We’ve covered some good ideas how to lower your Infiniti FX35 insurance rates in San Francisco. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your car insurance rates. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from an unexpected company.
Cheaper Infiniti FX35 insurance in San Francisco is definitely available on the web as well as from independent agents in San Francisco, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies don’t offer rate quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers sell through independent insurance agencies.
When trying to cut insurance costs, do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many cases, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to find out that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best cost and still be able to protect your assets.
Even more information can be found in these articles:
- Choosing an Insurance Company (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much is San Francisco Auto Insurance for 16 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest in San Francisco, California? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable San Francisco Auto Insurance for Real Estate Agents? (FAQ)
- Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Institute)
- Understanding Rental Car Insurance (Insurance Information Institute)