It takes a little time, but the best way to find cheaper auto insurance rates is to compare prices at least once a year from insurance carriers who provide auto insurance in San Francisco. This can be done by following these steps.
- Step 1: Try to learn about how car insurance works and the modifications you can make to drop your rates. Many things that are responsible for high rates such as at-fault accidents, careless driving, and an unacceptable credit history can be eliminated by paying attention to minor details. Later in this article we will cover more information to prevent high rates and get discounts that may be overlooked.
- Step 2: Compare prices from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide prices from multiple insurance companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new quotes to the premium of your current policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a lower rate quote and decide to switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Step 4: Provide written notification to your current company of your intent to cancel your existing policy. Submit the signed application along with the required initial payment to the new company. As soon as you receive it, store the proof of insurance paperwork in an accessible location in your vehicle.
A valuable tip to remember is that you use similar limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get price quotes from every company you can. Doing this ensures an apples-to-apples comparison and a complete selection of prices.
It’s a known fact that car insurance companies don’t want customers comparing rates. People who compare rates once a year will most likely switch companies because of the high probability of finding a lower-priced policy. A recent study showed that people who made a habit of comparing rates saved over $865 annually as compared to drivers who never shopped around for better prices.
If finding discount rates on car insurance is your objective, then having an understanding of how to compare car insurance can help you succeed in saving money.
When price shopping your coverage, making a lot of price comparisons increases your odds of finding a lower rate. Not every company provides rate quotes online, so it’s recommended that you also compare rates from them as well.
The providers in the list below offer price quotes in California. If the list has multiple companies, we suggest you get rates from several of them to get the lowest price.
Get discounts to get affordable San Francisco auto insurance quotes
Auto insurance is not cheap nor is it fun to buy but you may be missing some discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Some discounts will apply when you complete an application, but occasionally some discounts must be asked for before you get the savings.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Teen drivers should take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
- Federal Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government could cut as much as 10% off with some auto insurance companies.
- Discount for Swiching Early – A few insurance companies allow discounts for switching to them prior to your current RC 300 insurance policy expiration. You may see this discount when you get San Francisco auto insurance quotes online.
- Mature Driver Discount – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens can get a slight reduction on a San Francisco auto insurance quote.
- First Accident Forgiveness – This isn’t a discount exactly, but a few companies such as Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm will allow you to have one accident before raising your premiums with the catch being you have to be claim-free prior to being involved in the accident.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Options like air bags or motorized seat belts could see savings as much as 30%.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Driving less may enable drivers to earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you can avoid monthly service charges.
- Paper-free Discount – Some auto insurance companies give back up to $50 for signing up on the web.
Just know that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck.
To choose auto insurance companies that offer multiple discounts in California, click this link.
Insurance agencies can find coverage gaps
A small number of people would prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and we recommend doing that One of the benefits of price shopping on the web is that drivers can save money and get the best rates and still buy from a local agent. Supporting local insurance agencies is still important in San Francisco.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, the coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents in San Francisco that give free quotes for your coverage. There is no need to contact an agency as quotes are delivered directly to you. You can find lower rates AND an agent nearby. In the event you want to get a price quote from one company in particular, you would need to search and find their rate quote page and submit a quote form there.
Pick the best car insurance agent in San Francisco for you
When looking for a reputable insurance agent or broker, it’s helpful to know the different types of agencies and how they are slightly different. Insurance agencies in San Francisco are considered either independent or exclusive.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies or Brokers
These type of agents can quote rates with many companies and that allows them to write policies with many different companies and get the cheapest rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and the insured can keep the same agent. When comparison shopping, you will definitely want to check rates from independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison. Most can insure with mutual insurance companies which can save you money.
Featured below is a short list of independent agents in San Francisco that can possibly get you comparison quotes.
- Basic West Insurance Agency
1641 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 665-7400 – View Map - Steven Cresci Insurance Agency
544 Golden Gate Ave – San Francisco, CA 94102 – (415) 212-8190 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Nathan Douglas Gleason Agency
101 California St #2710 – San Francisco, CA 94111 – (415) 870-6999 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
These type of agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates such as State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. These agents are unable to compare rates from other companies so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agents receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products and that enables them to sell even at higher rates. A lot of people choose to use an exclusive agent partially due to the prominent brand name rather than having the cheapest rates.
Listed below is a list of exclusive insurance agents in San Francisco that can give you price quotes.
- Joe Freund – State Farm Insurance Agent
1734 Divisadero St – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 359-9311 – View Map - Linda Williams – State Farm Insurance Agent
1536 20th St – San Francisco, CA 94107 – (415) 648-1155 – View Map - Joshin Bruguera – State Farm Insurance Agent
399 Cortland Ave – San Francisco, CA 94110 – (415) 821-3600 – View Map
Picking the best insurance agent should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. Any agent in San Francisco should have no problem answering these questions:
- Is every driver in your family covered?
- Are they involved in claim handling?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- How is replacement cost determined on your vehicle?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- How much training do they have in personal risk management?
Which is the best insurance?
Always keep in mind that when comparing the right insurance coverage, there really isn’t a perfect coverage plan. Every insured’s situation is different.
These are some specific questions might point out whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.
- How can I get the company to pay a claim?
- Do I need more liability coverage?
- Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
- Are my friends covered when driving my Lexus RC 300?
- Am I covered while delivering pizza?
- How much liability insurance is required?
- If my Lexus RC 300 is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
- Can my babysitter drive my car?
- Where can I find DUI or SR-22 insurance?
- Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in San Francisco?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form.
Buying the right Lexus RC 300 insurance in California is an important decision
Despite the potentially high cost of Lexus RC 300 insurance, paying for insurance is required in California but it also protects you in many ways.
- The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means state laws require a minimum amount of liability protection if you want to drive legally. 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 vehicle has a lienholder, most banks will stipulate that you have physical damage coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may buy a policy for your Lexus at a significantly higher premium and force you to pay the higher price.
- Insurance preserves both your vehicle and your personal assets. It also can pay for medical bills for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance will also pay to defend you if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of insuring your RC 300 definitely exceed the price paid, particularly when you have a large claim. But the average driver in California overpays more than $825 a year so it’s recommended you shop around at least once a year to ensure rates are competitive.
Educate yourself about insurance coverages
Having a good grasp of your insurance policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Collision protection
Collision coverage covers damage to your RC 300 resulting from a collision with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against things like rolling your car, colliding with a tree, hitting a parking meter, sustaining damage from a pot hole and crashing into a building. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to raise the deductible on your RC 300 to get cheaper collision coverage.
Coverage for liability
Liability insurance can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property that is your fault. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see limits of 15/30/5 that means you have $15,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $30,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $5,000 paid for damaged property. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability coverage protects against things like attorney fees, bail bonds and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but consider buying higher limits if possible. California state minimum liability requirements are 15/30/5 but you should consider buying better liability coverage.
The illustration below demonstrates why low liability limits may not be adequate coverage.
Medical expense coverage
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses such as funeral costs, X-ray expenses and chiropractic care. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Comprehensive protection
Comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as hitting a deer, falling objects, theft and damage from flooding. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider dropping full coverage.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
This coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Lexus RC 300.
Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (15/30/5), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Normally the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liability limits.
Affordable auto insurance premiums are possible
Cheap Lexus RC 300 insurance in San Francisco is available from both online companies as well as from independent agents in San Francisco, so get free San Francisco auto insurance quotes from both of them to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who may not have rates over the internet and usually these regional insurance providers only sell through local independent agencies.
Insureds who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as policy cancellation, denial of a claim, not issuing a premium refund and even high rates after DUI convictions. It doesn’t matter what your reason, choosing a new company is not as hard as you think.
In this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to save on Lexus RC 300 insurance in San Francisco. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote San Francisco auto insurance, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from the smaller companies.
More tips and info about auto insurance is located in these articles:
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Quotes for Retired Military in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Police Officers in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap San Francisco Auto Insurance Quotes for a School Permit? (FAQ)
- All About Airbag Safety (State Farm)
- Self-driving cars won’t replace humans (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Where can I buy Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)