It’s hard to believe, but nearly 70% of customers kept their policy with the same company for four years or more, and just under half have never quoted insurance rates at all. San Francisco insurance shoppers can cut their rates by approximately 35% a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they just don’t understand the benefits if they changed companies.
Truthfully, the best way to get low-cost auto insurance rates in San Francisco is to do a yearly price comparison from insurance carriers in California. You can shop around by following these guidelines.
- Read about the coverage provided by your policy and the modifications you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many things that result in higher rates such as speeding tickets, accidents and an unacceptable credit score can be amended by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. This article provides more information to help prevent costly coverage and find more discounts that you may not know about.
- Compare rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from one company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agents can quote rates from multiple companies.
- Compare the price quotes to your existing policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find a lower rate and buy the policy, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Tell your current agent or company to cancel the current policy and submit a down payment along with a signed application for the new policy. Immediately upon receiving it, place the new proof of insurance certificate with your vehicle’s registration.
The most important part of shopping around is that you’ll want to compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every quote and and to look at as many car insurance companies as possible. This guarantees the most accurate price comparison and maximum price selection.
The quickest way to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to understand auto insurance companies allow for online access to give free rates quotes. The one thing you need to do is spend a couple of minutes providing details like whether your vehicle is owned or leased, how your vehicles are used, your education level, and your general credit rating. That rating data is automatically sent to all major companies and they respond with quotes almost instantly.
If you would like to compare rates now, click here and enter your coverage details.
The auto insurance companies shown below have been selected to offer comparison quotes in California. If more than one company is shown, we suggest you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Choosing the best vehicle insurance in California is an important decision
Even though it can be expensive, car insurance serves an important purpose.
First, just about all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability coverage if you drive a vehicle. 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 your vehicle has a loan, most lenders will require that you have insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the bank may buy a policy for your Mitsubishi at a much higher rate and require you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
Third, insurance protects your Mitsubishi Raider and your assets. Insurance will also pay for medical bills incurred in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having car insurance outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. An average driver in America is wasting up to $830 a year so you should quote your policy with other companies at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
Slash rates with these eight discounts on Mitsubishi Raider insurance in San Francisco
Auto insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but companies offer discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be applied at the time you complete a quote, but some may not be applied and must be requested specifically before they will apply.
- Sign Online – A handful of companies will give a small break for completing your application on your computer.
- Telematics Data Discounts – Insureds that choose to allow companies to track when and where they use their vehicle by using a small device installed in their vehicle such as State Farm’s In-Drive might see lower rates as long as they are good drivers.
- Good Student Discount – This discount may save you up to 25%. Many companies even apply the discount to college students until age 25.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If you can afford to pay the entire bill as opposed to paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Larger insurance carriers have a discounted auto insurance rate on car insurance if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Senior Citizens – Drivers over the age of 55 may receive lower premium rates.
- Distant College Student Discount – College-age children who are enrolled in higher education away from home and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
- No Claim Discounts – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims can earn big discounts as compared to policyholders that have many claims.
One thing to note about discounts is that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Even though it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
To see a list of auto insurance companies that offer some of these discounts in San Francisco, click here to view.
Exclusive or independent insurance agencies
Many people just want to buy from a local agent and doing that can be a smart decision Professional insurance agents can help you choose the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. One of the benefits of comparing rate quotes online is the fact that you can find cheaper rates and still have an agent to talk to. Buying from local agents is definitely important in San Francisco.
Upon completion of this short form, your coverage information is emailed to participating agents in San Francisco who want to provide quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to find an agent on your own because quoted prices will be sent to your email. In the event you want to quote rates from a specific car insurance provider, you can always go to their quote page and complete a quote there.
If you want a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are two types of insurance agents from which to choose. Agents may be either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Either one can sell and service car insurance coverage, but it’s a good idea to understand how they differ since it could factor into which agent you choose.
Independent Agents
Agents of this type are normally appointed by many insurers and that is an advantage because they can write policies through many companies and find you the best rates. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move your policy to a different company and that require little work on your part.
If you need cheaper car insurance rates, it’s recommended you include price quotes from a couple of independent agencies to maximize your price options.
Featured below is a short list of independent agents in San Francisco who may be able to give you competitive price quotes.
Al Zeidler Insurance Agency
1714 Stockton St #417 – San Francisco, CA 94133 – (415) 753-1936 – View Map
Basic West Insurance Agency
1641 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 665-7400 – View Map
CAL Insurance and Associates
2311 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 661-6500 – View Map
Exclusive Agencies
Agents that choose to be exclusive have only one company to place business with and some examples include Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive insurance agents receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive agents in San Francisco who can help you get price quote information.
Darlene Chow – State Farm Insurance Agent
206 Spear St – San Francisco, CA 94105 – (415) 441-1119 – View Map
Fillia Fransisca – State Farm Insurance Agent
2315 Noriega St – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 661-3726 – View Map
Tiffany Won – State Farm Insurance Agent
1250 Missouri St Unit 305 – San Francisco, CA 94107 – (415) 872-5734 – View Map
Deciding on an auto insurance agent should include more criteria than just the premium amount. These questions are important to ask:
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
- Is the agency active in community causes in San Francisco?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
You are unique and your insurance should be too
When quoting and choosing coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
For example, these questions may help you determine if your situation might need professional guidance.
- Is extra glass coverage worth it?
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Are there any extra discounts I can get?
- Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
- Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
- Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form. It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.
Coverages available on your policy
Learning about specific coverages of a auto insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as hail damage, hitting a deer, damage from flooding, rock chips in glass and a broken windshield. The highest amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Collision insurance
Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Raider resulting from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision can pay for claims such as backing into a parked car, rolling your car and driving through your garage door. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible on your Raider to bring the cost down.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Due to the fact that many California drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (California limits are 15/30/5), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Normally the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Insurance for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for expenses for surgery, X-ray expenses, EMT expenses and rehabilitation expenses. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover all vehicle occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible
Auto liability
Liability insurance protects you from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 15/30/5 which means $15,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL which limits claims to one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage pays for claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, medical expenses and pain and suffering. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. California requires drivers to carry at least 15/30/5 but drivers should carry better liability coverage.
The next chart demonstrates why buying the state minimum limits may not provide you with enough coverage.
Cheaper auto insurance premiums are possible
When getting San Francisco auto insurance quotes online, it’s a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your strategy should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
We just presented quite a bit of information on how to find lower-cost Mitsubishi Raider insurance in San Francisco. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may even discover the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.
Cheap Mitsubishi Raider insurance in San Francisco can be sourced online and from local insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers may not provide online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.
Other information
- Red Light Cameras (State Farm)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with Good Credit in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Subaru Outback in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap San Francisco Car Insurance for Good Drivers? (FAQ)
- Rental Reimbursement Coverage (Allstate)
- Distracted Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)