Unbelievable but true, most consumers have bought insurance from the same company for well over three years, and approximately 38% of consumers have never compared rates from other carriers. With the average premium in California being $1,390, drivers can cut their rates by as much as 35% a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they don’t believe the amount of savings they would get if they switched to a more affordable policy.
The recommended way to find cheaper quotes for auto insurance rates in San Francisco is to regularly compare quotes from providers in California.
- First, it will benefit you to learn about how your policy works and the factors you can control to prevent high rates. Many risk factors that cause rate increases like distracted driving and a not-so-good credit history can be rectified by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
- Second, compare rates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only quote rates from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes for many different companies.
- Third, compare the new rates to your current policy to see if cheaper Highlander Hybrid coverage is available in San Francisco. If you can save some money and buy the policy, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
The most important part of shopping around is to make sure you enter the same amount of coverage on each price quote and and to get prices from all possible companies. Doing this guarantees a fair rate comparison and maximum price selection.
Our goal is to help you learn the most effective ways to compare rates and some tricks to saving. If you have coverage now, you will surely be able to reduce the price you pay using the concepts covered in this article. Drivers just have to learn the proper methods to shop online from multiple companies.
The companies shown below are ready to provide quotes in San Francisco, CA. If more than one company is shown, it’s a good idea that you visit several of them to get the best price comparison.
Three reasons to insure your vehicle
Even though San Francisco Highlander Hybrid insurance rates can get expensive, paying for insurance is required in California but also provides important benefits.
- The majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a minimum amount 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.
- If you took out a loan on your vehicle, it’s guaranteed your bank will require you to buy insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Toyota for a lot more money and require you to reimburse them for the expensive policy.
- Insurance safeguards not only your Toyota Highlander Hybrid but also your assets. It will also pay for medical transport and hospital expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability coverage will also pay for a defense attorney if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your Toyota gets damaged, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. The average driver in California overpays as much as $830 a year so we recommend shopping around at every policy renewal to make sure the price is not too high.
Discounts can help lower rates on Toyota Highlander Hybrid insurance in San Francisco
Some providers don’t necessarily list their entire list of discounts very well, so the following list contains both the well known and also the more inconspicuous savings tricks you should be using when you buy San Francisco auto insurance online.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Insurance carriers who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy auto and life insurance together.
- Distant Student Discount – Any of your kids who are attending college and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
- Employee of Federal Government – Having worked for a branch of the government could qualify for a slight premium decrease with select insurance companies.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts may earn rate discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Active Service Discounts – Being deployed in the military could be rewarded with lower premium rates.
- Early Switch Discount – Some companies provide a discount for renewing your policy prior to your current Highlander Hybrid insurance policy expiration. You can save around 10% with this discount.
- No Claims – Good drivers with no accidents get the best car insurance rates compared to drivers with a long claim history.
- Discount for Good Grades – A discount for being a good student may save you up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Maintaining low annual mileage could be rewarded with discounted prices on garaged vehicles.
- Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can pay as much as 50% less than drivers with accident claims.
We need to note that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, nobody gets a free ride. But any discount will reduce your policy premiums.
The best car insurance companies and a selection of discounts include:
- Progressive discounts include continuous coverage, good student, multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, and online signing.
- GEICO may have discounts that include daytime running lights, military active duty, membership and employees, good student, emergency military deployment, and federal employee.
- State Farm offers discounts including student away at school, multiple autos, accident-free, defensive driving training, good driver, anti-theft, and passive restraint.
- Esurance offers discounts for anti-lock brakes, Pac-12 alumni, DriveSense, safety device, emergency road assistance, and Switch & Save.
- The Hartford includes discounts for driver training, vehicle fuel type, air bag, defensive driver, good student, and bundle.
If you need lower rates, check with every insurance company how you can save money. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not be offered in every state. To see a list of companies with discount car insurance rates in San Francisco, click here to view.
Do I need an insurance agency?
Many drivers still prefer to buy from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Good agents will help you protect your assets and help file insurance claims. A good thing about comparing rate quotes online is that you can find lower rates and also buy local. Buying insurance from local insurance agents is important especially in San Francisco.
By using this quick form, your insurance data is emailed to local insurance agents who will give you bids to get your business. You won’t need to search for an agent because prices are sent directly to you. If you have a need to get a rate quote from a particular provider, you would need to search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
Choose the right car insurance agent
If you are wanting to find a reliable insurance agent, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents and how they can quote your rates. San Francisco agents are considered either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer. Either one can sell affordable auto insurance policies, but we need to point out how they differ because it can factor into your selection of an agent.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents of this type are appointed with more than one company and that is an advantage because they can write policies with any number of different companies and find you the best rates. If prices rise, your agent can just switch to a different company and you don’t have to do anything. When comparing rate quotes, it’s recommended you contact a few independent agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.
Below are independent insurance agencies in San Francisco that may be able to provide comparison quotes.
Nationwide Insurance: Anita Daisy Lo Agency
6037 Geary Blvd – San Francisco, CA 94121 – (415) 592-8388 – View Map
Sam and Associates Insurance Agency
2225 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 665-0181 – View Map
Basic West Insurance Agency
1641 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 665-7400 – View Map
Exclusive Agencies
Exclusive insurance agents write business for a single company such as Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Exclusive agents are trained well in insurance sales and that can be a competitive advantage.
Below are San Francisco exclusive insurance agents who can help you get price quotes.
Adrienne Ng – State Farm Insurance Agent
425 Market St #2252 – San Francisco, CA 94105 – (415) 292-8088 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Dawn Prince
655 14th St – San Francisco, CA 94114 – (415) 552-6200 – View Map
Angela Ng – State Farm Insurance Agent
377 W Portal Ave – San Francisco, CA 94127 – (415) 731-7400 – View Map
Finding the right car insurance agent should include more criteria than just a cheap quote. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Can you choose the body shop in case repairs are needed?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
Quote. Compare. Save.
As you quote San Francisco auto insurance, you should never buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, someone sacrificed collision coverage and discovered at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best possible price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
A few companies may not have price quotes online and these regional insurance providers only sell through independent agencies. Lower-priced Toyota Highlander Hybrid insurance in San Francisco is available online as well as from insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best chance of saving money.
Much more information about car insurance in California is available at the links below
- Distracted Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable San Francisco Car Insurance for Drivers Under 25? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Jeep Grand Cherokee in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Auto Insurance Basics (Insurance Information Institute)
- If I File a Claim will My Insurance Go Up? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Should I Buy a New or Used Car? (Allstate)