Have you finally had enough of being strong-armed to keep your car insured? You are no different than millions of other drivers.
It’s a known fact that insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. Drivers who shop rates annually will, in all likelihood, buy a new policy because there is a significant possibility of finding good coverage at a lower price. Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that drivers who compared price quotes annually saved $850 each year as compared to drivers who never shopped around for better prices.
If finding the best price on insurance is your ultimate goal, learning how to shop and compare insurance rates can help make the process easier and more efficient.
How to find lower priced Toyota Tacoma insurance in San Francisco
The best way to save on car insurance rates in San Francisco is to do an annual price comparison from different companies who sell auto insurance in California.
- First, spend some time learning about how companies set rates and the steps you can take to prevent high rates. Many rating factors that result in higher rates such as multiple speeding tickets and a less-than-favorable credit history can be controlled by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. This article provides ideas to prevent high prices and find additional discounts.
- Second, get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agencies can quote rates for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Third, compare the price quotes to your existing policy to determine if you can save on Tacoma insurance in San Francisco. If you find better rates, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Fourth, notify your current company of your decision to cancel your current policy and submit the application along with any required down payment for your new policy. Immediately upon receiving it, put the new certificate verifying proof of insurance in an accessible location in your vehicle.
One tip to remember is that you use similar limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to get price estimates from every company you can. Doing this provides an apples-to-apples comparison and a better comparison of the market.
Big companies like Allstate and Progressive all claim big savings with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to ignore the flashy ads and do the work needed to find the best deal.
You need to get comparison quotes yearly due to the fact that insurance prices are variable and change quite frequently. If you had the best rates on Toyota Tacoma insurance in San Francisco last year you will most likely find a better rate quote today. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about Tacoma insurance online, but in a few minutes you can learn a lot of great tips on how to lower your insurance rates in San Francisco.
The companies shown below have been selected to offer free quotes in California. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you get prices from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Three reasons car insurance is important
Even though San Francisco Tacoma insurance rates can get expensive, buying car insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.
- Almost all states have minimum liability requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific minimum amount of liability if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 Toyota, almost all lenders will require you to carry insurance to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you default on your policy, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Toyota at a more expensive rate and require you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
- Car insurance preserves not only your vehicle but also your assets. It will also provide coverage for medical expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, will also pay for a defense attorney if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. The average driver in America is currently overpaying as much as $800 each year so you should quote rates every year to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Detailed insurance information
The information below highlights estimates of prices for Toyota Tacoma models. Knowing how prices are established is important for you to make decisions on the best policy to buy.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tacoma 2WD | $242 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,306 | $109 |
Tacoma 4WD | $278 | $382 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,260 | $105 |
Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $278 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,342 | $112 |
Tacoma X-Runner 2WD | $278 | $546 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,424 | $119 |
Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $314 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,378 | $115 |
Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road Package 4WD | $314 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,378 | $115 |
Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $314 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,378 | $115 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Price data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-vehicle, claim-free, and multi-policy. Estimates do not factor in garaging location in San Francisco which can increase or decrease premiums substantially.
Can higher deductibles save money?
One of the more difficult decisions when buying car insurance is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The comparison tables below may help to conceptualize how much more you’ll pay between high and low deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $250 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second set of prices uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tacoma 2WD | $298 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,499 | $125 |
Tacoma 4WD | $342 | $472 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,439 | $120 |
Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $342 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,543 | $129 |
Tacoma X-Runner 2WD | $342 | $678 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,645 | $137 |
Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $386 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,587 | $132 |
Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road Package 4WD | $386 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,587 | $132 |
Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $386 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,587 | $132 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tacoma 2WD | $242 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,306 | $109 |
Tacoma 4WD | $278 | $382 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,260 | $105 |
Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $278 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,342 | $112 |
Tacoma X-Runner 2WD | $278 | $546 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,424 | $119 |
Tacoma Double Cab 4WD | $314 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,378 | $115 |
Tacoma Double Cab TRD Off-Road Package 4WD | $314 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,378 | $115 |
Tacoma Double Cab TRD Sport Package 4WD | $314 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,378 | $115 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, and claim-free. Information does not factor in San Francisco location which can influence price quotes considerably.
Using the premium rates above, we can conclude that using a $250 deductible costs about $17 more each month or $204 each year than opting for the higher $500 deductible. Since you would pay $250 more out-of-pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to have at a minimum 15 months between claim filings, you would probably be better off if you opt for a higher deductible. Here’s a better example of how you can decide this on your own policy.
Average monthly premium for $250 deductibles: | $130 |
Average monthly premium for $500 deductibles (subtract): | – $113 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $17 |
Difference between deductibles ($500 – $250): | $250 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $250 / $17 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 15 months |
The example below demonstrates how choosing different deductibles and can impact Toyota Tacoma insurance rates for different age groups of insureds. The prices are based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
Get cheaper Toyota Tacoma insurance in San Francisco with discounts
Buying car insurance is not cheap, but there are discounts available that can drop the cost substantially. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about prior to getting the savings.
- Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government could provide a small rate reduction with a few car insurance companies.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Owning your own home or condo may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- One Accident Forgiven – Not really a discount, but companies like State Farm and GEICO will turn a blind eye to one accident before they charge you more for coverage if your claims history is clear prior to being involved in the accident.
- Club Memberships – Participating in specific professional or occupational memberships or organizations could earn you a nice discount on your policy.
- Pay Early and Save – If you can afford to pay the entire bill instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
- Seat Belts Save – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts may be able to save a few bucks off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Driver Education Discount – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to participate in a local driver’s education class as it can save substantially.
- Accident Free – Claim-free drivers can save substantially compared to accident-prone drivers.
We need to note that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
The diagram below illustrates the difference between Toyota Tacoma insurance costs with and without discounts. The rates are based on a female driver, a clean driving record, no claims, 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 marriage, homeowner, claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, and multi-car discounts applied.
A few popular companies and a partial list of their discounts can be found below.
- Farm Bureau may offer discounts for driver training, multi-policy, safe driver, multi-vehicle, good student, and renewal discount.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts including multi-car, new graduate, newly retired, multi-policy, and teen driver discount.
- State Farm includes discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, multiple autos, Drive Safe & Save, anti-theft, and accident-free.
- Auto-Owners Insurance offers discounts for air bags, paid in full, teen driver, anti-lock brakes, safe vehicle, multi-policy, and anti-theft.
- GEICO has discounts for military active duty, multi-vehicle, seat belt use, air bags, driver training, and good student.
- SAFECO may include discounts for safe driver, multi-car, teen safety rewards, anti-lock brakes, bundle discounts, and drive less.
Before purchasing a policy, check with all companies you are considering to apply every possible discount. Some credits might not be available to policyholders in San Francisco.
When to have guidance from a local insurance agent
A lot of people just prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is just fine! Insurance agents can help you build your policy and help file insurance claims. An additional benefit of price shopping on the web is that drivers can save money and get cheap rate quotes and also buy local. And buying from local agencies is still important in San Francisco.
Upon completion of this short form, the coverage information is instantly submitted to participating agents in San Francisco who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You never need to find an agent on your own as quotes are delivered to your email. If you have a need to get a comparison quote from a specific company, feel free to navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.
Listed below is a short list of auto insurance companies in San Francisco who can help you get price quote information for Toyota Tacoma insurance in San Francisco.
Allstate Insurance: Dawn Prince
655 14th St – San Francisco, CA 94114 – (415) 552-6200 – View Map
Sam and Associates Insurance Agency
2225 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 665-0181 – View Map
Alan Chan State Farm Insurance
1820 Van Ness Ave – San Francisco, CA 94109 – (415) 776-2190 – View Map
Angela Chan – State Farm Insurance Agent
756 Sacramento St – San Francisco, CA 94108 – (415) 956-4888 – View Map
Picking the best provider requires more thought than just a cheap quote. Any good agent in San Francisco should know the answers to these questions.
- Are they involved in claim handling?
- Has the agent ever had any license suspensions?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Does their agency support local causes in San Francisco?
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
- Which insurance company do they prefer to write with?
After you get good feedback to these questions as well as a price you’re happy with, you’ve probably found a company that can adequately provide insurance. It’s important to know that consumers can cancel your policy at any time so don’t feel you are locked into a specific agent indefinitely.
What is the best car insurance coverage?
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Should I get collision insurance on every vehicle?
- Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
- How many claims can I have before being canceled?
- Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
- What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
- Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in San Francisco?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form. It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.
The most affordable rates come from being thorough
We just covered many ways to shop for Toyota Tacoma insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even be surprised to find that the most savings is with the smaller companies.
Affordable Toyota Tacoma insurance in San Francisco is definitely available from both online companies and with local San Francisco insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not provide online rate quotes and these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage and learned later that the savings was not a smart move. Your objective should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.
Steps to buying affordable Toyota Tacoma insurance in San Francisco
It takes a few minutes, but the best way to find cheaper Toyota Tacoma insurance in San Francisco is to annually compare prices from insurance carriers who provide car insurance in California. Prices can be compared by completing these steps.
- Step 1: Read and learn about what is in your policy and the measures you can control to lower rates. Many policy risk factors that result in higher prices like traffic citations and an imperfect credit history can be rectified by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Step 2: Get rate quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can provide rates from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can quote prices from multiple companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium to see if cheaper Tacoma coverage is available. If you find a better price and make a switch, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
The key aspect of shopping around is to use the same deductibles and limits on each price quote and and to get price estimates from as many companies as feasibly possible. This enables a fair price comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
Additional information can be found below:
- Distracted Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Quotes for Homeowners in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Hyundai Elantra in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable San Francisco Auto Insurance for a Ford F-150? (FAQ)
- How Much is San Francisco Auto Insurance for Drivers with a DUI? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Teenage Males in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance After a Speeding Ticket in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Low Income Drivers in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Get the Right Protection (InsureUonline.org)
- Choosing a Car for Your Teen (State Farm)
- When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)
- Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)