Everyone knows that insurance companies want to keep you from comparing prices. Consumers who do rate comparisons will probably switch companies because they have good chances of finding discount prices. A recent survey discovered that drivers who compared rates once a year saved about $860 a year compared to policyholders who never shopped around for cheaper prices.
If finding the best price on car insurance in San Francisco is your intention, then understanding the best ways to find and compare insurance rates can make it simple to find affordable coverage.
If you want to save the most money, the best way to save money on Dodge Durango insurance in San Francisco is to compare quotes annually from providers who can sell car insurance in California. Price quotes can be compared by completing these steps.
- Get a basic knowledge of what coverages are included in your policy and the steps you can take to prevent expensive coverage. Many factors that result in higher prices such as at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and a not-so-good credit score can be amended by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
- Compare price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can give you price quotes from multiple companies. Click to view companies
- Compare the quotes to your existing policy to see if cheaper Durango coverage is available in San Francisco. If you can save some money and buy the policy, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
- Tell your current agent or company to cancel your current coverage and submit the completed application along with a down payment to the new company. When you receive it, put the proof of insurance certificate above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
The key thing to know about shopping around is to try to compare the same deductibles and limits on every quote and and to get price estimates from every company you can. This guarantees an accurate price comparison and the best price selection.
Choices You Make Can Impact Your Insurance Rates
Lots of factors are taken into consideration when premium rates are determined. Most are fairly basic such as your driving record, but some are more transparent like your continuous coverage or how safe your car is. The best way to find cheaper insurance is to take a look at some of the factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for insurance. If you have a feel for what influences your rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to better insurance rates.
The list below includes some of the factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set prices.
- Married drivers get better costs – Having a wife or husband can get you a discount on your insurance bill. It translates into being more stable financially and insurance companies like that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- More performance means higher prices – The performance level of the vehicle you are insuring makes a significant difference in your rates. The lowest performance passenger models usually have the lowest premiums, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.
- If you don’t need it don’t buy it – There are many add-on coverages that you can buy but may not be useful. Add-on coverages like rental car coverage, accident forgiveness, and extra equipment coverage are probably not needed. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money think about removing them and cutting costs.
- Teen vs. mature drivers – More mature drivers are shown to be more cautious, tend to cause fewer accidents, and get fewer tickets. Young drivers tend to be careless and easily distracted in a vehicle so insurance rates are higher.
- Long commutes cost more – Driving a lot of miles in a year’s time the more you will pay for insurance. Many insurance companies calculate prices based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks that do not get driven very much cost less to insure as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. An incorrectly rated Durango is just wasting money. Verify your policy reflects the correct usage for each vehicle.
- Policy claims cost money – Companies in California provide discounts to people who are claim-free. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Auto insurance is intended for the large, substantial claims.
- Good drivers pay less – Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Attentive drivers receive lower rates as compared to those with violations. Having a single speeding ticket or other violation may increase your cost by as much as twenty percent. Drivers who have received dangerous tickets like DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding might be required by their state to maintain a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to drive a vehicle legally.
- Insurance rates and your occupation – Occupational choices like doctors, airline pilots, and stock brokers generally pay higher premiums than the average policyholder because of high stress and incredibly demanding work hours. Other occupations such as scientists, engineers and performers have lower than average premiums.
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Insurance losses for a Dodge Durango – Auto insurance companies use claims history to calculate a rate that will offset losses. Vehicles that the data determines to have a higher amount or frequency of claims will have a higher premium rate.
The table below illustrates the actual insurance loss data for Dodge Durango vehicles. For each insurance policy coverage type, the claim probability for all vehicles as a whole is considered to be 100. Values that are 100 or less suggest a better than average loss history, while values that are above 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.
Insurance Loss Ratings for Dodge Durango Vehicles Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Dodge Durango 4dr 2WD 88 110 91 104 90 100 Dodge Durango 4dr 4WD 90 115 97 92 93 102 BETTERAVERAGEWORSEData Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Most companies give coverage price quotes on the web. Getting Dodge Durango insurance prices online is fairly simple as you just type in your personal and coverage information into a form. Once entered, their system sends out for your driving record and credit report and returns a price determined by many factors. Being able to quote online for Dodge Durango insurance in San Francisco helps simplify price comparisons, and it’s also necessary to have as many quotes as possible if you want to get cheaper rates.
To get comparison pricing now, visit the companies below or click here to submit a quote request to multiple companies at once. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you input the insurance coverages identical to your current policy. Doing this guarantees you will have a price comparison using the same coverage and limits.
The providers in the list below are ready to provide free rate quotes in California. If more than one company is shown, we suggest you visit as many as you can in order to find the most affordable rates.
Why insurance is not optional
Despite the high insurance cost for a Dodge Durango in San Francisco, maintaining insurance serves an important purpose.
First, most states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means state laws require a specific minimum amount of liability insurance in order to license the 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 you have a loan on your Dodge Durango, almost every bank will require that you carry insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you default on your policy, the bank will be required to insure your Dodge for a much higher rate and make you pay for the expensive policy.
Third, insurance safeguards both your assets and your car. It will also pay for all forms of medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability coverage also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of having insurance more than cancel out the cost, particularly for liability claims. According to a 2015 survey, the average American driver is currently overpaying as much as $830 a year so compare rates at least once a year to save money.
Get lower-cost Dodge Durango insurance in San Francisco with discounts
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always advertise every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so the next list breaks down both the well known and the harder-to-find discounts that may be available. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you qualify for, you could be getting lower rates.
- Military Rewards – Having a family member in the military can result in better premium rates.
- Sign Early and Save – Some larger companies provide a discount for buying a new policy prior to the expiration date on your current Durango insurance policy. It can save you around 10%.
- College Student Discount – Any of your kids who attend college more than 100 miles from San Francisco and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Buying insurance for all your vehicles with one company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Forcing all vehicle occupants to buckle their seat belts may be able to save a few bucks off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Own a Home and Save – Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings since owning and maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more on Durango insurance in San Francisco.
- Student Discounts – Performing well in school may save you up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
- No Claim Discounts – Insureds with no claims or accidents can earn big discounts compared to frequent claim filers.
Don’t be surprised that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think it’s possible to get free car insurance, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
Some of the insurance companies that may have some of the above discounts possibly include:
If you need lower rates, check with each company to apply every possible discount. Discounts might not be offered in every state.
Local agents and car insurance
Many people just want to buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! One of the benefits of comparing insurance prices online is you may find cheaper rates but also keep your business local. And supporting local agents is important especially in San Francisco.
To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, the quote information is emailed to insurance agents in San Francisco who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact any insurance agencies because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. Get lower rates and work with a local agent. If you have a need to compare prices from a particular provider, just jump over to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Car insurance agents in San Francisco come in two varieties
If you want a good San Francisco insurance agent, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents to choose from. Insurance agencies in San Francisco can either be independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agencies are not restricted to one company so they can quote policies through many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move your policy to a different company and you don’t have to find a new agent. If you need lower rates, it’s a good idea to compare quotes from independent agents to get the most accurate price comparison.
Featured below are independent insurance agencies in San Francisco that can give you competitive price quotes.
United General Insurance Agency
3150 California St Ste 4A – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 922-7283 – View Map
Jessica Liu Insurance Services
3428 Balboa St – San Francisco, CA 94121 – (415) 386-2283 – View Map
Wang Insurance
2620 Judah St – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 731-7062 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Exclusive insurance agents can only place business with one company like Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. They usually cannot place coverage with different providers so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agencies are highly trained in insurance sales and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.
Shown below are San Francisco exclusive insurance agencies willing to provide rate quotes.
Rebekah Shapiro – State Farm Insurance Agent
1736 Stockton St #9 – San Francisco, CA 94133 – (415) 525-3344 – View Map
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
Picking an auto insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Some important questions to ask are:
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
- Do they get extra compensation for selling add-on coverages?
- Is every driver in your family covered?
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- Where would your vehicle be repaired?
Do I need special coverages?
Always remember that when buying coverage online or from an agent for your vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
These are some specific questions may help highlight if you could use an agent’s help.
- Is pet coverage available?
- Am I covered if I hit my neighbor’s mailbox?
- What does UM/UIM cover?
- When would I need additional glass coverage?
- When should I buy a commercial auto policy?
- Should I bundle my homeowners policy with my auto?
- Is my Dodge Durango covered for smoke damage?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
In conclusion
When getting San Francisco auto insurance quotes online, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
Drivers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including high prices, lack of trust in their agent, policy cancellation and even questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding the right car insurance provider is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.
There are still a few companies who may not offer rate quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies. Budget-friendly car insurance in San Francisco is attainable from both online companies in addition to local insurance agencies, so you need to compare both to have the best rate selection.
Additional information can be read below:
- What is Covered by GAP Insurance? (Allstate)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for a GMC Acadia in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for State Employees in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for a Nissan Altima in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Safety Belts FAQ (iihs.org)
- Protecting Teens from Drunk Driving (Insurance Information Institute)