If you want to save the most money, the best way to find discount car insurance rates in San Francisco is to start doing a yearly price comparison from insurance carriers who provide auto insurance in California.
- Get an understanding of how auto insurance works and the measures you can take to keep rates in check. Many risk factors that drive up the price like getting speeding tickets and a bad credit score can be improved by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. This article gives the details to find cheap rates and get additional discounts that may be available.
- Compare price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can give you price quotes for a wide range of companies.
- Compare the price quotes to your existing rates and determine if cheaper Town and Country coverage is available. If you can save money and decide to switch, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Notify your current company of your intention to cancel your current coverage and submit a signed application and payment for your new coverage. Once the application is submitted, keep your new certificate verifying proof of insurance in your vehicle.
One key aspect when comparing rates is to compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every quote and and to get quotes from as many different insurance providers as possible. This ensures a level playing field and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
It’s safe to conclude that car insurance companies want to keep your business as long as possible. Drivers who compare other prices are highly likely to switch car insurance companies because of the good chance of finding a lower-cost company. Remarkably, a study showed that people who shopped around annually saved on average $860 a year as compared to drivers who never shopped around for lower prices.
If finding budget-friendly rates on insurance is the reason you’re reading this, understanding the best ways to shop for car insurance can make it easier to shop your coverage around.
If you have coverage now, you will most likely be able to find better prices using the ideas you’re about to read. Getting quotes for more affordable car insurance coverage in San Francisco is not as confusing as people think. But California car owners must understand how the larger insurance companies compete online because it varies considerably.
Car insurance providers offering cheap price quotes in California
The car insurance companies shown below have been selected to offer free rate quotes in San Francisco, CA. If multiple companies are listed, it’s a good idea that you visit several of them to get the best price comparison.
Statistics and details
The premium table displayed next showcases a range of prices for Chrysler Town and Country models. Being aware of how auto insurance premiums are figured can help drivers make smart choices when buying a policy.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town and Country LX | $210 | $298 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,018 | $85 |
| Town and Country Touring | $238 | $362 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,110 | $93 |
| Town and Country Signature | $238 | $362 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,110 | $93 |
| Town and Country Touring Plus | $238 | $362 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,110 | $93 |
| Town and Country Limited | $266 | $426 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,202 | $100 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, safe-driver, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Premium costs do not factor in your specific San Francisco location which can decrease or increase price quotes substantially.
Higher deductibles lower rates
When buying car insurance, a common question is how high should the physical damage deductibles be. The comparisons below can help illustrate the premium difference of buying low and high coverage deductibles. The first rate quote example uses a $100 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second price chart uses a $500 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town and Country LX | $380 | $564 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,479 | $123 |
| Town and Country Touring | $430 | $686 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,651 | $138 |
| Town and Country Signature | $430 | $686 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,651 | $138 |
| Town and Country Touring Plus | $430 | $686 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,651 | $138 |
| Town and Country Limited | $478 | $810 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,823 | $152 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town and Country LX | $278 | $382 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,170 | $98 |
| Town and Country Touring | $314 | $464 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,288 | $107 |
| Town and Country Signature | $314 | $464 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,288 | $107 |
| Town and Country Touring Plus | $314 | $464 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,288 | $107 |
| Town and Country Limited | $348 | $546 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,404 | $117 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Table data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, safe-driver, and homeowner. Rate information does not factor in specific location information which can influence coverage prices noticeably.
Based on these figures, using a $100 deductible could cost the average driver approximately $31 more each month or $372 a year averaged for all Town and Country models than buying the higher $500 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $400 more if you file a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you have at a minimum 13 months between claim filings, you would more than likely save some money if you choose a higher deductible.
Calculate deductible break even point
| Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $138 |
| Average monthly premium for $500 deductibles (subtract): | – $107 |
| Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $31 |
| Difference between deductibles ($500 – $100): | $400 |
| Divide difference by monthly savings: | $400 / $31 |
| Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 13 months |
One thing to be aware of is that increasing deductibles to save money means you will have to cover more of the damage yourself when you have a claim. It will be required that you have some extra savings in the event you have to pay the deductible to have repairs made.
Insurance rate increases from tickets or accidents
The diagram below demonstrates how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders can influence Chrysler Town and Country premium costs for different age groups of insureds. The prices are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $250 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.
Chrysler Town and Country liability-only versus full coverage
The example below shows the difference between Chrysler Town and Country yearly insurance costs with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. Data assumes a clean driving record, no claims, $500 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied.
When to stop buying full coverage
There is no set guideline of when to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is about 10% or more of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it might be time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s pretend your Chrysler Town and Country settlement value is $4,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would get paid by your company is $3,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are paying in excess of $300 a year for full coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.
There are a few situations where only buying liability is not recommended. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not eliminate full coverage.
San Francisco Insurance Prices are Influenced by These Factors
Many factors are considered when you get a price on insurance. Some are obvious like an MVR report, although some other factors are less apparent such as whether you are married or your vehicle rating.
The factors shown below are a few of the “ingredients” insurance companies consider when setting premiums.
Your address can push rates up or down – Choosing to live in a small town is a positive aspect if you are looking for the lowest rates. Drivers who live in large cities tend to have much more traffic and much longer commute distances. Fewer drivers and short commutes means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
Never let your insurance policy expire – Driving without insurance coverage in place can get you a ticket and companies may charge more for letting your coverage cancel without a new policy in place. In addition to paying higher rates, being ticketed for driving with no insurance may result in a license revocation or jail time. You may then have to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the California motor vehicle department.
GPS tracking and theft deterrents reduce prices – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Systems that thwart thieves such as OnStar found on GM vehicles, advanced tracking like LoJack, and vehicle immobilization systems all hinder car theft and help bring rates down.
Impacts performance impacts auto insurance costs – The performance of the car, truck or SUV you are trying to find cheaper insurance for makes a huge difference in the rate you pay. The cheapest insurance rates are generally reserved for the lowest performance passenger models, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.
The next chart uses these variables: single male driver age 50, full coverage with $250 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It compares Chrysler Town and Country policy rates compared to other models of vehicles that have different performance rating factors.
Do safer cars cost less to insure? – Cars with high safety ratings cost less to insure. Highly rated vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity means less claims paid and cheaper rates on your policy. If your Chrysler Town and Country earned at least an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website you may pay a lower rate.
High comp and collision deductibles save money – Physical damage insurance, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your vehicle. A few examples of covered claims are a broken side mirror, hail damage, and windstorm damage. The deductibles are the amount of money the insured will be required to pay if the claim is covered. The more damage repair cost you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Discounts for cheap auto insurance quotes
Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize all their discounts very well, so here is a list a few of the more common and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using when you buy San Francisco auto insurance online.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may qualify for better auto insurance rates.
- Accident-Free Discounts – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less as compared to frequent claim filers.
- Own a Home and Save – Owning your own home or condo may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home is proof of financial responsibility.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you can avoid the installment charge.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Insureds who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment could qualify for a slight premium decrease but check with your company.
- E-sign – A few larger online companies give back up to $50 simply for signing online.
- Passive Restraints – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of more than 20%.
Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you’re out of luck.
The illustration below shows the comparison of Chrysler Town and Country auto insurance rates with and without discounts. The costs are based on a male driver, no claims, a clean driving record, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, multi-car, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and marriage discounts applied.
A few of the larger companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts can be read below.
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including membership and employees, federal employee, anti-theft, seat belt use, and daytime running lights.
- Travelers offers discounts for home ownership, driver training, multi-car, good student, and early quote.
- Nationwide includes discounts for anti-theft, defensive driving, accident-free, business or organization, and easy pay.
- Farmers Insurance may include discounts for switch companies, electronic funds transfer, pay in full, multi-car, business and professional, and good student.
- Esurance may offer discounts for homeowner, multi-policy, safety device, online shopper, and anti-lock brakes.
- State Farm offers discounts including student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, good driver, good student, and defensive driving training.
- Progressive offers premium reductions for multi-vehicle, online signing, good student, homeowner, online quote discount, and multi-policy.
- Mercury Insurance may have discounts that include anti-theft, annual mileage, multi-car, accident-free, and low natural disaster claims.
When quoting, ask all the companies which discounts can lower your rates. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered on policies in San Francisco.
Are insurance agencies of importance?
A small number of people would rather have an agent’s advice and doing that can be a smart decision A good thing about comparing insurance prices online is that you can obtain the lowest rates and still buy from a local agent. Putting coverage with local agencies is still important in San Francisco.
Upon completion of this quick form, the quote information is submitted to participating agents in San Francisco that provide free San Francisco auto insurance quotes for your coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to drive around because prices are sent directly to you. It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with. If for some reason you want to compare prices from one company in particular, just find their quoting web page to submit a rate quote request.
Exclusive agents vs. Independent agents
When finding a good San Francisco insurance agent, there are a couple of different types of agencies and how they work. Insurance agencies are categorized either independent agents or exclusive agents.
Independent Insurance Agencies or Brokers
Agents that choose to be independent are appointed with more than one company so they have the ability to put coverage through many different insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If they find a cheaper price, the business is moved internally which makes it simple for you.
When comparison shopping, you will want to get insurance quotes from several independent agencies for maximum quote selection. They often place coverage with smaller mutual companies which may have better rates.
The following is a short list of independent agents in San Francisco who may provide price quotes.
- Robert E. Kennedy Insurance Agency
Flood Building, 870 Market St #740 – San Francisco, CA 94102 – (415) 951-0738 – View Map - Sam and Associates Insurance Agency
2225 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 665-0181 – View Map - United General Insurance Agency
3150 California St Ste 4A – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 922-7283 – View Map
View more San Francisco agents
Exclusive Agents
Agents of this type generally can only insure with one company and some examples include Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, and AAA. Exclusive agents cannot compare rates from other companies so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agents receive a lot of sales training on what they offer which helps offset the inability to provide other markets. A lot of people buy from exclusive agents mainly due to the prominent brand name rather than low price.
Below are exclusive insurance agencies in San Francisco who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Kate McIntyre – State Farm Insurance Agent
1215 9th Ave b – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 661-3650 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Dawn Prince
655 14th St – San Francisco, CA 94114 – (415) 552-6200 – View Map - Toan Tieu – State Farm Insurance Agent
690 Monterey Blvd – San Francisco, CA 94127 – (415) 610-8000 – View Map
View more San Francisco agents
Finding the right car insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Get answers to these questions too.
- Are all drivers listed on the coverage quote?
- Will they take your side in the event of a claim?
- Will you work with the agent or an assistant?
- How many companies do they write for?
- Does their agency support local causes in San Francisco?
- What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
One last thing about your coverage
Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how to lower your Chrysler Town and Country insurance prices in San Francisco. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the lowest prices come from an unexpected company.
People who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, extreme rates for teen drivers, high prices and even lack of trust in their agent. Regardless of your reason, finding a new car insurance company is easier than you think.
As you quote San Francisco auto insurance, it’s very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. In too many instances, someone sacrificed full coverage only to regret that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The goal is to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Helpful articles
- What Does No-Fault Insurance Cover? (Allstate)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for a Dodge Grand Caravan in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Teachers in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap San Francisco Car Insurance for Safe Drivers? (FAQ)
- Alcohol Impaired Driving FAQ (iihs.org)
- Determining Your Vehicle’s Value and Repair Cost (Insurance Information Institute)