If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to get low-cost car insurance rates is to start comparing rates regularly from providers who can sell car insurance in San Francisco. Rates can be compared by following these guidelines.
- Take a little time to learn about the different coverages in a policy and the factors you can control to prevent high rates. Many risk factors that are responsible for high rates like traffic violations and a substandard credit history can be rectified by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
- Compare prices from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can give you price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Compare the new rates to your current policy premium to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find a better price and make a switch, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
- Tell your current company of your decision to cancel your current policy and submit a signed application and payment to the newly selected company. Immediately upon receiving it, keep the new proof of insurance certificate somewhere easily accessible.
One thing to remember is to try to use the same coverage limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get quotes from as many carriers as you can. Doing this ensures a fair price comparison and a good representation of prices.
It’s an obvious assumption that car insurance companies don’t want you comparing rates. Insureds who compare rates once a year will, in all likelihood, switch companies because the odds are good of finding a lower rate. A recent auto insurance study revealed that consumers who routinely compared rates saved approximately $865 a year compared to people who never shopped around for cheaper prices.
If finding the best price on auto insurance is your ultimate objective, then having a good understanding the best way to compare auto insurance can save time, money, and frustration.
If you have insurance now or just want a better rate, take advantage of these tips to find the best rates while maintaining coverages. Buying affordable auto insurance in San Francisco is actually quite easy if you know where to start. Drivers just need to understand the most efficient way to compare prices online from multiple companies.
Lowering your Ford GT car insurance rates isn’t really that difficult. You just need to invest a little time to compare rates from some recommended companies.
Getting free rate quotes online is quite simple, and it makes it obsolete to drive to insurance agents’ offices. Comparing Ford GT insurance rate quotes online eliminates this option unless you’re the type of person who wants the professional advice of an agent trained in personal lines coverage. It is possible to compare the best prices online and have a local agent actually service the policy.
The companies shown below have been selected to offer quotes in San Francisco, CA. If several companies are displayed, we suggest you visit two to three different companies to find the lowest car insurance rates.
Why you need quality insurance for your Ford vehicle
Despite the high insurance cost for a Ford GT in San Francisco, insurance serves an important purpose.
- The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a minimum amount of liability protection 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 your GT has a lienholder, almost every bank will make it a condition of the loan that you carry insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may insure your Ford for a lot more money and require you to pay much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects both your assets and your Ford GT. Insurance will pay for hospital and medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also covers legal expenses if you cause an accident and are sued. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of buying enough insurance greatly outweigh the cost, especially when you need to use it. Unknowingly, the average driver is overpaying over $865 each year so you should quote rates once a year at a minimum to make sure the price is not too high.
These discounts can slash Ford GT insurance rates
Auto insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but companies offer discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Certain credits will be shown at the time you complete a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied prior to getting the savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Forcing all vehicle occupants to buckle up before driving can save 10% or more off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Membership in Organizations – Being a member of qualifying clubs or civic groups could earn you a nice discount on your bill.
- Drivers Education – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers enroll and complete driver’s education in school.
- Smart Student Discounts – This discount may save as much as 25% on a San Francisco auto insurance quote. Many companies even apply the discount to college students up to age 25.
- Active Service Discounts – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better premium rates.
- Accident Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less when compared to bad drivers.
- Paperwork-free – Many larger companies will provide an incentive shop San Francisco auto insurance on the internet.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles could qualify for cheaper rates.
- Life Insurance Discount – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a break if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers without accidents may save up to 50% more than their less cautious counterparts.
As a footnote on discounts, most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
Large auto insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are shown below.
- State Farm offers discounts including Drive Safe & Save, multiple autos, passive restraint, defensive driving training, and driver’s education.
- Farmers Insurance includes discounts for early shopping, switch companies, bundle discounts, good student, electronic funds transfer, youthful driver, and alternative fuel.
- GEICO may have discounts that include emergency military deployment, daytime running lights, military active duty, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and good student.
- American Family offers premium reductions for mySafetyValet, Steer into Savings, defensive driver, early bird, good driver, and air bags.
- Nationwide may offer discounts for good student, Farm Bureau membership, anti-theft, business or organization, accident-free, and easy pay.
- Progressive offers discounts for multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, continuous coverage, and good student.
Check with each insurance company to apply every possible discount. Savings may not apply in San Francisco. To see a list of auto insurance companies that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts in California, click here to view.
You may need advice from an insurance agent
Many drivers just prefer to buy from a local agent and that is OK! Good agents can help determine the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. One of the great benefits of comparing auto insurance online is the fact that drivers can get the best rates and still have an agent to talk to.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is sent to local insurance agents who will gladly provide quotes to get your business. You won’t need to contact any insurance agencies because prices are sent to you instantly. If for some reason you want to get a price quote from one company in particular, just search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
Deciding on an insurance company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap quote. You should also get answers to these questions.
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- What are their preferred companies if they are an independent agency?
- Will one accident increase rates?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
- Does the agent help file claims?
- Is there a local claims center in San Francisco?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
If you prefer to buy auto insurance from a reliable insurance agency, it’s important to understand the types of insurance agents and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Auto insurance agencies can be classified as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive. Either one can insure your vehicles, but it is a good idea to know the difference in the companies they write for because it may have an impact on the selection process.
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agents can only place business with one company such as AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance, and Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot provide prices from multiple companies so keep that in mind. Exclusive insurance agents receive extensive training on their company’s products which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates.
Shown below is a list of exclusive insurance agents in San Francisco that are able to give price quote information.
Alan Chan State Farm Insurance
1820 Van Ness Ave – San Francisco, CA 94109 – (415) 776-2190 – View Map
Jake Ng – State Farm Insurance Agent
1643 Noriega St – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 564-0333 – View Map
Ron Burks – State Farm Insurance Agent
220 Montgomery St #480 – San Francisco, CA 94104 – (415) 397-2994 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies can sell policies from many different companies and that allows them to write policies through lots of different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If you want to switch companies, an independent agent can move your coverage and that require little work on your part. When comparing rates, we highly recommend that you get several quotes from a couple of independent agencies for the best price selection.
Below is a list of independent agencies in San Francisco who can help you get rate quotes.
Blum-Blackfield Insurance Agency
2 Twin Peaks Blvd – San Francisco, CA 94114 – (415) 665-1440 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Nathan Douglas Gleason Agency
101 California St #2710 – San Francisco, CA 94111 – (415) 870-6999 – View Map
Milber Health Insurance Agent
1492 11th Ave – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 564-8829 – View Map
Will just any policy work for me?
When selecting coverage for your vehicles, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. You are unique and your car insurance should be unique as well.
These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.
- Am I covered if I have no license?
- What does roadside assistance cover?
- Can my teen drive my company car?
- What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
- Is my camper covered for physical damage?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.
The lowest rates come from being thorough
Cost effective Ford GT insurance can be bought from both online companies in addition to many San Francisco insurance agents, so you need to quote San Francisco auto insurance with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not provide online quoting and these smaller companies only sell coverage through local independent agents.
In this article, we presented many tips how you can find lower-cost Ford GT insurance in San Francisco. The key thing to remember is the more you quote San Francisco auto insurance, the better your comparison will be. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest car insurance rates come from a smaller regional carrier. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give better rates compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.
Additional detailed information is available in these articles:
- When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for State Employees in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for College Students in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Vehicle Insurance (Wikipedia)
- Airbag FAQ (iihs.org)
- Warning systems don’t curb driver distraction (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)