It takes a little time, but the best way to save money on car insurance rates is to compare prices once a year from insurance carriers who sell auto insurance in San Francisco.
- First, read and learn about individual coverages and the changes you can make to prevent high rates. Many factors that cause high rates such as getting speeding tickets and a poor credit score can be rectified by paying attention to minor details. Keep reading for more details to help find cheaper rates and find additional discounts.
- Second, request rate estimates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only provide price estimates from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can provide prices from multiple companies.
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to the price on your current policy and determine if cheaper Accord coverage is available in San Francisco. If you find a lower rate quote and buy the policy, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Fourth, provide written notification to your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit payment and a signed application to your new company or agent. Once the application is submitted, place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance somewhere easily accessible.
A good piece of advice is to try to compare identical coverages on each quote and and to get prices from as many companies as you can. Doing this helps ensure an accurate price comparison and a complete price analysis.
A recent study showed that most auto insurance customers kept buying from the same company for a minimum of four years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never shopped around. The average driver in San Francisco can save hundreds of dollars each year just by getting comparison quotes, but they assume it’s a waste of time to find affordable auto insurance rates.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to reduce the price you pay using the techniques covered below. Buying the cheapest insurance in San Francisco is quite easy if you know the best way to do it. But California drivers do need to learn how big insurance companies calculate your policy premium because it varies considerably.
Compare San Francisco Honda Accord insurance price quotes
Most major insurance companies make it easy to get coverage price quotes online. Doing online quotes for Honda Accord insurance in San Francisco is pretty easy as you just type in your coverage preferences as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, their quoting system makes automated requests for reports for credit and driving violations and generates a price based on these factors. This helps simplify price comparisons, and it’s absolutely necessary to have as many quotes as possible if you want to find the most affordable premium possible.
To save time and use this form to compare rates, consider comparing rates from the companies shown below. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you type in deductibles and limits identical to your current policy. Doing this guarantees you will be getting a fair comparison based on similar coverages.
The following companies offer free quotes in California. If multiple companies are shown, we recommend you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Lower rates by qualifying for discounts
Not too many consumers would say car insurance is affordable, but discounts can save money and there are some available to help bring down the price. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at quote time, but occasionally some discounts must be asked about before you will receive the discount.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Owning a house in San Francisco can earn you a little savings due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
- Theft Deterrent – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have factory anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and can earn a small discount on your policy.
- Good Grades Discount – Being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates on your bill.
- Bundle and Save – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same insurance company you may save up to 20% off your total Accord insurance premium.
- Data Collection Discounts – Drivers that enable companies to study driving habits by using a small device installed in their vehicle like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot might see lower rates as long as they are good drivers.
- Paper-free Discount – Some insurance companies will give a small break get San Francisco auto insurance over the internet.
- Drive Less and Save – Fewer annual miles on your Honda could earn discounted car insurance rates on garaged vehicles.
- Mature Driver Discount – Drivers over the age of 55 may qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
The illustration below shows the difference between Honda Accord auto insurance rates with and without discounts. The price estimates are based on a male driver, no claims or driving citations, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-car, multi-policy, and claim-free discounts applied.
Some of the larger companies that have these discounts are:
When getting a coverage quote, ask each company or agent how you can save money. Some credits may not apply to policyholders in every state.
Rates and information analytics
The coverage table shown below covers different coverage prices for Honda Accord models. Having a better idea how rates are formulated can help drivers make decisions when shopping your coverage around.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $340 | $472 | $492 | $30 | $148 | $1,482 | $124 |
| Accord LX 4-Dr Sedan | $340 | $472 | $492 | $30 | $148 | $1,482 | $124 |
| Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $340 | $472 | $492 | $30 | $148 | $1,482 | $124 |
| Accord LX-P 4-Dr Sedan | $340 | $472 | $492 | $30 | $148 | $1,482 | $124 |
| Accord LX-P 4-Dr Sedan | $340 | $472 | $492 | $30 | $148 | $1,482 | $124 |
| Accord EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $390 | $576 | $492 | $30 | $148 | $1,636 | $136 |
| Accord EX 2-Dr Coupe | $390 | $678 | $654 | $38 | $196 | $1,956 | $163 |
| Accord LX-S 2-Dr Coupe | $390 | $678 | $654 | $38 | $196 | $1,956 | $163 |
| Accord EX-L 2-Dr Coupe | $440 | $678 | $654 | $38 | $196 | $2,006 | $167 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Above prices assume single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Table data does not factor in specific location which can alter coverage prices considerably.
The diagram below demonstrates how deductible levels and can increase or decrease Honda Accord insurance costs for different insured age categories. The premiums assume a single male driver, full physical damage coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.
Does full coverage make sense?
The information below compares Honda Accord car insurance costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The costs are based on no claims or violations, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Deciding between full coverage and liability only
There is no clear-cut formula to stop buying physical damage insurance, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is 10% or more of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then it may be the right time to buy liability only.
For example, let’s assume your Honda Accord replacement value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most your company would pay you is $8,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If you are currently paying more than $800 a year for full coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
There are some cases where eliminating full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should keep full coverage.
Exclusive and independent insurance agents
Some people would rather buy from a local agent and that can be a smart move One of the benefits of comparing rate quotes online is you may find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.
Upon completion of this simple form, the quote information is immediately sent to agents in your area who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to search for an agent as quotes are delivered to you instantly. You can find the lowest rates AND a local agent. In the event you want to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance provider, just find their quoting web page and give them your coverage information.
Finding the right company requires more thought than just a cheap price. Any agent in San Francisco should be forthright in answering these questions:
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- Which insurance company do they prefer to write with?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Can you use your own choice of collision repair facility?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
Do you need an independent or exclusive car insurance agent?
If you want to use a local agent, it can be helpful to understand the different agency structures and how they can quote your rates. Agencies in San Francisco are considered either independent agents or exclusive agents.
Exclusive Agencies
Exclusive agents can only place business with one company like State Farm, AAA, and Liberty Mutual. These agents are unable to shop your coverage around so you need to shop around if the rates are high. Exclusive agents are well trained on their company’s products which can be an advantage.
Shown below are San Francisco exclusive agents that are able to give price quotes.
Jing Lee – State Farm Insurance Agent
4444 Geary Blvd #300 – San Francisco, CA 94118 – (415) 752-8888 – View Map
Walter Li – State Farm Insurance Agent
1329 Chestnut St – San Francisco, CA 94123 – (415) 346-1000 – View Map
Kiet Nguyen – State Farm Insurance Agent
4198 Mission St – San Francisco, CA 94112 – (415) 587-1880 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agencies
These type of agents can quote rates with many companies and that gives them the ability to insure with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If they find a lower price, the business is moved internally and you don’t have to do anything.
When comparing insurance rates, we highly recommend that you get rate quotes from multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection.
Listed below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in San Francisco that are able to give price quotes.
Express Service Insurance
2085 Van Ness Ave – San Francisco, CA 94109 – (415) 440-5136 – View Map
Sam and Associates Insurance Agency
2225 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 665-0181 – View Map
Wang Insurance
2620 Judah St – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 731-7062 – View Map
If you receive positive feedback to these questions as well as cheap Accord insurance quotes, you may have found a car insurance agent that will service your policy. But remember, it’s your coverage and you can cancel your coverage for any reason so never assume that you are permanently stuck with a specific company indefinitely.
You are unique and your auto insurance should be too
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Your needs are unique to you.
For instance, these questions may help highlight if your situation might need an agent’s assistance.
- Is there a penalty for late payment?
- Can I cancel at any time?
- Why do I only qualify for high-risk insurance?
- What is no-fault insurance?
- Am I insured when driving a different vehicle?
- What is an SR-22 filing?
- Which companies will insure me after a DUI?
- Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form.
How Insurance Providers Determine Honda Accord Insurance Rates
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the factors that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. If you have a feel for what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs. Lots of things are taken into consideration when quoting car insurance. Most are fairly basic like a motor vehicle report, but others are more transparent such as your credit history or how financially stable you are.
Always keep your car insurance policy in place – Allowing your car insurance policy to lapse can be a quick way to increase your rates. And not only will your rates increase, not being able to provide proof of insurance can result in fines and jail time.
Liability protection preserves assets – The liability coverage on your policy will afford coverage when you are found liable for damages caused by your negligence. Your policy’s liability insurance provides for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to other policy coverages, so buy as much as you can afford.
Your address can modify rates – Residing in less populated areas can save you money when buying car insurance. Less people corresponds to lower accident rates as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers who live in large California cities have more road rage incidents and longer commute times. Higher commute times means a statistically higher chance of an accident.
Your stress level may be raising your rates – Careers like judges, police officers, and emergency personnel tend to have higher rates than the rest of us in part from job stress and lengthy work days. Other occupations such as scientists, engineers and performers generally pay rates lower than average.
The higher your credit rating the lower your prices – Your credit history factor in determining what you pay. If your credit score can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your Honda Accord by improving your rating. People with very high credit ratings tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers with bad credit.
High performance equals high rates – The type of vehicle you need to insure makes a substantial difference in how high your rates are. Low performance passenger vehicles usually have the lowest premiums, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
The following data assumes a married male driver age 40, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It illustrates Honda Accord insurance rates compared to other models of vehicles that have different performance risks.
Honda Accord insurance loss statistics – Companies use past loss statistics for each vehicle when determining insurance costs. Models that statistically have higher loss trends will cost more for specific coverages.
The data below shows the historical insurance loss data for Honda Accord vehicles. For each coverage type, the claim probability for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is represented as 100. Values that are under 100 mean the vehicle has better than average losses, while values that are 100 or greater indicate frequent claims or a tendency for losses to be larger than average.
| Make and Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Accord | 91 | 85 | 90 | 122 | 117 | 94 |
| Honda Accord Hybrid | 96 | 80 | 98 | 89 | 76 | 84 |
| Honda Accord Crosstour 4dr 2WD | 85 | 97 | 83 | 122 | 113 | 94 |
| Honda Accord Crosstour 4dr 4WD | 99 | 102 | 94 | 120 | 93 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
Why you need insurance for your Accord
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Honda Accord in San Francisco, paying for insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
First, the majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a minimum amount of liability insurance if you drive a 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 bought your Honda Accord with a loan, most banks will force you to have physical damage coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender will be forced to insure your Honda at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over for it.
Third, insurance protects not only your vehicle but also your financial assets. It will also pay for medical bills that are the result of an accident. Liability coverage also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, your insurance policy will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of insuring your car are without a doubt worth the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. According to a survey of 1,000 drivers, the average driver overpays more than $850 per year so compare rates at least once a year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Cheaper insurance premiums are possible
When you buy San Francisco auto insurance online, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are many occasions where consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at the best price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
The cheapest Honda Accord insurance in San Francisco can be sourced online and from local insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers may not have rate quotes online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through independent insurance agencies.
You just read a lot of tips how to reduce Honda Accord insurance prices online in San Francisco. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote San Francisco auto insurance, the higher your chance of finding the cheapest Honda Accord rate quotes. Drivers may even discover the lowest prices come from a small mutual company.
Even more information can be found in the articles below:
- Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap San Francisco Auto Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Corolla? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with Accidents in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Immigrants in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Postal Workers in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- Driving in Bad Weather (Insurance Information Institute)