If saving the most money is your goal, then the best way to find low-cost prices for auto insurance rates in San Francisco is to compare prices once a year from companies in California. Price quotes can be compared by following these guidelines.
- Read and learn about the different coverages in a policy and the things you can control to keep rates low. Many policy risk factors that are responsible for high rates like careless driving and a low credit rating can be amended by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
- Compare prices from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes for many different companies.
- Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you can save money, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Provide adequate notice to your current company to cancel your current coverage. Submit the required down payment along with the signed application to the newly selected company. Once the paperwork is finalized, keep the new certificate verifying coverage with your vehicle’s registration.
The critical component of shopping around is to make sure you’re comparing identical deductibles and limits on each price quote and and to get rates from as many companies as you can. Doing this provides a fair rate comparison and the best price selection.
It’s an obvious statement that auto insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. Insureds who compare other prices will probably switch auto insurance companies because they have a good chance of finding better rates. A survey found that drivers who compared rates regularly saved over $3,500 over four years compared to people who didn’t regularly shop around.
If finding discount rates on Hummer H2 SUT insurance in San Francisco is your target objective, then having some knowledge of the best ways to shop for insurance can help make the process easier and more efficient.
The Hummer H2 SUT Insurance Rate Equation
Many different elements are part of the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving record, although others are not quite as obvious such as your credit history and annual miles driven. Consumers need to have an understanding of a few of the rating criteria that play a part in calculating your policy premiums. When consumers understand what controls the rates you pay, this enables informed choices that may result in big savings.
The items below are some of the most common factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set rates.
- No insurance claims equals cheaper prices – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Companies in California generally give cheaper rates to people who only file infrequent claims. Your car insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Cheaper rates with high coverage deductibles – Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend out-of-pocket if the claim is covered. Physical damage coverage, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, insures against damage to your car. Some examples of covered claims are collision with another vehicle, fire damage, and having a roll-over accident. The more damage repair cost the insured is willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
- Insure your auto and home with one company – Most major insurance companies provide a discount to policyholders that buy multiple policies. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you already get this discount, consumers should still get quotes from other companies to ensure the best deal.
- No policy gaps is important – Allowing your insurance policy to lapse will be a fast way to bump up your insurance costs. Not only will you pay higher rates, getting caught without coverage may result in a fine, jail time, or a revoked license. You will then be forced to file a SR-22 with the California motor vehicle department.
- Is your vehicle theft-ready? – Buying a car with advanced anti-theft systems can help lower your rates. Systems that thwart thieves like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems help track and prevent your car from being stolen.
- Policy add-ons may not be needed – Policies have additional coverages that can add up but may not be useful. Coverages for rental car coverage, towing, and extra equipment coverage could be just wasting money. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money remove them and pocket the money.
- Rural vs Urban Areas – Residing in a small town is a good thing when insuring your vehicles. City drivers tend to have more auto accidents and higher rates of accident claims. Fewer people means reduced accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
- Performance makes a difference – The performance of the car you need insurance for makes a big difference in your car insurance bill. Smaller low performance passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but your final cost has many other factors.
The following companies provide comparison quotes in California. If multiple providers are shown, we recommend you visit as many as you can to find the cheapest car insurance rates.
Choosing the best Hummer vehicle insurance in California is an important decision
Despite the fact that auto insurance is not cheap in San Francisco, insuring your vehicle is required in California but it also protects you in many ways.
- Most states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means the state requires specific limits of liability in order to drive the car legally. 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 Hummer has a lienholder, most banks will force you to have physical damage coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender may insure your Hummer at a significantly higher premium and force you to pay the higher premium.
- Auto insurance preserves both your vehicle and your personal assets. It will also provide coverage for medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your Hummer gets damaged, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of buying enough insurance are definitely more than the cost, especially for larger claims. As of last year, the average driver in California is currently overpaying as much as $869 every year so you should quote and compare rates at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
Insurance quotes and discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize every available discount very clearly, so the below list has both the well known as well as some of the hidden credits that may apply to you.
- Smart Student Discounts – Maintaining excellent grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
- Organization Discounts – Being a member of specific professional or occupational memberships or organizations could earn you a nice discount on insurance.
- Accident Waiver – Not necessarily a discount, but a handful of insurance companies will turn a blind eye to one accident before raising your premiums so long as you are claim-free prior to the accident.
- Government Employee Discount – Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles can qualify you for better premium rates on cars that stay parked.
One thing to note about discounts is that some credits don’t apply to the whole policy. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, insurance companies aren’t that generous.
A few companies that may offer most of these discounts include:
When getting a coverage quote, ask all companies you are considering how you can save money. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be offered in San Francisco. To see a list of insurers who offer cheap Hummer H2 SUT insurance quotes in California, click this link.
Local agents and auto insurance
Some people just prefer to sit down with an agent and doing that can be a smart decision Professional agents can help you build your policy and help you file claims. One of the benefits of price shopping on the web is the fact that drivers can get the best rates and still have a local agent. Buying insurance from local agencies is important especially in San Francisco.
Upon completion of this short form, the quote information is submitted to companies in San Francisco who will return price quotes for your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact any insurance agencies due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to your email address. If for some reason you want to get a rate quote from a specific auto insurance provider, feel free to go to their quote page and complete a quote there.
Pick the best car insurance agent in San Francisco for you
If you would like to find an insurance agent, there are a couple of different agency structures and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Auto insurance agents may be either exclusive agents or independent agents. Both can handle auto insurance, but it’s worth learning the difference between them since it can affect the type of agent you choose.
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies
Independent agencies do not write with just one company and that gives them the ability to insure with any number of different companies and find you the best rates. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and you don’t have to switch agencies. If you are comparing rate quotes, it’s recommended you check rates from independent agents to get the best comparison.
The following is a list of independent agents in San Francisco that can give you free price quotes.
John A. Morton Insurance Agency
3372 22nd St – San Francisco, CA 94110 – (415) 282-5888 – View Map
Carrie Insurance
2126 Sutter St – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 567-7660 – View Map
CAL Insurance and Associates
2311 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 661-6500 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Agents of this type can usually just insure with one company and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm, and AAA. These agents are not able to provide other company’s prices so always compare other rates. These agents are very knowledgeable on the products they sell which can be an advantage.
Shown below are San Francisco exclusive agents who can help you get rate quotes.
Angela Chan – State Farm Insurance Agent
756 Sacramento St – San Francisco, CA 94108 – (415) 956-4888 – View Map
Toan Tieu – State Farm Insurance Agent
690 Monterey Blvd – San Francisco, CA 94127 – (415) 610-8000 – View Map
Ron Burks – State Farm Insurance Agent
220 Montgomery St #480 – San Francisco, CA 94104 – (415) 397-2994 – View Map
Finding the right insurance agency is decision based upon more than just the bottom line cost. Below are some questions you should ask.
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in San Francisco?
- How much training do they have in personal risk management?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Will the agent or a CSR service your policy?
Persistence will pay off
Lower-priced Hummer H2 SUT insurance in San Francisco can be found on the web as well as from independent agents in San Francisco, so you need to shop San Francisco auto insurance with both to have the best selection. Some companies may not have rate quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies.
While you’re price shopping online, make sure you don’t buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your objective should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest cost.
Other information
- If I File a Claim will My Insurance Go Up? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap San Francisco Auto Insurance Rates for Teenage Females? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for Uninsured Drivers in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Child Safety Seats (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)
- Collision Coverage (Liberty Mutual)