Car Insurance Quotes for a Scion tC in San Francisco

Statistics show that nearly 70% of consumers renewed their policy with the same company for more than four years, and approximately 40% of consumers have never compared quotes from other companies. U.S. drivers could save an average of roughly $859 each year, but they just don’t want to compare other rate quotes.

It takes a little time, but the best way to get the cheapest car insurance rates in San Francisco is to compare quotes once a year from different companies that sell auto insurance in California.

• Step 1: Try to comprehend how car insurance works and the factors you can control to prevent rate increases. Many things that cause rate increases like traffic citations, accidents, and an imperfect credit score can be remedied by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Read the full article for more information to prevent high prices and get additional discounts.
• Step 2: Request price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only quote rates from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide price quotes from multiple insurance companies.
• Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find a better price, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.

A valuable tip to remember is to compare the same deductibles and limits on each price quote and to quote with as many companies as you can. This provides a fair rate comparison and many rates to choose from.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut your premiums using the techniques covered below. Locating the best insurance company for you in San Francisco is much easier if you have a good place to start. But California drivers do need to understand the methods companies use to determine premium rates because rates fluctuate considerably.

The majority of larger companies allow consumers to get price estimates direct online. Getting online rates for Scion tC insurance in San Francisco is possible for anyone because it’s just a matter of typing in the amount of coverage you want into a form. When the form is submitted, their system will obtain your credit score and driving record and returns pricing information based on many factors. Using the web to get price quotes for Scion tC insurance in San Francisco simplifies rate comparisons, and it is important to get many rate quotes in order to find cheaper auto insurance pricing.

If you want to compare rates using this form now, take a look at the companies shown below. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you type in the coverage information identical to your current policy. This guarantees you will get an apples-to-apples comparison for exact coverage.

The companies shown below offer free rate quotes in San Francisco, CA. If the list has multiple companies, it’s highly recommended you get rates from several of them to get the cheapest price.

Car insurance protects more than just your car

Despite the fact that car insurance is not cheap in San Francisco, insurance serves several important purposes.

• Just about all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific limits of liability insurance in order to drive the car. 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 you bought your vehicle with a loan, almost all lenders will have a requirement that you have physical damage coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank will be required to insure your Scion for a lot more money and make you pay the higher premium.
• Insurance protects both your car and your personal assets. It also can pay for all forms of medical expenses incurred in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers legal expenses if you are sued as the result of your driving. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, your car insurance policy will cover the repair costs.

The benefits of having car insurance more than cancel out the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying more than $855 a year so you should quote and compare rates at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.

Rate information and statistics

The coverage table shown next covers estimates of rate quotes for Scion tC models. Learning how premiums are determined can help you make smart choices when selecting a coverage provider.

Prices above based on single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, and homeowner. Price information does not factor in garaging location in San Francisco which can change auto insurance rates significantly.

Where to set your deductibles

One of the hardest decisions when shopping for auto insurance is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The comparison tables below illustrate the costs and benefits when you choose different coverage deductibles. The first table uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second rate chart uses a $500 deductible.

Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can affect coverage rates greatly.

Based on these figures, using a $250 deductible will cost you approximately $20 more each month or $240 every year than quoting the higher $500 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $250 more out of your own pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you go more than 13 months between claim filings, you would save more money if you elect the higher deductible. The illustration below shows a better example of how you can do this calculation yourself.

An important thing to remember is that raising deductibles to get cheaper rates means you will have to cover more of the damage yourself when you file a claim. That will force you to have some extra savings in the event you have to pay the deductible to have repairs made.

Impact of violations and accidents on rates

The information below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault claims can impact Scion tC insurance costs for different ages of insureds. The data assumes a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.

Cost comparison with and without full coverage

The chart below shows the comparison of Scion tC insurance premiums with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in California. The rate quotes are based on no violations or claims, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no policy discounts are applied.

Deciding between full coverage and liability only

There is no definitive guideline for phasing out full coverage, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is more than about 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.

For example, let’s assume your Scion tC settlement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, you would only receive $2,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If premiums are more than $200 annually for your policy with full coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

There are some cases where dropping physical damage coverage is not recommended. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should keep full coverage in place.

Check for these rate reducing discounts

Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list all possible discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so below is a list both well-publicized and also the lesser-known ways to save on insurance.

• Theft Prevention System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with anti-theft systems help deter theft and will qualify for a discount on a San Francisco auto insurance quote.
• 55 and Retired – If you’re over the age of 55, you may be able to get a small discount on rates.
• Discount for New Cars – Insuring a new tC can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles are generally safer.
• Government Employees – Simply working for the federal government may qualify for a discount when you quote San Francisco auto insurance with a few insurance companies.
• Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
• ABS Brakes – Cars with ABS and/or traction control prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.

Policy discounts save money, but some of the credits will not apply to the whole policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So even though you would think all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.

The chart below compares Scion tC insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the premium. The rates are based on a female driver, no accidents or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, marriage, multi-car, multi-policy, claim-free, and safe-driver discounts applied.

Large insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts can be found below.

• State Farm may include discounts for driver’s education, multiple autos, defensive driving training, safe vehicle, and anti-theft.
• Nationwide offers discounts for defensive driving, business or organization, family plan, anti-theft, and accident-free.
• GEICO discounts include seat belt use, good student, anti-lock brakes, defensive driver, federal employee, and multi-policy.
• AAA offers premium reductions for multi-policy, education and occupation, multi-car, anti-theft, good student, pay-in-full, and good driver.
• 21st Century has savings for driver training, air bags, student driver, early bird, defensive driver, automatic seat belts, and teen driver.
• The Hartford has discounts for defensive driver, air bag, bundle, vehicle fuel type, good student, and driver training.

When getting a coverage quote, ask every prospective company which discounts they offer. Depending on the company, some discounts might not apply in your area.