Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Avalon in San Francisco

Truthfully, the best way to save money on Toyota Avalon insurance is to regularly compare price quotes from different companies that insure vehicles in San Francisco.

First, try to learn a little about how companies price auto insurance and the factors you can control to keep rates down. Many things that cause high rates like traffic citations and a not-so-good credit score can be remedied by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. Later in this article we will cover information to help keep prices low and find available discounts that you may qualify for.

Second, compare prices from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote prices from many different companies. Start a quote

Third, compare the price quotes to your existing policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a better price and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.

Fourth, provide adequate notice to your current company to cancel your current policy and submit payment and a completed application to the new insurer. As soon as coverage is bound, place the new proof of insurance paperwork in an easily accessible location.

An important bit of advice to remember is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical limits and deductibles on each quote and and to compare every company you can. This enables a fair price comparison and a complete rate analysis.

Everyone knows that insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. People who shop around are highly likely to move their business because they stand a good chance of finding good coverage at a lower price. A study discovered that people who compared prices once a year saved over $850 each year as compared to drivers who never compared rates.

If finding discount rates on Toyota Avalon insurance is the reason you’re reading this, knowing the best way to shop and compare coverages can help you succeed in finding affordable rates.

If you have coverage now, you stand a good chance to be able to find the best rates using the ideas you’re about to read. Locating the best rates in San Francisco can really be easy if you know what you’re doing. But California drivers can benefit from knowing how the larger insurance companies set your policy premium and apply this information to your search.

There are several ways of comparing rate quotes from lots of California insurance companies. The easiest way by far to compare rates consists of shopping online.

Getting free price quotes online is quite simple, and it makes it a waste of time to actually drive to all the different San Francisco insurance agencies. The internet makes this process obsolete unless your situation requires the advice and guidance that can only be provided by a licensed insurance agent. Although you can price shop your coverage online but purchase the actual policy in an agency.

When price shopping your coverage, comparing a wide range of rates helps you find a better price.

The car insurance companies shown below provide quotes in San Francisco, CA. If more than one company is shown, it’s a good idea that you get rates from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.

Affordable rates by taking advantage of discounts

Some insurance providers do not advertise every possible discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of some of the best known in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that you may qualify for.

• Good Student Discount – Being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Many companies even apply the discount to college students up until you turn 25.
• E-sign – Certain companies will give a small break just for signing your application digitally online.
• Discount for Swiching Early – A few insurance companies allow discounts for renewing your policy before your current coverage expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
• Distant Student – Older children who attend college more than 100 miles from San Francisco without a vehicle on campus could qualify for this discount.
• Driver Education Discount – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers successfully complete driver’s ed class in school or through a local driver safety program.

Remember that some credits don’t apply to the entire cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way. But all discounts will positively reduce the premium cost.

The information below illustrates the comparison of Toyota Avalon insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The premiums assume a female driver, no claims or violations, 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 safe-driver, homeowner, multi-car, claim-free, multi-policy, and marriage discounts applied.

To see a list of insurance companies with significant discounts in San Francisco, click here to view.

Toyota Avalon insurance coverage information

The information shown next outlines a range of insurance costs for Toyota Avalon models. Being able to understand how car insurance prices are calculated can assist in making decisions when shopping your coverage around.

Price data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Premium costs do not factor in specific garaging location which can raise or lower insurance rates substantially.

Physical damage deductibles: Should you raise them?

One common question asked by San Francisco drivers is how high should the physical damage deductibles be. The tables below may help to illustrate how much more you’ll pay between high and low coverage deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $100 deductible and the second price grid uses a $1,000 deductible.

Price data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-policy, and homeowner. Price estimates do not factor in zip code location which can modify price quotes significantly.

Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $100 deductible will cost in the ballpark of $49 more each month or $588 for a full year than requesting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $900 more if you turn in a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you have at least 18 months between claims, you would come out ahead if you choose the higher deductible. The numbers below show the way this decision is made.

Car insurance rates are higher with tickets and accidents

The diagram below illustrates how violations and at-fault claims influence Toyota Avalon yearly insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The data is based on a single female driver, full coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.

Full coverage versus liability only rates

The illustration below visualizes the comparison of Toyota Avalon insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The data assumes no violations or accidents, $100 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

Guidelines for dropping full coverage

There is no set rule of when to eliminate physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than about 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.

For example, let’s say your Toyota Avalon replacement value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would get paid by your company is $7,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If you are currently paying more than $700 a year to have full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

There are a few situations where dropping full coverage is not recommended. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not opt for liability only.

Six factors that affect insurance premiums

Lots of factors are taken into consideration when pricing auto insurance. Some are obvious such as your driving record, although some other factors are less obvious such as whether you are married or how safe your car is. When buying insurance it’s important to understand some of the elements that go into determining insurance rates. If you know what controls the rates you pay, this enables informed choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

• Liability coverage is critical – Liability coverage will afford coverage in the event that a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Your liability coverage provides you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. It is affordable coverage compared to comp and collision, so insureds should have plenty of protection for their assets.

• More performance means higher premiums – The type of car you need insurance for makes a big difference in your premium level. The best insurance prices will normally be found when insuring smaller low performance passenger cars, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.

  The following chart uses these variables: married male driver age 30, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. The chart compares Toyota Avalon car insurance rates compared to other makes and models that have different performances.

• Age of drivers – Beginning drivers in California are statistically shown to be more careless when driving with friends and because of this, their insurance rates are much higher. Older drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets.

  The following chart uses these variables: single driver, full coverage with $250 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

• Adjust comp and collision deductibles and save – Physical damage coverage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your Toyota. Some coverage claims would be a broken windshield, damage caused by hail, and having your car stolen. The deductibles you choose are how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. The higher the amount you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
• If you don’t need it don’t buy it – There are a lot of extra coverages that can waste your money on your Avalon policy. Coverage for things like rental car coverage, death and dismemberment, and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment initially, but if you have no use for them remove them and pocket the money.

• Women pay lower premiums – Over time, data shows that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that females are better drivers. Both genders have at-fault accidents in similar percentages, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. In addition to higher claims, males also get more serious tickets like driving under the influence (DUI). Male drivers age 16 to 19 are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore pay the highest rates.

  The illustration below shows the difference between Toyota Avalon auto insurance costs for male and female drivers. The prices are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, full coverage, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no policy discounts are applied.

• Insurance loss statistics a Toyota Avalon – Car insurance companies use claims history to help set a rate to offset losses. Vehicles that tend to have increased claim numbers or amounts will cost more for specific coverages.

  The table below illustrates the actual insurance loss data for Toyota Avalon vehicles. For each policy coverage, the statistical loss for all vehicles, as a total average, equals 100. Values that are under 100 suggest a positive loss record, while numbers above 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or statistically larger claims.

  
  

  Toyota Avalon Insurance Claim Statistics

  Make and Model	Collision	Property Damage	Comp	Personal Injury	Medical Payment	Bodily Injury
  Toyota Avalon	113	72	112	106	98	74
  Toyota Avalon Hybrid	120	72	132	107	85	80

  BETTER

  AVERAGE

  WORSE

  Statistics Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years