We don’t have to tell you that car insurance companies don’t want their policyholders to compare prices. Insureds who compare other prices will probably buy a new policy because they stand a good chance of finding a policy with more affordable rates. A study discovered that consumers who shopped around annually saved over $860 a year as compared to drivers who never shopped around for better prices.
If saving money on auto insurance in San Francisco is your ultimate objective, then learning a little about how to quote and compare insurance coverage can make the process more efficient.
The best way to find affordable car insurance rates in San Francisco is to start comparing prices regularly from different companies who sell insurance in California. Prices can be compared by completing these steps.
- Step 1: Spend a few minutes and learn about car insurance and the modifications you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating criteria that result in higher rates such as traffic violations, accidents, and an imperfect credit score can be controlled by paying attention to minor details.
- Step 2: Compare price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agents can provide rate quotes from many different companies.
- Step 3: Compare the quotes to your existing coverage to see if a cheaper price is available. If you find a lower rate quote and change companies, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
A key point to remember is to make sure you’re comparing the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on each quote request and to quote with all possible companies. This provides a fair price comparison and the best rate selection.
If you have a policy now or just want cheaper rates, use these tips to shop for the lowest rates without sacrificing coverage. The goal of this article is to familiarize you with the most effective ways to compare rates and also pocket some savings Vehicle owners just have to know the tricks to buy car insurance using one simple form.
Affordable auto insurance in San Francisco, CA
The companies shown below have been selected to offer free quotes in California. If multiple companies are shown, it’s highly recommended you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Lower-cost Acura RLX insurance in San Francisco
Some companies don’t list every discount they offer in a way that’s easy to find, so below is a list both the well known and also the more inconspicuous credits available to bring down your rates. If you are not receiving all the discounts you qualify for, you could be getting lower rates.
- Switch and Save Discount – A few larger companies offer discounts for renewing your policy before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
- Auto/Life Discount – Some insurance companies give a small discount if you purchase some life insurance too.
- Paperwork-free – A few larger online companies will give you a small discount for buying your policy online.
- Club Memberships – Participating in qualifying employment or professional organizations could qualify you for a break on your next insurance statement.
- San Francisco Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home can save you money because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.
- Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military could mean lower insurance rates.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Having multiple cars or trucks with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. If you do the math and it seems like you could get a free insurance policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
To locate insurance companies that offer some of these discounts in San Francisco, click here to view.
Auto insurance agents near you
A lot of people still like to visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. Agents can answer important questions and give you someone to call. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is that drivers can save money and get cheaper prices and still have a local agent.
To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, the coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents that give free quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You never need to contact an agency because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. If you wish to get a price quote from a specific insurance provider, you would need to jump over to their website and complete a quote there.
Finding the right insurer needs to be determined by more than just the price. Below are some questions you should ask.
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- What kind of financial rating does the company have?
- What insurance companies do they work with in San Francisco?
- Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in San Francisco?
- Can you use your own choice of collision repair facility?
- Are they in the agency full-time?
- Is the quote a firm price?
Exclusive and independent San Francisco auto insurance agents
If you need to find a reliable agent, there are a couple of types of agencies and how they are slightly different. Agents in San Francisco are either independent or exclusive. Either one can write insurance policies, but it’s worth learning how they differ since it may influence buying decisions.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be exclusive write business for a single company such as Allstate, AAA, Farmers Insurance, and State Farm. Exclusive agents are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive insurance agents are well schooled in insurance sales which aids in selling service over price. A lot of people choose to use a exclusive agent primarily because of loyalty to the company rather than having low rates.
Below are exclusive agencies in San Francisco willing to provide rate quotes.
- Fillia Fransisca – State Farm Insurance Agent
2315 Noriega St – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 661-3726 – View Map - Rich Machado – State Farm Insurance Agent
5108 Geary Blvd – San Francisco, CA 94118 – (415) 292-3380 – View Map - Adrienne Ng – State Farm Insurance Agent
425 Market St #2252 – San Francisco, CA 94105 – (415) 292-8088 – View Map
View more San Francisco agents
Independent Insurance Agents
These agents are not limited to a single company and that enables them to quote your coverage through many different insurance companies and find the cheapest insurance rates. If they quote lower rates, your policy is moved internally and you can keep the same agent.
If you need cheaper insurance rates, you need to include rate quotes from at least one independent agent in order to have the best price comparison. They also have the ability to place coverage with additional companies that you may not be familiar with that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
Below is a list of independent agents in San Francisco willing to provide price quote information.
- 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 - Basic West Insurance Agency
1641 Taraval St – San Francisco, CA 94116 – (415) 665-7400 – View Map
View more San Francisco agents
When to get professional advice
When it comes to buying coverage online or from an agent, there really isn’t a “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Should I waive the damage coverage when renting a car?
- What if a claim settlement is too low?
- What is an adequate liability insurance limit?
- Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in California?
- Should I rate my Acura RLX as pleasure use or commute?
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 a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
Specifics of your auto insurance policy
Learning about specific coverages of auto insurance can be of help when determining the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Auto insurance terms can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Acura RLX.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (15/30/5 in California), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked.
Auto liability insurance
This protects you from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people by causing an accident. It protects you from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have limits of 15/30/5 which stand for a $15,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers claims such as attorney fees, legal defense fees, repair costs for stationary objects and medical expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying higher limits if possible. California state minimum liability requirements are 15/30/5 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.
The chart below shows why minimum state limits may not provide adequate coverage.
Comprehensive auto coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for things like hitting a bird, vandalism, hail damage and theft. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Auto collision coverage
Collision insurance covers damage to your RLX caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for things such as sideswiping another vehicle, crashing into a ditch, hitting a parking meter and driving through your garage door. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible on your RLX in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for bills for things like EMT expenses, X-ray expenses and nursing services. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Compare car insurance prices regularly to save
In this article, we covered many tips how you can reduce Acura RLX insurance premium rates online in San Francisco. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may even discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from the smaller companies.
When searching for low cost San Francisco car insurance quotes, don’t be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed full coverage only to find out that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest cost, not the least amount of coverage.
Insureds who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as questionable increases in premium, being labeled a high risk driver, high prices and even delays in responding to claim requests. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
Other learning opportunities
- Tread Depth and Tire Safety (State Farm)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Teenage Males in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for a Nissan Altima in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Institute)
- Auto Crash Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Automakers compete to add autobraking (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Avoiding Deer Collisions (Insurance Information Institute)