Amazingly, a recent NerdWallet.com study showed that almost 70% of drivers have bought auto insurance from the same company for more than four years, and almost 40% of drivers have never shopped around. San Francisco drivers can cut their rates by as much as $469 a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they don’t know how much money they would save if they bought a different policy.
The most effective way to get discount Audi SQ5 insurance in San Francisco is to regularly compare price quotes from insurers who provide car insurance in California.
Step 1: Gain an understanding of policy coverages and the measures you can take to drop your rates. Many things that increase rates such as at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and poor credit history can be remedied by being financially responsible and driving safely.
Step 2: Obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only quote rates from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes for many different companies.
Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your current policy premium and see if there is a cheaper rate. If you find a better price and switch companies, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
One important bit of advice is to use the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get price estimates from as many car insurance companies as possible. This ensures a level playing field and a thorough price selection.
Companies offering affordable Audi SQ5 prices in San Francisco, CA
The auto insurance companies shown below offer price quotes in San Francisco, CA. If the list has multiple companies, it’s highly recommended you get prices from several of them to find the cheapest auto insurance rates.
These ten discounts can lower your insurance quotes
Some insurers do not list all their discounts very clearly, so the following is a list of both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts you could be receiving when you buy San Francisco car insurance online.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Fewer annual miles on your Audi may allow you to get lower prices due to less chance of an accident.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Early Switch Discount – Some companies give discounts for signing up early. You can save around 10% with this discount.
- Own a Home and Save – Owning a house in San Francisco can save you money because it requires a higher level of personal finance.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are much safer to drive so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Multiple Cars – Drivers who insure several vehicles with one company can get a discount for every vehicle.
- Save with a New Car – Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% because newer vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Bundled Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies and insure them both with the same insurance company they may give you a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
- Student in College – College-age children who live away from home at college and leave their car at home could get you a discount.
- E-sign – Many insurance companies provide a small discount for signing up over the internet.
It’s important to understand that some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck.
A partial list of companies who might offer these money-saving discounts include:
Before you buy a policy, ask every company which discounts you qualify for. All car insurance discounts may not be available in your state. To view providers with discount rates in California, click here.
Are car insurance agents a thing of the past?
A lot of people just want to buy from a local agent and doing so can bring peace of mind Insurance agents are very good at helping people manage risk and give you someone to call. A nice benefit of comparing insurance prices online is that you can find cheap car insurance quotes and still have a local agent. Buying insurance from small agencies is still important in San Francisco.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, the quote information gets sent to agents in your area who will give you bids for your business. There is no need to contact any insurance agencies since rate quotes are delivered instantly to you. If for some reason you want to get a price quote from a specific car insurance provider, you would need to jump over to their website and complete a quote there.
Picking an insurer should depend on more than just the quoted price. Before buying a policy in San Francisco, get answers to these questions.
- How many years have they been established?
- How are they compensated?
- What discounts might you be missing?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
Auto insurance coverages
Having a good grasp of a auto insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Auto insurance terms can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Collision – This coverage will pay to fix damage to your SQ5 from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for things like colliding with another moving vehicle, colliding with a tree, sideswiping another vehicle and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also raise the deductible on your SQ5 in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Medical expense insurance – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for short-term medical expenses such as dental work, rehabilitation expenses, surgery and hospital visits. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Audi SQ5.
Since many California drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 15/30/5), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Usually these limits are set the same as your liability limits.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things such as vandalism, fire damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and damage from getting keyed. The highest amount your auto insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Coverage for liability – Liability insurance will cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. It protects you against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have liability limits of 15/30/5 that translate to $15,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $30,000 in injury protection per accident, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability can pay for claims like attorney fees, legal defense fees, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, loss of income and medical expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as much as you can afford. California state law requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
The illustration below demonstrates why buying the state minimum limits may not provide you with enough coverage.
Quote more and you will save more
Cheap Audi SQ5 insurance in San Francisco is available on the web in addition to many San Francisco insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both to have the best selection. Some companies may not have online rate quotes and these small insurance companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agents.
People who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including poor customer service, high prices, an unsatisfactory settlement offer or not issuing a premium refund. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch switching auto insurance companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.
As you quote San Francisco car insurance, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where an insured dropped physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Even more information is located in these articles:
- Understanding Limits and Deductibles (Allstate)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for a Ford Escape in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Drivers Over Age 60 in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for Good Students in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable San Francisco Car Insurance for Electric Cars? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Inexperienced Drivers in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- How Much is San Francisco Car Insurance for Drivers Under 21? (FAQ)
- Where can I buy Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Vehicle Safety Ratings (iihs.org)
- What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- Auto Insurance for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)