Amazingly, a recent NerdWallet.com study showed that nearly 70% of consumers have remained with the same insurance company for a minimum of four years, and nearly half have never taken the time to shop around. With the average premium in California being $1,387, drivers could pocket $500 a year, but most undervalue the benefits if they changed companies.
The easiest way to get discount car insurance rates in San Francisco is to compare prices annually from providers in California.
First, take a little time to learn about what coverages are included in your policy and the modifications you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating factors that increase rates like inattentive driving and a not-so-good credit history can be controlled by being financially responsible and driving safely.
Second, request rate estimates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can give quotes from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agents can provide rate quotes from multiple companies. Get quotes now
Third, compare the quotes to your existing coverage to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find better rates and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
Fourth, notify your agent or company of your intention to cancel your existing policy and submit a down payment and signed policy application to the new company. As soon as you have the new policy, safely store the proof of insurance paperwork above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
One thing to remember is to make sure you enter the same deductibles and limits on every price quote and and to get prices from as many companies as you can. Doing this ensures the most accurate price comparison and maximum price selection.
Locating the best rates in San Francisco is really not that difficult. If you have a policy now, you will be able to reduce premiums using these methods. Nevertheless, California vehicle owners must understand how insurance companies price online insurance because it can help you find the best coverage.
Just keep in mind that comparing more rates from different companies helps improve the odds of finding the best price.
The following companies are our best choices to provide price comparisons in San Francisco, CA. If multiple companies are shown, we recommend you visit several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
It may be expensive, but it’s not optional
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Volkswagen in San Francisco, insuring your vehicle may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- 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 have a loan on your Passat, almost every bank will stipulate that you buy full coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank may buy a policy for your Volkswagen for a lot more money and require you to fork over the higher premium.
- Insurance protects both your assets and your Volkswagen Passat. It will also provide coverage for medical transport and hospital expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance will also pay attorney fees if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, your policy will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of insuring your car are without a doubt worth the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. But the average driver in California overpays as much as $869 every year so compare rate quotes at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
Insurance coverage details
The coverage information shown next highlights different insurance prices for Volkswagen Passat models. Having insight into how insurance policy premiums are figured can benefit drivers when making decisions when choosing a new policy provider.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passat Komfort Station Wagon | $286 | $502 | $386 | $22 | $116 | $1,312 | $109 |
| Passat Komfort 4-Dr Sedan | $286 | $502 | $456 | $26 | $136 | $1,406 | $117 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices based on married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can change rates substantially.
Deductible analysis
When buying car insurance, a common question is which deductibles should you choose. The figures shown below approximate the costs and benefits between high and low insurance deductibles. The first data set uses a $100 physical damage deductible and the second price grid uses a $1,000 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passat Komfort Station Wagon | $430 | $810 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,775 | $148 |
| Passat Komfort 4-Dr Sedan | $430 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,865 | $155 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passat Komfort Station Wagon | $238 | $426 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,174 | $98 |
| Passat Komfort 4-Dr Sedan | $238 | $426 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,264 | $105 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Above prices assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, claim-free, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Information does not factor in specific zip code location which can modify prices substantially.
Using the premium rates above, we can conclude that using a $100 deductible will cost you about $50 more each month or $600 annually averaged for all Passat models than choosing the higher $1,000 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $900 more out of your own pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to average more than 18 months between claim filings, you would more than likely save some money by going with a higher deductible.
How to calculate deductible break even period
| Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $152 |
| Average monthly premium for $1,000 deductibles (subtract): | – $102 |
| Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $50 |
| Difference between deductibles ($1,000 – $100): | $900 |
| Divide difference by monthly savings: | $900 / $50 |
| Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 18 months |
One big caveat is that a higher deductible means you will have to cover more of the damage yourself when you have a physical damage claim. You should have enough disposable savings in the event you have to pay the higher deductible in order to repair your vehicle.
Don’t neglect these discounts
Companies offering auto insurance don’t necessarily list every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of a few of the more well known and also the lesser-known discounts that may be available.
- Distant Student Discount – Kids who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from San Francisco and do not have a car could get you a discount.
- Good Student Discount – Excelling in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount until age 25.
- Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government could qualify for a slight premium decrease with certain companies.
- Early Renewal Discounts – Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them prior to your current Passat insurance policy expiring. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents could pay up to 40% less as compared to drivers with claims.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
- Claim Free – San Francisco drivers who stay claim-free are rewarded with significantly better rates on San Francisco auto insurance quote in comparison to drivers who are more careless.
- Telematics Data – Policyholders that allow data collection to look at driving habits by using a telematics device in their vehicle such as Progressive’s Snapshot may see discounts as long as the data is positive.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Forcing all vehicle occupants to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
As a footnote on discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Despite the fact that it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
The example below compares Volkswagen Passat auto insurance rates with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The premium estimates are based on a female driver, no accidents or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with marriage, multi-car, safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, and homeowner discounts applied.
Some companies that possibly offer these money-saving discounts include:
Before buying, ask every company to apply every possible discount. Some credits may not apply to policyholders in San Francisco. To find insurance companies who offer insurance discounts in California, follow this link.
Insurance agents can help
When it comes to the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Your situation is unique and your auto insurance should unique, too.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover whether or not you may require specific advice.
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- Do I need higher collision deductibles?
- Can I insure my car for more than it’s worth?
- Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
- Are combined or split liability limits better?
- Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.