It’s safe to conclude that insurance companies don’t want you shop around. Insureds who shop around for better prices are highly likely to move their business because there is a good probability of finding a more affordable policy. A study discovered that drivers who regularly shopped around saved $3,500 over four years compared to other drivers who never shopped for cheaper rates.
If finding the cheapest price on auto insurance in San Francisco is why you’re here, then having some knowledge of the best ways to find and compare car insurance can make the process less intimidating.
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to get budget car insurance rates is to compare prices once a year from insurance carriers in San Francisco. Rate comparisons can be done by following these steps.
First, spend a few minutes and learn about what is in your policy and the steps you can take to keep rates in check. Many policy risk factors that drive up the price such as speeding tickets, accidents and your credit history can be controlled by being financially responsible and driving safely. This article gives the details to prevent high rates and find more discounts that you may not know about.
Second, compare prices from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide prices for many different companies.
Third, compare the new rates to the premium of your current policy to see if cheaper Freestar coverage is available in San Francisco. If you find a lower rate quote and make a switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
Fourth, provide notification to your current agent or company of your intent to cancel your existing policy. Submit a completed policy application and payment to the new insurer. Immediately upon receiving it, keep your new proof of insurance certificate in an easily accessible location.
One piece of advice is that you use identical deductibles and limits on each quote and and to get price quotes from all possible companies. This enables an accurate price comparison and the best price selection.
First Step: Get free Ford Freestar insurance quotes
Most larger insurance companies allow you to get prices on their websites. Getting online quotes for Ford Freestar insurance in San Francisco is pretty easy as you just enter the coverages you want as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, the company’s rating system makes automated requests for your driving record and credit report and generates pricing information.
Getting online quotes for Ford Freestar insurance in San Francisco makes it simple to compare prices and it is important to perform this step in order to get affordable prices.
To find out if lower rates are available, consider comparing rates from the companies shown below. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended that you enter the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. This way, you will be getting rate comparison quotes for the exact same coverage.
The companies in the list below are ready to provide free quotes in San Francisco, CA. If the list has multiple companies, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get the most affordable price.
How Car Insurance Companies Calculate Ford Freestar Insurance Rates
Lots of things are taken into consideration when pricing auto insurance. A few of the factors are predictable like an MVR report, but other criteria are less obvious like your vehicle usage or your commute time.
- Good credit saves on insurance – Having a good credit history is a large factor in your rate calculation. If your credit can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your Ford Freestar by taking the time to improve your credit score. People with very high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with bad credit.
- Insurance rates and your vocation – Did you know your insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Careers like military generals, executives, and financial analysts tend to have higher premium rates attributed to high stress and lengthy work days. On the other hand, jobs such as farmers, engineers and performers pay the least.
- Lower performance equals lower insurance premiums – The performance of the car or truck you are buying insurance for makes a significant difference in your premium level. The lowest performance passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but your final cost has many other factors.
- Youthful drivers cost more – Young drivers in California are statistically proven to be more careless when driving therefore insurance rates are much higher. If you’ve ever had to add a young driver to your policy can increase premiums substantially. Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents, and are safer drivers.
- Liability coverage – Your insurance policy’s liability coverage provides coverage if ever you are found liable for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.
- Less chance of injury means lower prices – Vehicles with good safety scores cost less to insure. Safer cars reduce occupant injuries and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company and thus lower rates. If your Ford is rated at least four stars on Safercar.gov you may pay a lower rate.
- Extra policy coverages that aren’t used – There are many extra add-on coverages that can add up if you aren’t diligent. Coverages for coverage for rental cars, death and dismemberment, and motor club memberships are some examples. They may seem like a good idea when discussing your needs, but if you don’t need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
- Bundle policies and save money – Some companies provide a discount to policyholders who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it’s always a smart idea to compare other San Francisco Freestar insurance rates to help ensure you have the lowest rates. Drivers may still save even more by buying insurance from a different company.
Why you need to buy insurance
Despite the potentially high cost of Ford Freestar insurance, paying for insurance is required for several reasons.
- Just about all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to carry a specific minimum amount of liability insurance if you drive a vehicle. 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 took out a loan on your vehicle, most banks will make it mandatory that you buy insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may buy a policy for your Ford at a more expensive rate and require you to reimburse them for it.
- Insurance protects not only your vehicle but also your financial assets. It also can pay for medical expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay attorney fees if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. According to a recent study, the average American driver is wasting up to $869 every year so you should quote your policy with other companies each time the policy renews to help ensure money is not being wasted.