A study showed that a large majority of auto insurance policyholders in California have remained with the same auto insurance company for at least the last four years, and approximately 40% of consumers have never quoted rates to find lower-cost coverage. American drivers could save an average of about 46.5% each year, but they won’t spend time to go online and compare rates.
Truthfully, the best way to get discount auto insurance rates in San Francisco is to regularly compare quotes from providers in California. You can shop around by following these steps.
- First, try to learn a little about the coverage provided by your policy and the factors you can control to keep rates low. Many things that increase rates like careless driving and a negative credit history can be improved by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. This article gives more details to keep prices down and find possible discounts that are available.
- Second, compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only quote rates from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to your existing coverage to determine if you can save on Niro insurance. If you find a lower rate 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 intention to cancel the current policy. Submit a down payment and signed policy application to your new agent or company. Once received, put the proof of insurance certificate along with your vehicle registration.
The most important part of shopping around is to compare the same deductibles and limits on every quote request and to quote with as many different companies as possible. This enables a level playing field and maximum price selection.
The best way to compare car insurance rates for Kia Niro insurance in San Francisco takes advantage of the fact most insurance companies actually pay money for the chance to compare rate quotes. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information including distance driven, whether your vehicle is owned or leased, which vehicles you own, and your job. Your rating data is then submitted to multiple companies and they return rate quotes almost instantly.
To start a rate quote now, click here then complete the form.
The companies in the list below offer free quotes in California. If multiple providers are shown, it’s highly recommended you get price quotes from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Best reasons to buy auto insurance in California
Even though it can be expensive, insuring your vehicle may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- Almost all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means state laws require a specific level of liability 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 Kia Niro, it’s guaranteed your bank will force you to have physical damage coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender will be forced to insure your Kia at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over for the much more expensive policy.
- Auto insurance preserves both your Kia and your assets. Insurance will pay for medical bills that are the result of an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay for a defense attorney if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of insuring your car more than cancel out the cost, especially for larger claims. The average driver in California is wasting up to $865 each year so we recommend shopping around once a year at a minimum to make sure the price is not too high.
Companies offer lots of discounts on Kia Niro insurance in San Francisco
Car insurance companies don’t list the entire discount list very clearly, so the following is a list of some of the best known and also the more inconspicuous discounts you could be receiving when you buy San Francisco car insurance online.
- Own a Home – Owning a home in San Francisco can save a few bucks because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents could pay up to 40% less than their less cautious counterparts.
- Drivers Education – Have your child successfully complete driver’s ed class in school or through a local driver safety program.
- Data Collection Discounts – People who choose to allow data collection to look at vehicle usage through the use of a telematics system such as Drivewise from Allstate or Snapshot from Progressive may get a rate reduction if they are good drivers.
- Resident Student – Kids who live away from home at college and do not take a car to college may be able to be covered for less.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Larger auto insurance companies have a lower premium rate if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
- Service Members Pay Less – Having a deployed family member could qualify you for better rates.
Don’t be shocked that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So even though you would think you could get a free auto insurance policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
Companies and their offered discounts are included below.
- Esurance may have discounts that include Switch & Save, anti-lock brakes, claim free, paid-in-full, homeowner, good student, and online quote.
- The Hartford policyholders can earn discounts including driver training, bundle, vehicle fuel type, defensive driver, and good student.
- AAA has discounts for multi-policy, good student, anti-theft, pay-in-full, and multi-car.
- GEICO may offer discounts for federal employee, anti-lock brakes, membership and employees, emergency military deployment, and military active duty.
- State Farm may include discounts for good student, passive restraint, safe vehicle, Drive Safe & Save, multiple policy, and defensive driving training.
If you need inexpensive San Francisco car insurance quotes, ask every prospective company what discounts are available to you. Some credits may not be offered in every state.
Compare prices but still have a local San Francisco insurance agent
Many drivers still prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is a smart decision One of the best bonuses of getting free rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get cheap car insurance quotes and still have an agent to talk to.
Upon completion of this quick form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to companies in San Francisco that can provide free San Francisco car insurance quotes for your coverage. There is no need to find an agent on your own as quotes are delivered immediately to you. You can get cheaper car insurance rates without having to waste a lot of time. If you need to get a price quote from a particular provider, feel free to go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.
Choosing the best company requires you to look at more than just a cheap price quote. These are valid questions to ask:
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- How many years of experience in personal auto insurance do they have?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
Car insurance coverage information
Knowing the specifics of your policy helps when choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. Car insurance terms can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are the usual coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Collision coverage
This coverage covers damage to your Niro resulting from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things such as crashing into a building, sustaining damage from a pot hole, colliding with a tree and scraping a guard rail. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. Another option is to raise the deductible on your Niro in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Kia Niro.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (California limits are 15/30/5), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Auto liability insurance
Liability insurance provides protection from damage that occurs to other’s property or people. 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 per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 15/30/5 that translate to a $15,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and property damage coverage for $5,000.
Liability insurance covers things such as medical services, pain and suffering, loss of income, legal defense fees and medical expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but you should buy as much as you can afford. California state law requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
The illustration below demonstrates why minimum state limits may not be adequate.
Insurance for medical payments
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for short-term medical expenses like surgery, dental work, rehabilitation expenses, doctor visits and ambulance fees. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things such as damage from getting keyed, damage from flooding, damage from a tornado or hurricane and a broken windshield. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Get the best coverage at the lowest price
Low-cost Kia Niro insurance in San Francisco can be sourced online and also from your neighborhood San Francisco agents, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some car insurance companies may not have online rate quotes and usually these smaller companies prefer to sell through local independent agencies.
As you quote San Francisco car insurance, never buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where an insured cut collision coverage only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. Your objective should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
You just read a lot of ways to compare Kia Niro insurance auto insurance rates in San Francisco. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding low cost San Francisco car insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from a small local company. These smaller insurers may only write in your state and offer lower premium rates compared to the large companies like Progressive and GEICO.
For more information, take a look at the resources below:
- Can I Drive Legally without Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much are Car Insurance Rates for High School Students in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Business Use in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for 19 Year Olds in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Low Income Drivers in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Auto Insurance Basics (Insurance Information Institute)
- When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)