It’s safe to assume that auto insurance companies want to prevent you from shopping around. Drivers who shop rates annually will probably switch to a new company because there is a good chance of finding a lower-priced policy. A recent auto insurance study discovered that consumers who made a habit of comparing rates saved about $865 annually as compared to drivers who never shopped around for cheaper prices.
If finding the lowest price on Oldsmobile Bravada insurance in San Francisco is the reason for your visit, then understanding how to compare car insurance can make it easier to find better rates.
If you want to save the most money, the best way to quote cheaper auto insurance rates is to compare prices once a year from providers who provide car insurance in San Francisco.
Step 1: Try to learn about how insurance works and the measures you can take to keep rates low. Many things that cause rate increases like traffic violations, accidents, and a negative credit score can be amended by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
Step 2: Quote rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can give quotes from a single company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes from multiple companies.
Step 3: Compare the quotes to your existing coverage to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a lower rate, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
One key aspect of rate comparisons is to try to compare the same amount of coverage on each quote request and and to look at as many auto insurance providers as possible. This ensures a level playing field and plenty of rates choose from.
San Francisco car insurance discounts
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you can get discounts to cut the cost considerably. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but a few must be specifically requested before you will receive the discount.
- Accident Waiver – This isn’t a discount exactly, but companies like Progressive, State Farm and GEICO will forgive one accident before your rates go up as long as you don’t have any claims prior to being involved in the accident.
- Theft Deterrent System – Anti-theft and alarm system equipped vehicles are stolen less frequently and will qualify for a discount on a San Francisco auto insurance quote.
- Bundled Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies and insure them with the same company you will save up to 20% and get you affordable Oldsmobile Bravada insurance rates in San Francisco.
- Payment Method – By making one initial payment as opposed to paying monthly you can avoid the installment charge.
- Paper-free Discount – A few larger online companies will give you a small discount shop San Francisco auto insurance on your computer.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for several vehicles with one company qualifies for this discount.
- Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to fasten their seat belts could cut 10% or more on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- Passive Restraints – Factory options such as air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may get savings of up to 25% or more.
- Drivers Education – Have your child successfully take a driver’s education course in school.
Discounts reduce rates, but you should keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, nobody gets a free ride.
To see providers who offer cheap Oldsmobile Bravada insurance quotes in San Francisco in San Francisco, click this link.
Insurance policy specifics
Learning about specific coverages of your insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are typical coverage types found on most insurance policies.
Collision coverage – This coverage covers damage to your Bravada from colliding with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage pays for things like driving through your garage door, crashing into a ditch and hitting a mailbox. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible on your Bravada to get cheaper collision coverage.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Oldsmobile Bravada.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits (15/30/5 in California), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Frequently these limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as hail damage, rock chips in glass and hitting a deer. The maximum amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Insurance for medical payments – Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for bills for funeral costs, ambulance fees, prosthetic devices, X-ray expenses and nursing services. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover you and your occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Liability coverages – Liability coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 15/30/5 which stand for $15,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Alternatively, you may have one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability insurance covers claims like loss of income, medical expenses, funeral expenses and medical services. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. California requires drivers to carry at least 15/30/5 but you should consider buying more coverage.
The chart below demonstrates why the minimum limit may not provide adequate coverage.
Quote more to save more
More affordable auto insurance in San Francisco is possible both online and from local agencies, so you need to shop San Francisco auto insurance with both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies do not offer internet price quotes and most of the time these smaller providers prefer to sell through independent agencies.
We covered a lot of ways to get a better price on Oldsmobile Bravada insurance in San Francisco. It’s most important to understand that the more providers you compare, the better likelihood of getting affordable Oldsmobile Bravada insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the best premium rates are with the least-expected company. Some small companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like Allstate or State Farm.
To learn more, feel free to browse the articles below:
- Insurance Losses by Make and Model (iihs.org)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Dodge Ram in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Business Use in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for Welfare Recipients in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- Hybrid vehicles cost insurers more (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Safety Features for Your New Car (State Farm)
- Determining Your Vehicle’s Value and Repair Cost (Insurance Information Institute)
- Self-driving cars won’t replace humans (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)