Are you at wits end from being strong-armed to pay high car insurance rates every month? You’re in the same situation as many other California consumers.
Astonishing but true according to a recent study, almost 70% of insureds in California kept their coverage with the same car insurance company for over three years, and 38% of drivers have never compared rates with other companies. Many consumers in the United States could save nearly $860 every year by just shopping around, but most tend to underestimate the rate savings if they switched.
Steps to finding affordable quotes for GMC Canyon insurance in San Francisco
The preferred way to get budget GMC Canyon insurance is to start comparing prices regularly from insurance carriers in San Francisco.
- First, get a basic knowledge of coverages and the modifications you can make to prevent high rates. Many rating factors that are responsible for high rates such as speeding and a not-so-good credit rating can be remedied by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. This article provides additional ideas to help reduce prices and find missing discounts.
- Second, get rate quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide price quotes from multiple companies.
- Third, compare the new quotes to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper price is available in San Francisco. If you find better rates and buy the policy, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
- Fourth, provide written notification to your current company of your intention to cancel your current policy and submit a completed application and payment to the new company. Make sure you keep the new certificate verifying coverage with the vehicle registration.
The most important part of this process is to use similar coverage information on each quote request and and to get rates from as many different insurance providers as possible. Doing this enables a fair price comparison and a good representation of prices.
Because you have many different company options, it can be difficult for drivers to choose the lowest price company.
Finding and buying affordable policy in San Francisco is actually quite simple. Nearly anyone who is overpaying for auto insurance most likely will be able to find better rates. But California drivers can benefit by having an understanding of the way companies price online insurance because it can help you find the best coverage.
Buy GMC Canyon Insurance More Affordably
One of the most helpful ways to save on insurance is to to have a grasp of some of the things that go into determining the rates you pay for insurance. If you have some idea of what controls the rates you pay, this helps enable you to make changes that can help you get lower rates. Many different elements are used in the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some are obvious such as your driving record, but some are less apparent such as your credit history or how safe your car is.
Listed below are a few of the “ingredients” used by companies to determine premiums.
Extra coverages you don’t need – There are a lot of additional extra coverages that may not really be needed when buying insurance. Insurance for things like personal injury protection, death and dismemberment, and motor club memberships are some examples. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but if you don’t need them think about removing them and cutting costs.
Deter vehicle theft – Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your premiums. Systems that thwart thieves such as OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms all help stop auto theft.
Claim-free discounts can add up – Companies in California provide the lowest premiums to policyholders that do not abuse their auto insurance. If you file a lot of claims you can expect higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Does your occupation cost you more? – Careers such as fire fighters, airline pilots, and emergency personnel generally pay the highest average rates in part from intense work-related stress and incredibly demanding work hours. Conversely, careers like farmers, students and retirees receive lower rates.
More policies can equal more savings – Most major companies allow better rates to policyholders that have more than one policy. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you qualify for this discount already, it’s in your best interest to compare other San Francisco Canyon insurance rates to guarantee you are still saving the most.
Being married can save you money – Getting married helps lower the price on your policy. Having a significant other usually means you are less irresponsible and insurance companies reward insureds because being married results in fewer claims.
Drivers with good credit save – Having a bad credit score can be a huge factor in calculating your insurance rates. Therefore, if your credit history could use some work, you may save money insuring your GMC Canyon by improving your credit score. Drivers who have excellent credit scores tend to file fewer claims than those with poor credit.
Pleasure use or commuting – The more miles you rack up on your GMC in a year the more you will pay for insurance. Many insurance companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Cars left parked in the garage can be on a lower rate level than those that get driven frequently. It’s always a good idea to double check that your declarations sheet correctly shows how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money. Having the wrong rating on your Canyon may be wasting your money.
Loss statistics for a GMC Canyon – Insurance companies include the past claim trends for vehicles when setting premium costs. Models that the statistics show to have higher prevalence or dollar amount of losses will cost more to insure.
The table below demonstrates the actual insurance loss data for GMC Canyon vehicles. For each type of coverage, the loss probability for all vehicles, regardless of manufacturer or model, is a value of 100. Values that are below 100 mean the vehicle has better than average losses, while values over 100 indicate frequent claims or statistically larger claims.
| Make and Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMC Canyon Crew Cab 2WD | 54 | 88 | ||||
| GMC Canyon Crew Cab 4WD | 44 | 71 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: iihs.org (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) for 2013-2015 Model Years
Just remember that making a lot of price comparisons helps locate a lower rate. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide San Francisco Canyon insurance quotes online, so you also need to get rates on coverage from those companies, too.
The following companies can provide quotes in California. If multiple providers are shown, it’s highly recommended you visit several of them in order to find the lowest rates.
GMC Canyon insurance analysis
The coverage information displayed next highlights different coverage prices for GMC Canyon models. Having a good grasp of how prices are determined can assist in making smart choices when purchasing an auto insurance policy.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon SLE Regular Cab 2WD | $208 | $374 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,212 | $101 |
| Canyon SLE Ext Cab 2WD | $208 | $454 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,292 | $108 |
| Canyon SLE Ext Cab Z71 2WD | $208 | $454 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,292 | $108 |
| Canyon SLE Crew Cab 2WD | $208 | $454 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,292 | $108 |
| Canyon SLE Regular Cab 4WD | $238 | $374 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,242 | $104 |
| Canyon SLE Crew Cab Z71 2WD | $238 | $454 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,322 | $110 |
| Canyon SLT Ext Cab 2WD | $238 | $454 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,322 | $110 |
| Canyon SLE Ext Cab 4WD | $238 | $374 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,242 | $104 |
| Canyon SLT Crew Cab 2WD | $238 | $536 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,404 | $117 |
| Canyon SLE Ext Cab Z71 4WD | $238 | $454 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,322 | $110 |
| Canyon SLE Crew Cab 4WD | $270 | $454 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,354 | $113 |
| Canyon SLE Crew Cab Z71 4WD | $270 | $454 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,354 | $113 |
| Canyon SLT Crew Cab 4WD | $270 | $454 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,354 | $113 |
| Canyon SLT Ext Cab 4WD | $270 | $454 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,354 | $113 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices based on married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Information does not factor in San Francisco location which can raise or lower rates significantly.
The chart below shows how different deductible levels and can raise or lower GMC Canyon insurance rates for different age groups. The rate quotes are based on a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, and no other discounts are factored in.
Impact of careless driving on San Francisco car insurance rates
The illustration below demonstrates how speeding tickets and accidents can raise GMC Canyon car insurance rates for each age group. The prices are based on a single female driver, full coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Gender-based car insurance rates by age
The chart below illustrates the comparison of GMC Canyon premium costs for male and female drivers. The information is based on no accidents, no driving violations, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, single status, and no other discounts are factored in.
Choosing the best Canyon insurance in California is an important decision
Despite the high insurance cost for a GMC Canyon in San Francisco, maintaining insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
- Most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability insurance coverage in order to license the 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 bought your Canyon with a loan, most banks will make it mandatory that you carry insurance to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you default on your policy, the lender may insure your GMC at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards your car and your assets. Insurance will also pay for medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers legal expenses if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, your car insurance policy will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of insuring your Canyon outweigh the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. But the average American driver overpays as much as $700 annually so it’s important to compare rates each time the policy renews to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Insurance discounts are available for cheaper rates
Insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but discounts can save money and there are some available that may help make it more affordable. Most are applied when you get a quote, but some discounts are required to be manually applied in order for you to get them. If you don’t get every credit possible, you could be getting lower rates.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Options like air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of up to 25% or more.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Keeping the miles down on your GMC can earn discounted premium rates on garaged vehicles.
- Save with a New Car – Buying a new car model can cost up to 25% less because newer vehicles are generally safer.
- Driver Training Discounts – Participating in a driver safety course can save you 5% or more and easily pay for the cost of the class.
- Driving Data Discount – Insureds that choose to allow their insurance company to study driving habits by using a telematic data system such as Allstate’s Drivewise and State Farm’s In-Drive system might see lower rates if they are good drivers.
- Own a Home – Being a homeowner can help you save on insurance because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
- Good Student – This discount could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. Many companies even apply the discount to college students up to age 25.
- Active Military Service – Being deployed with a military unit could trigger a small discount.
- Student Discount for Driver Training – Have your child participate in a local driver’s education class in high school.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars and trucks with anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the whole policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any amount of discount should help reduce your policy cost.
The chart below illustrates the comparison of GMC Canyon yearly insurance costs with and without some available policy discounts. The data is based on a male driver, a clean driving record, no claims, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, marriage, and multi-car discounts applied.
A partial list of companies who may offer these benefits possibly include:
When getting a coverage quote, ask each insurance company how many discounts you can get. Discounts may not apply everywhere. To choose insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts in California, follow this link.
Exclusive or independent auto insurance agents
Certain consumers would rather have an agent’s advice and doing so can bring peace of mind The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find better rates and still choose a local agent. Buying from and supporting local agencies is important especially in San Francisco.
After completing this form (opens in new window), the quote information is sent to local insurance agents in San Francisco that can provide free San Francisco car insurance quotes for your business. You don’t have to search for any insurance agencies since rate quotes are delivered immediately to you. You’ll get the best rates and a licensed agent to talk to. If you need to compare prices from a particular provider, you would need to find their quoting web page and complete a quote there.
Independent or Exclusive: It’s your choice
When finding a local San Francisco insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the different types of agencies and how they can quote your rates. Agents in San Francisco can either be exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
These type of agents are not restricted to one company and that gives them the ability to insure amongst many companies depending on which coverage is best. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply switch companies in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing insurance rates, you will definitely want to include rate quotes from multiple independent agents in order to compare the most rates.
Featured below is a partial list of independent agents in San Francisco who may provide rate quotes.
Jessica Liu Insurance Services
3428 Balboa St – San Francisco, CA 94121 – (415) 386-2283 – View Map
Carrie Insurance
2126 Sutter St – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 567-7660 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Nathan Douglas Gleason Agency
101 California St #2710 – San Francisco, CA 94111 – (415) 870-6999 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
These agents are contracted to one company and some examples include Allstate and State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot compare other company’s rates so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agencies are highly trained in insurance sales which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates.
The following are San Francisco exclusive agencies that are able to give rate quotes.
Cliff Young – State Farm Insurance Agent
1636 Irving St a – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 665-5118 – View Map
State Farm: Michael Woo
2166 Market St – San Francisco, CA 94114 – (415) 565-6777 – View Map
Joe Freund – State Farm Insurance Agent
1734 Divisadero St – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 359-9311 – View Map
Finding the right insurance agency should include more criteria than just a cheap price. These questions are important to ask:
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
- If your car is totaled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
If you get answers to your satisfaction as well as a price you’re happy with, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that can be relied on to properly insure your vehicles. Just be aware that it’s your policy and you can terminate coverage whenever you wish so don’t feel that you are obligated to a policy for any length of time.
You are unique and your auto insurance should be too
When quoting and comparing insurance from an agent or online for your personal vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Your needs are unique to you.
These are some specific questions may help you determine if you will benefit from professional help.
- What is roadside assistance coverage?
- What is UM/UIM insurance?
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
- Does insurance cover tools stolen from my truck?
- Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
- Will my insurance pay for OEM parts?
- What policy terms are available?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form.
In Summary
Budget-friendly car insurance in San Francisco is possible both online and from local insurance agents, so you need to quote San Francisco car insurance with both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who do not offer internet price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through local independent agents.
Insureds who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including denial of a claim, high rates after DUI convictions, policy non-renewal or not issuing a premium refund. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a great new company is not as hard as you think.
When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many cases, an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to discover later they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.
How to find lower priced GMC Canyon insurance in San Francisco
The preferred way to get affordable GMC Canyon insurance is to regularly compare quotes from insurers who provide auto insurance in San Francisco.
- First, take a few minutes and learn about how companies set rates and the changes you can make to keep rates in check. Many rating factors that drive up the price such as speeding tickets, accidents and a bad credit score can be remedied by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
- Second, compare rates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide prices for many different companies.
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium and determine if there is any savings. If you find a lower rate, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Fourth, provide notification to your current agent or company of your intention to cancel the current policy. Submit a completed application and payment to your new insurance company. When you receive it, put the certificate of insurance above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
An important note is to try to compare the same deductibles and limits on every quote request and and to get quotes from as many companies as you can. Doing this helps ensure a fair rate comparison and a complete selection of prices.
Additional information is available at these links:
- Air Bags: Potential Dangers to Your Children (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Honda Civic in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Subaru Outback in San Francisco? (FAQ)
- How Much is San Francisco Car Insurance for Drivers Under 21? (FAQ)
- What are my Rights when Filing a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Institute)