Best Saturn VUE Insurance in San Francisco

Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that over 70% of drivers have bought car insurance from the same company for at least the last four years, and just under half have never compared rates from other carriers. Drivers in San Francisco could save roughly 35% each year just by comparing rates, but they just don’t want to compare rate quotes online.

If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to find the cheapest price for car insurance rates in San Francisco is to start doing an annual price comparison from different companies in California. You can compare prices by following these guidelines.

First, read about the coverage provided by your policy and the measures you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating factors that drive up the price such as multiple speeding tickets and an imperfect credit score can be controlled by making minor changes in your lifestyle.

Second, obtain price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide prices from multiple sources. View a list of agents

Third, compare the new quotes to the premium of your current policy and determine if cheaper VUE coverage is available. If you find a lower rate and decide to switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.

Fourth, notify your agent or company of your intent to cancel the current policy. Submit payment and a signed application to the new company. As soon as you receive it, place your new proof of insurance certificate somewhere easily accessible.

One key aspect of rate comparisons is to use the same coverage limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get quotes from as many companies as you can. Doing this helps ensure a fair rate comparison and a thorough price selection.

The fastest way that we advise to compare car insurance rates for Saturn VUE insurance in San Francisco is to know auto insurance companies actually pay money for the chance to give free rates quotes. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is take a few minutes to give details such as if it has an anti-theft system, whether your vehicle is owned or leased, the ages of drivers, and whether you are married. Your information is submitted instantly to insurance carriers in your area and they return rate quotes very quickly.

To start a rate quote now, click here then complete the form.

The companies in the list below provide free rate quotes in San Francisco, CA. If multiple providers are shown, we suggest you visit as many as you can to find the most affordable auto insurance rates.

Coverage statistics and figures

The premium information shown below showcases detailed analysis of prices for Saturn VUE models. Being more informed about how rates are formulated can help you make smart choices when buying a policy.

Price data assumes single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, claim-free, and homeowner. Information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can raise or lower prices significantly.

Where to set your deductibles

One of the hardest decisions when shopping for auto insurance is how high should the physical damage deductibles be. The figures shown below may help to conceptualize how much more you’ll pay when you select higher and lower physical damage coverage deductibles. The first data table uses a $100 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second set of rates uses a $1,000 deductible.

Prices above based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, claim-free, and safe-driver. Rate information does not factor in garaging location in San Francisco which can revise price quotes greatly.

Based on the figures above, using a $100 deductible will cost you roughly $44 more each month or $528 for a full year than buying the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would have to pay $900 more to file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you normally go more than 20 months between claim filings, you would come out ahead if you choose the higher deductible.

An important sidenote is that raising deductibles results in more money out-of-pocket when you have a comprehensive or collision claim. You must have some funds available in order to pay more for the deductible.

Irresponsible driving raises your rates

The diagram below illustrates how violations and at-fault collisions raise Saturn VUE car insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The information is based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.

Comparison of auto insurance rates by gender and age in San Francisco

The information below illustrates the comparison of Saturn VUE insurance prices for male and female drivers. The data is based on a clean driving record, no claims, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are applied.

Saturn VUE full coverage rates compared to liability only

The information below shows the comparison of Saturn VUE insurance costs with and without full coverage. The rates are based on no tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, single marital status, and no other discounts are factored in.

When to switch to liability coverage only

There is no clear-cut rule of when to drop physical damage insurance, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of coverage is more than 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

For example, let’s assume your Saturn VUE book value is $9,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would get paid by your company is $8,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying more than $800 annually for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

There are some situations where dropping full coverage is not recommended. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should not opt for liability only.

Car insurance does more than just protect your car

Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Saturn in San Francisco, maintaining insurance may be required for several reasons.

First, almost all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires specific limits of liability insurance in order to drive the car legally. 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.

Second, if your vehicle has a lienholder, most banks will make it mandatory that you have insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank may insure your Saturn at a significantly higher premium and require you to fork over the higher price.

Third, insurance safeguards your Saturn and your assets. It will also cover medical expenses incurred in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay attorney fees in the event you are sued. If you have damage to your Saturn as the result of the weather or an accident, your car insurance policy will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.

The benefits of buying car insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. An average driver in America is overpaying over $820 a year so compare quotes from several companies at least once a year to save money.

Car insurance discounts help lower rates for Saturn VUE insurance in San Francisco

Companies that sell car insurance do not list every policy discount in an easy-to-find place, so the next list breaks down both well-publicized in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to lower your premiums when you buy San Francisco auto insurance online.

• Theft Prevention Discount – Cars and trucks with anti-theft systems can help prevent theft so companies will give you a small discount.
• Paperwork-free – A few car insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy on your computer.
• Defensive Driver – Completing a safe driver class could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
• Distant Student – Older children living away from San Francisco attending college and don’t have a car can receive lower rates.
• Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student may save as much as 25% on a San Francisco auto insurance quote. Most companies allow this discount up until you turn 25.
• Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accident claims.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the whole policy. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, that’s just not realistic.

The chart below visualizes the comparison of Saturn VUE insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the premium. The costs are based on a male driver, no claims, a clean driving record, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, multi-car, claim-free, safe-driver, marriage, and multi-policy discounts applied.

A few of the larger companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are included below.

• State Farm has savings for accident-free, good driver, anti-theft, good student, safe vehicle, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and defensive driving training.
• Farmers Insurance offers premium reductions for bundle discounts, teen driver, homeowner, pay in full, switch companies, and business and professional.
• Progressive discounts include continuous coverage, multi-policy, online signing, multi-vehicle, and homeowner.
• GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including driver training, air bags, emergency military deployment, daytime running lights, membership and employees, and multi-vehicle.
• Auto-Owners Insurance may offer discounts for safe vehicle, student away at school, paid in full, multiple vehicles, anti-lock brakes, safe driver, and paperless.
• The Hartford includes discounts for anti-theft, air bag, good student, bundle, driver training, and defensive driver.
• Farm Bureau offers discounts for good student, renewal discount, multi-policy, driver training, 55 and retired, and youthful driver.
• USAA may have discounts that include vehicle storage, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, military installation, safe driver, family discount, and new vehicle.

If you are trying to find affordable San Francisco auto insurance quotes, ask each company or agent how many discounts you can get. Depending on the company, some discounts might not apply in every state. To choose insurance companies who offer free Saturn VUE insurance quotes in California, follow this link.

You may need help from a local insurance agent

A lot of people still prefer to go talk to an agent and that is a personal choice. Good insurance agents can help you choose the best coverages and help file insurance claims. An additional benefit of comparing rates online is the fact that drivers can get better rates and still have an agent to talk to.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, the coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents in San Francisco that provide free San Francisco auto insurance quotes for your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to find an agent because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. If you want to quote rates for a specific company, just jump over to their website and give them your coverage information.

Choosing the best company should depend on more than just a cheap price quote. Below are some questions you should ask.

• How many companies do they write for?
• Is coverage determined by price?
• Can you contact them at any time?
• Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
• How many years have they been established?

The type of car insurance agent you choose is important

If you want to buy auto insurance from a reputable agency, it’s important to understand the different agency structures to choose from. Agents can be classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer. Either one can insure your vehicles properly, but it’s important to know the difference between them because it can factor into the type of agent you choose.

Exclusive Agents

These type of agents can usually just insure with one company like Farmers Insurance and State Farm. They generally cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. These agents are highly trained on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

The following are San Francisco exclusive insurance agencies that are able to give comparison quotes.

More insurance agents

Independent Auto Insurance Agencies

Independent insurance agents do not sell for just one brand and that enables them to quote your coverage amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, your policy is moved internally and you can keep the same agent. When comparing auto insurance rates, we highly recommend that you get some free quotes from multiple independent agents to have the best price comparison.

Shown below is a short list of independent agencies in San Francisco who can help you get rate quotes.

More insurance agents

Insurance coverages and their meanings

Understanding the coverages of insurance can be of help when determining the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find the usual coverages found on most insurance policies.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

This pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as theft, hail damage and damage from getting keyed. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Liability car insurance

Liability insurance will cover damage that occurs to people or other property in an accident. It protects you from claims by other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see policy limits of 15/30/5 that translate to $15,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $5,000.

Liability can pay for claims such as court costs, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, repair costs for stationary objects and structural damage. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. California state minimum liability requirements are 15/30/5 but drivers should carry more coverage.

The next chart demonstrates why minimum state limits may not provide adequate coverage.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your Saturn VUE.

Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (California limits are 15/30/5), their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea.

Collision insurance

Collision insurance pays for damage to your VUE caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage protects against things such as driving through your garage door, scraping a guard rail and colliding with another moving vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. You can also increase the deductible on your VUE to bring the cost down.

Medical expense insurance

Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for expenses for surgery, hospital visits and nursing services. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover you and your occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Be persistent and save

Cheaper car insurance in San Francisco can be sourced from both online companies as well as from independent agents in San Francisco, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies do not offer internet price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies only sell through local independent agents.

While you’re price shopping online, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price and still be able to protect your assets.

More tips and info about car insurance can be found by following these links:

• Insuring a Leased Car (Insurance Information Institute)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Business Use in San Francisco? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Drivers Over Age 60 in San Francisco? (FAQ)
• Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
• Driving in Bad Weather (Insurance Information Institute)