Save Money on Suzuki Equator Insurance in San Francisco

It takes a few minutes, but the best way to find cheaper Suzuki Equator insurance is to compare prices once a year from different companies in San Francisco.

Step 1: Spend some time learning about how auto insurance works and the steps you can take to keep rates down. Many policy risk factors that are responsible for high rates like your driving record and a low credit score can be rectified by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. This article gives the details to lower rates and find available discounts that you may qualify for.

Step 2: Request rate estimates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates for many different companies.

Step 3: Compare the new rates to your existing coverage to determine if you can save on Equator insurance. If you find a lower rate quote, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.

Step 4: Provide proper notification to your current company to cancel your existing policy. Submit a signed application and payment to the new company. Immediately upon receiving it, place your new proof of insurance certificate in your glove compartment.

An important part of this process is to use the same coverage limits and deductibles on each quote and and to compare as many companies as feasibly possible. Doing this guarantees an accurate price comparison and a complete rate analysis.

We don’t have to point out that fact that insurance companies don’t want you to look for cheaper rates. Consumers who compare price quotes are very likely to switch companies because there is a good chance of finding a policy with better rates. Remarkably, a study showed that consumers who shopped around annually saved as much as $850 each year compared to drivers who never shopped around for lower prices.

If finding the lowest rates on car insurance in San Francisco is your objective, then having a grasp of how to shop for insurance rates can save time and money.

This article’s intent is to teach you a little about the best ways to compare prices and some money-saving tips. If you have insurance now, you will most likely be able to lower your rates using the concepts you’re about to learn. But California vehicle owners must comprehend how insurance companies determine how much to charge because it varies considerably.

Companies offering Suzuki Equator insurance in San Francisco

The following companies are ready to provide free quotes in San Francisco, CA. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you click on several of them to find the lowest car insurance rates.

Suzuki Equator insurance analysis

The price information displayed below covers detailed analysis of insurance prices for Suzuki Equator models. Understanding more about how auto insurance policy rates are established is important for making informed decisions when comparing rates.

Table data assumes married male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-policy. Rate information does not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can decrease or increase price quotes noticeably.

Deductible analysis

One of the hardest decisions when shopping for auto insurance is which deductibles should you choose. The rates shown below can help show the cost difference between high and low physical damage deductibles. The first rate quote example uses a $100 deductible and the second price grid uses a $1,000 deductible.

Above prices assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-policy. Table data does not factor in specific zip code location which can impact auto insurance rates considerably.

Based on the above data, using a $100 deductible would cost the average driver about $44 more each month or $528 a year across all Suzuki Equator models than choosing the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would be required to pay $900 more to settle a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you average more than 20 months between claims, you would come out ahead going with the higher deductible. Below is the way you can make this decision for your own policy.

One important caveat is that increasing deductibles to save money results in having to pay to pay more out-of-pocket when you have a physical damage claim. You should have some extra funds in the event you need to pay the deductible to have repairs made.

Insurance rate increases from tickets or accidents

The example below illustrates how traffic citations and accident claims impact Suzuki Equator auto insurance costs for each different age group. The prices are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

Cost difference between full coverage and liability

The illustration below illustrates the difference between Suzuki Equator insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage. Data assumes no claims or violations, $250 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

Guidelines for eliminating full coverage

There is no definitive formula of when to drop full coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can use. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is 10% or more of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it could be time to drop full coverage.

For example, let’s assume your Suzuki Equator replacement cost is $6,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would receive is $5,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If it’s costing in excess of $500 a year for your policy with full coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.

There are some cases where dropping physical damage coverage is not financially feasible. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should keep full coverage in place.

Learn How to Get Car Insurance at a Discount

It’s important that you understand some of the factors that aid in calculating the level of your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what controls the rates you pay, this enables informed choices that could result in lower car insurance prices. Lots of factors are considered when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable like an MVR report, although others are less obvious like where you live or how financially stable you are.

• Consolidate home and auto and save – The majority of insurance companies allow better rates to buyers who buy several policies from them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can be 10 percent or more. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s in your best interest to comparison shop to help ensure you have the lowest rates.There is a chance you can save even more by insuring with multiple companies.
• Your address can push rates up or down – Choosing to live in smaller towns and rural areas of the country may provide you with better prices when trying to find low car insurance rates. Drivers in populated areas regularly have more traffic problems and higher rates of accident claims. Less people means a lower chance of having an accident.
• An active insurance claims history can cost you – If you file a lot of claims you shouldn’t be surprised to get either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in California give better rates to drivers who file claims infrequently. Your car insurance is intended to be relied upon for more catastrophic claims.
• Marriage is a factor – Having a wife or husband may save some money compared to being single. Marriage may mean you are more financially stable and it’s proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.

• Women tend to be lower risk – The statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. It does not mean men are worse drivers. Women and men have fender benders at a similar rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically receive more costly citations such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly.

  The information below illustrates the difference between Suzuki Equator annual premium costs for male and female drivers. The price estimates are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied.

• Raise coverage deductibles and save – Protection for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, insures against damage to your Suzuki. Some instances where coverage would apply would be collision with another vehicle, collision with an animal, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Deductibles for physical damage tell how much you are required to spend before a claim is paid by your company. The more damage repair cost you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the less your company will charge you for insurance.
• Miles impacts premiums – The more miles you rack up on your Suzuki every year the higher your rate. Many insurance companies charge rates based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles not used for work or commuting receive lower rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. An improperly rated Equator is throwing money out the window. Ask your agent if your car insurance policy shows the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.

• With age comes lower costs – Youthful drivers in California have a tendency to be less responsible when behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher. More experienced drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to cause fewer accidents, and get fewer tickets.

  The chart below uses these variables: single driver, full coverage with $100 deductibles, and no discounts or violations.

Lower-cost San Francisco car insurance quotes with discounts

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but there could be available discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be asked for before being credited.

• Auto/Home Discount – If you can combine your auto and homeowners policy with the same insurance company they may give you a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
• Good Students Pay Less – Being a good student could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
• Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to fasten their seat belts may be able to save a few bucks off PIP or medical payments premium.
• Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront as opposed to paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
• Low Miles Discount – Low annual miles can qualify you for slightly better premium rates than normal.

Discounts save money, but please remember that some of the credits will not apply to the whole policy. Most cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Even though the math looks like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won’t be that lucky.

The diagram below visualizes the comparison of Suzuki Equator annual premium costs with and without discounts applied to the rates. Data assumes a female driver, no tickets, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, marriage, and multi-car discounts applied.

Larger car insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts can be read below.

• 21st Century includes discounts for homeowners, student driver, driver training, automatic seat belts, theft prevention, teen driver, and anti-lock brakes.
• State Farm has savings for Steer Clear safe driver discount, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, driver’s education, multiple autos, and multiple policy.
• AAA offers discounts including education and occupation, pay-in-full, multi-policy, anti-theft, and good student.
• Liberty Mutual may offer discounts for new vehicle discount, exclusive group savings, preferred payment discount, multi-car, newly married, multi-policy, and good student.
• Progressive offers premium reductions for continuous coverage, online quote discount, online signing, homeowner, good student, and multi-vehicle.

Double check with each company how you can save money. Savings may not apply to policies in your area. To see insurance companies that offer some of these discounts in San Francisco, follow this link.

Compare rates but buy from a local San Francisco insurance agency

Some people prefer to have an agent’s advice and that can be a great decision The biggest benefit of getting free rate quotes online is you may find lower rates and also buy local. Buying from and supporting local insurance agencies is still important in San Francisco.

Once you complete this simple form, your insurance coverage information gets sent to agents in your area who will return price quotes to get your business. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact any agents due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to you. It’s the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you want to compare prices for a specific company, you can always jump over to their website to submit a rate quote request.

Two types of San Francisco car insurance agents

If you want to buy auto insurance from a local San Francisco insurance agent, there are a couple of different types of agents that you can select. Agencies in San Francisco are categorized either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer.

Independent Auto Insurance Agents (or Brokers)

Independent insurance agents often have affiliation with several companies so they can insure your vehicles through lots of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If they quote lower rates, an independent agent can move your coverage which makes it simple for you. When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to get several quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from. Most have the option of insuring with less well-known companies that can offer cheaper rates than bigger companies.

Below are independent agencies in San Francisco who may be able to give you pricing information.

• United General Insurance Agency
  3150 California St Ste 4A – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 922-7283 – View Map
• Steven Cresci Insurance Agency
  544 Golden Gate Ave – San Francisco, CA 94102 – (415) 212-8190 – View Map
• Riskguard Insurance Solutions
  422 Presidio Ave – San Francisco, CA 94115 – (415) 447-4212 – View Map

More San Francisco agents

Exclusive Agents

Exclusive agencies are contracted to one company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Exclusive agents are unable to shop your coverage around so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive insurance agents are usually quite knowledgeable on sales techniques which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates. Consumers frequently buy from the same agent for years mostly because of the brand name and solid financial strength.

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

• Kiet Nguyen – State Farm Insurance Agent
  4198 Mission St – San Francisco, CA 94112 – (415) 587-1880 – View Map
• Dave and Jake Stewart State Farm Insurance
  821 Folsom St #101 – San Francisco, CA 94107 – (415) 982-9033 – View Map
• Jake Ng – State Farm Insurance Agent
  1643 Noriega St – San Francisco, CA 94122 – (415) 564-0333 – View Map

More San Francisco agents

Finding the right insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. The following questions are important to ask.

• Will your rates increase after a single accident?
• Is assistance available after office hours?
• Has the agent ever had any license suspensions?
• How long has the business existed?
• Is every driver in your family covered?
• Are they in the agency full-time?

Find cheap rates by being thorough

Insureds switch companies for a number of reasons such as high rates after DUI convictions, unfair underwriting practices, not issuing a premium refund or extreme rates for teen drivers. No matter why you want to switch, finding the right insurance provider can be easy and end up saving you some money.

Throughout this article, we presented many ways to compare Suzuki Equator insurance car insurance rates in San Francisco. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the lowest priced insurance comes from a small local company.

Discount Suzuki Equator insurance in San Francisco can be found online as well as from insurance agents, so get free San Francisco car insurance quotes from both of them in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies may not have price quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through independent agents.

Additional detailed information is available at these sites:

• Red Light Cameras (State Farm)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for Single Moms in San Francisco? (FAQ)
• What Insurance is Cheapest for 4×4 Vehicles in San Francisco? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Honda CR-V in San Francisco? (FAQ)
• When is the Right Time to Switch Car Insurance Companies? (Allstate)
• Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)