Really, the only way to find low-cost prices for car insurance rates in Oakland is to regularly compare prices from companies in California.
Step 1: Spend some time learning about coverages and the measures you can control to lower rates. Many rating factors that drive up the price like accidents, careless driving, and a less-than-favorable credit history can be eliminated by paying attention to minor details.
Step 2: Request rate estimates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes from multiple insurance companies.
Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium to determine if switching companies saves money. If you can save money and switch companies, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
Step 4: Provide adequate notice to your current company to cancel your existing policy and submit the completed application along with a down payment to your new agent or company. Once received, keep the new certificate of insurance with the vehicle registration.
One key aspect of rate comparisons is to try to use the same level of coverage on each price quote and and to get quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. This enables a fair price comparison and the best price quote selection.
Shockingly, most auto insurance customers have purchased from the same company for well over three years, and practically 40% of auto insurance customers have never compared quotes from other companies. The average driver in Oakland could save 35% a year just by comparing rates, but they just assume it takes a lot of time to shop their coverage around.
Oakland car insurance discounts
Car insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but occasionally some discounts must be asked for prior to getting the savings.
- College Student – Youth drivers living away from Oakland attending college and leave their car at home may be insured at a cheaper rate.
- First Accident Forgiveness – Not a discount per se, but a few companies such as State Farm, Progressive and GEICO allow you one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims for a specific time period.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or former government employment could cut as much as 10% off depending on your car insurance provider.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Driving less could earn discounted premium rates on garaged vehicles.
- Discount for New Cars – Buying a new car model may earn a small discount due to better safety requirements for newer models.
- Renewal Discounts – A few insurance companies give discounts for buying a new policy early. You may see this discount when you get Oakland car insurance quotes online.
- Multi-line Discount – Not all companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a discount if you purchase some life insurance too.
- Full Payment Discount – By paying your entire bill at once rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
You should keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.
Some companies that may offer quotes with most of the discounts above may include but are not limited to:
If you are trying to find affordable Ford C-Max Energi insurance quotes, ask all companies you are considering to give you their best rates. Some discounts might not apply in your state. To locate insurance companies with the best discounts in Oakland, follow this link.
The most recommended method to compare car insurance company rates for Ford C-Max Energi insurance in Oakland is to know the fact almost all companies participate in online systems to give free rates quotes. The only thing you need to do is spend a couple of minutes providing details including how much education you have, if the vehicle is leased, daily mileage, and how you use your vehicles. Your information gets sent immediately to all major companies and they provide comparison quotes instantly to find the best rate.
To find the cheapest Ford C-Max Energi insurance rates, click here and enter your coverage details.
The companies shown below can provide free rate quotes in Oakland, CA. If multiple companies are listed, it’s highly recommended you compare several of them to find the most competitive auto insurance rates.
Get Cheap Insurance Rates by Understanding These Factors
Many different elements are part of the equation when premium rates are determined. Some are obvious like an MVR report, but other criteria are not as apparent like your continuous coverage or your financial responsibility.
The items below are some of the factors used by your company to calculate your rates.
Reduce car insurance rates by driving safer cars – Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. Vehicles engineered for safety protect occupants better and fewer serious injuries means lower claim amounts and cheaper rates on your policy. If the Ford C-Max Energi has ratings of a minimum four stars on Safercar.gov or an “acceptable” rating on iihs.org you are probably receiving a discount.
Save money with higher comp and collision deductibles – Physical damage coverage, also called ‘full coverage’, covers your vehicle from damage. A few examples of covered claims could be collision with another vehicle, damage caused by hail, or theft. Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money the insured will be required to pay before a claim is paid by your company. The more money the insured is willing to pay, the less money you will pay for car insurance.
Traffic violations can be expensive – Whether or not you get tickets has a huge affect on how much you pay. Having just one citation can increase rates twenty percent or more. Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who have gotten careless citations like DUI or reckless driving are required to complete a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.
Put fewer miles on your vehicle – The more you drive your Ford in a year’s time the higher your rates will be. A lot of insurance companies calculate rates based upon how much you drive. Cars that sit idle most of the time cost less to insure than those used for commuting. A policy that improperly rates your C-Max Energi may be costing you higher rates. It’s a smart idea to ensure your car insurance policy properly reflects the right rating data.
Don’t I need to contact an agent?
A lot of people still like to talk to a local agent and that can be a great decision Professional insurance agents are trained risk managers and help submit paperwork. The best thing about getting online price quotes is that you can obtain cheap insurance quotes and still buy from a local agent. And supporting neighborhood insurance agencies is still important in Oakland.
After completing this short form, your insurance data gets sent to companies in Oakland that can give you free Oakland car insurance quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. There is no need to contact an agency because prices are sent immediately to you. If you need to compare prices for a specific company, don’t hesitate to navigate to their website and complete a quote there.
When narrowing the list to find a reliable agent, there are two different types of agents that you can choose from. Insurance agents are either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Either one can provide insurance policies, but it is important to understand how they differ since it could factor into which type of agent you select.
Independent Insurance Agencies or Brokers
These agents can sell policies from many different companies so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can just switch to a different company and you stay with the same agent.
If you are comparing rate quotes, we recommend you contact a few independent agents to have the most options to choose from. Many write coverage with less well-known companies that many times have cheaper rates.
Listed below is a short list of independent agents in Oakland who may be able to give you cheap rate quotes.
- Fiesta Auto Insurance Center
4102 International Blvd – Oakland, CA 94601 – (510) 261-1300 – View Map - Greater Metrowest Insurance Agency
Oakland, CA 94612 – Oakland, CA 94612 – (510) 444-1404 – View Map - Aviation Marine Insurance Services
5707 Redwood Rd – Oakland, CA 94619 – (510) 530-4415 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive insurance agents can only place business with one company such as Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot compare other company’s rates so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Exclusive agents are highly trained on sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers sometimes buy from exclusive agents primarily because of the prominence of the brand rather than having the cheapest rates.
Shown below are exclusive agents in Oakland who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Farmers Insurance – Anthony Sue
3333 Grand Ave #203 – Oakland, CA 94610 – (510) 465-1544 – View Map - State Farm: Julie La
3800 Park Blvd #200 – Oakland, CA 94602 – (510) 550-9775 – View Map - Judy Chambers – State Farm Insurance Agent
1305 Franklin St #400 – Oakland, CA 94612 – (510) 832-2195 – View Map
Finding the right insurance agency is decision based upon more than just a cheap price. A good agent in Oakland will have answers to these questions.
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Is there a local claims center in Oakland?
- What company do they have the most business with?
- If they are an independent agency in Oakland, which companies do they recommend?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
If you feel you receive good answers and locked in a price quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that meets the criteria to insure your vehicles. But remember, you have the power to cancel your policy at any point so never feel that you are permanently stuck with your new company with no way to switch.
Car insurance is not optional in California
Despite the fact that car insurance is not cheap in Oakland, maintaining insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- Most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific limits of liability in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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 vehicle, it’s guaranteed your bank will stipulate that you have full coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the bank will be required to insure your Ford for a much higher rate and require you to reimburse them much more than you were paying before.
- Car insurance protects not only your car but also your financial assets. It also can pay for all forms of medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability coverage also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of your driving. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your policy will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of insuring your car more than offset the price you pay, especially if you ever need it. Unknowingly, the average driver is overpaying over $820 a year so you should quote and compare rates once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are inline.
Best car insurance company in Oakland
Selecting the top car insurance provider can be difficult considering how many companies sell coverage in California. The ranking data below can help you choose which coverage providers to look at shopping your coverage with.
Top 10 Oakland Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Service
- AAA of Southern California
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
Get the best coverage at the most affordable price
People who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including delays in paying claims, being labeled a high risk driver, unfair underwriting practices or not issuing a premium refund. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching auto insurance companies is easier than you think.
We just presented many ideas to find lower-cost Ford C-Max Energi insurance in Oakland. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may even discover the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier.
Lower-priced auto insurance in Oakland is attainable on the web as well as from insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies do not provide rate quotes online and usually these small insurance companies work with independent agencies.
Helpful information
- Vehicle Insurance (Wikipedia)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for Low Income Drivers in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Oakland Auto Insurance for College Students? (FAQ)
- What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Older Drivers FAQ (iihs.org)
- Warning systems don’t curb driver distraction (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Smart Auto Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Institute)