A recent car insurance study discovered that most car insurance buyers have been with the same company for four years or more, and nearly the majority have never shopped around. Oakland drivers could save an average of about $500 each year by just comparing quotes, but most just don’t grasp how much they could save if they moved their coverage to a different company.
Truthfully, the best way to get low-cost auto insurance rates in Oakland is to regularly compare quotes from different companies who can sell car insurance in California. You can shop around by following these guidelines.
- First, it will benefit you to learn about what coverages are included in your policy and the steps you can take to drop your rates. Many rating factors that result in higher prices like traffic citations, accidents, and an imperfect credit history can be controlled by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
- Second, obtain price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agencies can give you price quotes from multiple companies.
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to your existing coverage and see if you can save money. If you find better rates and buy the policy, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
The most important part of this process is to make sure you’re comparing identical deductibles and limits on each quote request and to quote with as many carriers as you can. This helps ensure an accurate price comparison and a complete price analysis.
Choosing the best rates in Oakland can be made easier if you know where to look. If you are insured now, you will definitely be able to save money using the techniques covered below. Consumers only need to know the least time-consuming way to shop for car insurance online from multiple companies.
The following companies have been selected to offer price comparisons in Oakland, CA. If you wish to find cheap auto insurance in CA, it’s highly recommended you get prices from several of them to get the best price comparison.
Three reasons to not skimp on car insurance
Despite the high insurance cost for a Buick Terraza in Oakland, insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
- The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to buy specific limits of liability coverage if you want to drive 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.
- If your Buick Terraza has a lienholder, most banks will require that you have comprehensive coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the bank may buy a policy for your Buick at an extremely high rate and force you to pay the higher price.
- Insurance protects not only your Buick but also your assets. It will also pay for medical expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers legal expenses if you cause an accident and are sued. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of buying car insurance more than offset the price you pay, particularly for liability claims. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver is wasting up to $865 each year so you should quote rates at every policy renewal to save money.
Oakland insurance discounts
Companies that sell car insurance don’t list every discount available very well, so the list below details some of the more common as well as some of the hidden credits available to bring down your rates. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.
- Driver Training Discounts – Completing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount and make you a better driver.
- Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a qualifying organization could earn you a nice discount when shopping for insurance.
- Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower prices.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Theft Prevention System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs optioned with advanced anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more on Terraza insurance in Oakland.
Remember that some credits don’t apply to the whole policy. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, insurance companies aren’t that generous.
Companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are:
- Progressive may offer discounts for multi-vehicle, homeowner, online quote discount, online signing, continuous coverage, multi-policy, and good student.
- The Hartford may include discounts for air bag, driver training, good student, vehicle fuel type, and defensive driver.
- Mercury Insurance policyholders can earn discounts including type of vehicle, good driver, professional/association, multi-car, and anti-theft.
- GEICO has savings for anti-theft, defensive driver, anti-lock brakes, good student, air bags, seat belt use, and multi-vehicle.
- AAA may have discounts that include AAA membership discount, multi-policy, anti-theft, pay-in-full, and education and occupation.
- State Farm has discounts for accident-free, driver’s education, anti-theft, multiple autos, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and Drive Safe & Save.
If you are trying to find low cost Oakland car insurance quotes, ask each company the best way to save money. Some discounts listed above might not be offered in Oakland. If you would like to see a list of insurance companies offering insurance discounts in California, click this link.
It’s not one size fits all
When quoting and choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different and your insurance should unique, too.
For instance, these questions can help discover whether or not you will benefit from professional help.
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
- What exactly is covered by my policy?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Should I rate my vehicle as business use?
- Does my Buick Terraza need full coverage?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Are my friends covered when driving my Buick Terraza?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.
How to find a good California auto insurance company
Buying coverage from a high-quality car insurance provider can be difficult considering how many choices there are in California. The ranking information shown next could help you pick which car insurance companies to look at comparing price quotes from.
Top 10 Oakland Car Insurance Companies Overall
- USAA
- American Family
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive