It’s hard to fathom, but over 70% of California drivers kept their coverage with the same auto insurance company for over three years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never compared rates from other carriers. Many drivers in the United States could save as much as $850 each year by just comparing rate quotes, but they don’t believe how much money they would save if they switched.
It takes a few minutes, but the best way to save money on car insurance rates in Oakland is to do an annual price comparison from providers who provide auto insurance in California. Drivers can shop around by following these guidelines.
- First, try to understand how your policy works and the changes you can make to drop your rates. Many rating criteria that result in higher prices like traffic violations, accidents, and a not-so-good credit history can be improved by being financially responsible and driving safely.
- Second, compare prices from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide prices from multiple insurance companies.
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium and determine if cheaper C70 coverage is available. If you find a better price and make a switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Fourth, tell your current agent or company to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit the completed application along with a down payment to your new insurance company. Once the paperwork is finalized, keep your new certificate of insurance in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
One bit of advice is to use similar limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to analyze as many companies as possible. This enables an accurate price comparison and a complete rate analysis.
How to get Oakland Volvo C70 insurance quotes
The companies shown below offer quotes in California. If you want to find cheaper car insurance in CA, we suggest you visit as many as you can to find the most affordable car insurance rates.
Insurance coverage details
The premium table shown next highlights a range of rate quotes for Volvo C70 models. Being more informed about how policy rates are figured can be of help when making smart choices when buying a policy.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C70 T5 2-Dr Convertible | $264 | $524 | $394 | $24 | $118 | $1,324 | $110 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices based on single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, homeowner, and claim-free. Rate information does not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can raise or lower premium rates greatly.
Premiums by gender and age
The example below shows the difference between Volvo C70 auto insurance rates for male and female drivers. The premiums assume no violations or accidents, full coverage, $250 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied.
Full coverage versus liability only rates
The diagram below illustrates the difference between Volvo C70 insurance costs with and without physical damage coverage, medical payments, and uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage. The premium estimates are based on no claims or driving violations, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no policy discounts are applied.
Are you wasting money on full coverage?
There is no clear-cut formula to stop paying for comp and collision coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than about 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you might consider buying liability only.
For example, let’s assume your Volvo C70 settlement value is $5,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, you would only receive $4,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying more than $400 a year for physical damage coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
There are some circumstances where dropping physical damage coverage is not in your best interest. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not remove full coverage.
Here’s why car insurance is not optional
Despite the high cost, maintaining insurance is mandatory in California but it also protects more than you think.
- Most states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to buy a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car. 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 C70, almost all lenders will require you to buy full coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Volvo at a more expensive rate and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
- Car insurance preserves both your vehicle and your assets. It will also pay for medical transport and hospital expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay for a defense attorney if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your Volvo gets damaged, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of having insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially for larger claims. But the average American driver is overpaying over $800 each year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison at every renewal to ensure rates are competitive.
Informed Consumers Know How to Quote Car Insurance for Less
Lots of factors are part of the equation when quoting car insurance. Some factors are common sense such as traffic violations, but some are not as apparent such as whether you are married or your vehicle rating. The best way to find cheaper car insurance is to take a look at the different types of things that go into determining car insurance rates. If you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make good choices that may reward you with lower premium levels.
Where you live is a factor – Choosing to live in a rural area has definite advantages if you are looking for the lowest rates. Fewer drivers and short commutes translates into fewer accidents. Drivers who live in large California cities tend to have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Spending more time driving means more chances of being involved in an auto accident.
Get married and get better premiums – Being married helps lower the price on car insurance. Having a significant other translates into being more mature it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.
How’s your driving record? – Your driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Attentive drivers receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. Even one speeding ticket or other violation may increase your cost forty percent or more. People who have serious citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to prove financial responsibility with their state’s licensing department in order to keep their license.
The chart below demonstrates how traffic citations and at-fault accidents increase Volvo C70 insurance costs for different age categories. The rate quotes are based on a married female driver, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, and no discounts are factored in.
Bump up deductibles to lower rates – Physical damage coverage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, helps pay for damage to your vehicle. A few examples of covered claims are a broken windshield, damage from fire, and burglary. Your deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay before a claim is paid by your company. The more money you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
Special considerations
When buying your policy, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that
For instance, these questions might help in determining whether you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Am I better off with higher deductibles on my Volvo C70?
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
- Is my Volvo C70 covered for flood damage?
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- Should I buy only the required California minimum liability coverage?
- Will filing a claim cost me more?
- What is motorclub and do I need it?
- Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.
What is the best auto insurance company in Oakland?
Insuring your vehicle with the right auto insurance company can be rather challenging considering how many companies there are to choose from in California. The information displayed below may help you analyze which car insurance providers to look at when comparing rate quotes.
Top 10 Oakland Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 95%
- USAA – 94%
- AAA of Southern California – 92%
- AAA Insurance – 91%
- Nationwide – 90%
- State Farm – 90%
- The Hartford – 89%
- GEICO – 89%
- The General – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
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
Cheaper coverage is out there
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The goal is to get the best coverage possible at the best cost while still protecting your assets.
Throughout this article, we presented a lot of techniques to save on Volvo C70 insurance in Oakland. The key thing to remember is the more you quote Oakland auto insurance, the better chance you’ll have of finding the cheapest Volvo C70 rate quotes. Consumers may even find the most savings is with a smaller regional carrier. Regional companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
More detailed car insurance information is available at these sites:
- Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)
- How Much is Oakland Car Insurance for a Ford Explorer? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Oakland Car Insurance for Real Estate Agents? (FAQ)
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)
- New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Prom Night Tips for Teen Drivers (State Farm)
- Smart Auto Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Institute)