Do you want to learn how to find cheaper Ford C-Max Hybrid insurance in Oakland? Searching for the cheapest insurance for a Ford C-Max Hybrid in California can normally be a painful process, but you can use a few tricks to find lower rates. There is a better way to find auto insurance online so we’re going to tell you the proper way to price shop coverage for a new or used Ford and obtain the cheapest rates from Oakland insurance agents and online providers.
Consumers should take time to get comparison quotes occasionally because prices trend upward over time. Even if you got the best deal on Ford C-Max Hybrid insurance in Oakland six months ago a different company probably has better premium rates today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because we’re going to show you one of the best ways to lower your annual insurance bill.
Learn How to Lower Your Insurance Costs
Many different elements are considered when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are obvious such as traffic violations, although some other factors are more obscure like where you live or your commute time.
Listed below are a few of the things used by insurance companies to determine your rates.
Insurance claims cost money – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims don’t be surprised to see higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Car insurance companies in California provide the best rates to policyholders who only file infrequent claims. Your insurance policy is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Never let your insurance policy lapse – Not having insurance is a big no-no and companies may charge more for letting your coverage cancel without a new policy in place. Not only will you pay higher rates, being ticketed for driving with no insurance may result in a license revocation or jail time. You may have to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the California motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
Pay more by driving carelessly – Being a careful driver influences premium rates substantially. Only having one speeding ticket can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who don’t get tickets pay lower auto insurance prices than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who have received flagrant citations like DUI or willful reckless driving may be required to complete a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to prevent their license from being revoked.
Your credit history is important – Having a good credit history can be an important factor in determining your rates. Insureds with excellent credit tend to be more responsible than those with poor credit. So if your credit history can be improved, you could save money insuring your Ford C-Max Hybrid if you improve your credit rating.
Insurance rates and your vocation – Occupational choices like real estate brokers, business owners, and accountants tend to have higher average rates because of intense work-related stress and incredibly demanding work hours. Conversely, occupations such as scientists, engineers and performers pay the least.
Your liability coverage limits – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance kicks in in the event that you are ruled to be at fault for an accident. Liability provides legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to other policy coverages, so drivers should carry high limits.
Ford C-Max Hybrid claim probability – Companies include the past claim history for a vehicle to calculate a rate that will offset any claims. Models that historically have increased losses will have increased rates. The table below shows the loss history for Ford C-Max Hybrid vehicles.
For each coverage type, the claim amount for all vehicles, regardless of make or model, is equal to 100. Values that are 100 or less are indicative of better than average losses, while numbers shown that are more than 100 indicate higher probability of having a loss or statistically larger claims.
| Specific Ford Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford C-Max Hybrid | 99 | 92 | 95 | 94 | 89 | 100 |
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
Car insurance rates and discounts
Car insurance can cost a lot, but there may be some discounts to help bring down the price. Some discounts will apply at the time you complete a quote, but a few need to be requested specifically prior to getting the savings.
- Full Payment Discount – By paying your entire bill at once rather than paying in monthly installments you could save 5% or more.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down on your Ford could be rewarded with slightly better car insurance rates than normal.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Select insurance companies give a discount for renewing your policy prior to the expiration date on your current C-Max Hybrid insurance policy. Ten percent is about the average savings.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings of 25 to 30%.
- Online Discount – A few larger online companies give back up to $50 shop Oakland auto insurance online.
- Own a Home and Save – Owning a house in Oakland can help you save on car insurance because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
- Accident Waiver – This one is not really a discount per se, but companies like Progressive, State Farm and GEICO will allow you to have one accident without getting socked with a rate hike so long as you haven’t had any claims for a certain period of time.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts can save 10% or more off PIP or medical payments premium.
One thing to note about discounts is that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, it’s just not the way it works. But all discounts will definitely reduce the cost of coverage.
Companies that possibly offer most of these discounts possibly include:
Before buying, ask every insurance company what discounts are available to you. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not apply in Oakland. To view insurance companies that offer multiple discounts in Oakland, click this link.
Persistent drivers can save
You just learned some good ideas how you can find cheap Ford C-Max Hybrid insurance in Oakland. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your prices. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from the least-expected company.
As you quote Oakland auto insurance, don’t be tempted to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at the lowest possible cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Consumers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, denial of a claim, high rates after DUI convictions and even lack of trust in their agent. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new insurance company is not as difficult as it may seem.
How to find cheaper rates for Ford C-Max Hybrid insurance in Oakland
It takes a little time, but the best way to find cheaper quotes for auto insurance rates in Oakland is to compare prices annually from different companies who can sell car insurance in California. Prices can be compared by completing these steps.
- Try to understand coverages and the changes you can make to prevent high rates. Many rating factors that are responsible for high rates such as speeding tickets, accidents and an unacceptable credit score can be remedied by being financially responsible and driving safely.
- Obtain price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide prices for a wide range of companies. Get quotes now
- Compare the price quotes to the premium of your current policy and determine if cheaper C-Max Hybrid coverage is available in Oakland. If you can save some money and buy the policy, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
A crucial key to this process is to make sure you’re comparing the same amount of coverage on every price quote and and to get rate quotes from as many car insurance companies as possible. This provides a fair rate comparison and a complete rate analysis.
Much more information about insurance in California can be read on the following sites:
- Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- How Much is Oakland Auto Insurance for Postal Workers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for Active Military in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Police Officers in Oakland? (FAQ)
- How Much are Oakland Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota RAV4? (FAQ)
- Air Bags: Potential Dangers to Your Children (Insurance Information Institute)
- Information for Teen Drivers (GEICO)