Really, the only way to get the cheapest car insurance rates is to start comparing prices regularly from different companies who sell insurance in Oakland. Rates can be compared by following these guidelines.
- Get a basic knowledge of how car insurance works and the changes you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating criteria that cause rate increases like accidents, traffic violations, and a poor credit score can be amended by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. This article provides additional ideas to help prevent high rates and get bigger discounts that may have been overlooked.
- Compare rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can provide price quotes from many different companies.
- Compare the quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you can save money and buy the policy, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
A good piece of advice is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to compare every insurance company. Doing this provides an apples-to-apples comparison and maximum price selection.
Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that a large majority of drivers have bought car insurance from the same company for over three years, and almost half have never compared rate quotes at all. Most drivers in America could save $860 a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they don’t want to spend time to compare rates online.
If you are insured now or need a new policy, follow these tips to cut your premiums without reducing coverage. Finding and comparing the most affordable insurance policy in Oakland is not as confusing as people think. Smart shoppers only need to know the quickest way to get comparison rates online.
Affordable companies for Audi A7 insurance in California
The companies shown below offer comparison quotes in California. To buy cheap auto insurance in California, it’s highly recommended you visit two to three different companies to get the best price comparison.
What Affects Audi A7 Insurance Rates?
Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for insurance. If you have a feel for what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make educated decisions that can earn you big savings.
Defend yourself with liability – Your policy’s liability coverage will protect you if ever you are responsible for physical damage or personal injury to other. Your policy’s liability insurance provides legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap compared to other policy coverages, so drivers should carry high limits.
You might get higher prices if you are single – Your spouse helps lower the price when buying insurance. Having a spouse generally demonstrates drivers are more responsible and statistics show married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
Avoid unnecessary add-on coverages – Insurance companies have many extra bells and whistles that sound like a good idea at the time if you don’t pay attention. Coverages like coverage for rental cars, accident forgiveness, and motor club memberships are probably not needed. They may seem good when deciding what coverages you need, but if they’re wasting money eliminate them to save money.
Teen drivers pay high prices – Teen drivers in California are statistically shown to be more careless in a vehicle so insurance rates are higher. Parents adding a inexperienced driver onto a policy can break the bank. Older, more experienced drivers are more cautious drivers, cause fewer claims and accidents, and are safer drivers.
Insurance losses for an Audi A7 – Insurers factor in historical loss data to help determine the price you pay. Vehicles that the statistics show to have increased losses will cost more for specific coverages.
The table below outlines the compiled insurance loss statistics for Audi A7 vehicles. For each policy coverage, the loss probability for all vehicles, as an average, is set at 100. Values under 100 represent a good loss history, while numbers above 100 point to more losses or an increased probability of a larger loss.
| Vehicle Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi A7 4dr 4WD | 207 | 76 | 208 | 50 | 49 | 76 |
Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Cheaper Oakland insurance rates with discounts
Car insurance is not cheap, but you may be missing some discounts to help offset the cost. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at quote time, but less common discounts must be asked about prior to receiving the credit.
- Paperless Signup – A few larger online companies will provide an incentive shop Oakland car insurance on the web.
- New Car Discount – Insuring a vehicle that is new can get you a discount since new model year vehicles are generally safer.
- Multi-line Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
- Data Collection Discounts – Oakland drivers who agree to allow driving data collection to track driving manner by using a telematics device like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot could see a rate decrease if they show good driving skills.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Cars with anti-lock braking systems can stop better under adverse conditions and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Multiple Vehicles – Insuring more than one vehicle on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Active Military Service – Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower premium rates.
Keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you aren’t that lucky. But any discount will reduce your overall premium however.
Popular insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are included below.
- Progressive offers discounts including multi-policy, multi-vehicle, good student, homeowner, continuous coverage, and online quote discount.
- GEICO may have discounts that include air bags, military active duty, federal employee, membership and employees, and anti-theft.
- State Farm may offer discounts for driver’s education, accident-free, defensive driving training, anti-theft, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and good student.
- Esurance has savings for renters, paid-in-full, safety device, defensive driver, homeowner, and emergency road assistance.
- The Hartford has discounts for bundle, defensive driver, good student, driver training, and air bag.
When comparing rates, check with each company how many discounts you can get. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not apply everywhere. To see a list of insurers that offer some of these discounts in California, click this link.
Local neighborhood insurance agents
Some people just want to sit down with an agent and that is just fine! Good insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help submit paperwork. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain better rates but still work with a licensed agent. And buying from small agencies is definitely important in Oakland.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your coverage information is sent to agents in your area who will give competitive quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. If you wish to quote rates for a specific company, feel free to find their quoting web page and fill out the quote form the provide.
If you’re trying to find a local Oakland insurance agent, you should know the different agency structures from which to choose. Auto insurance agents in Oakland are considered either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Either one can handle auto insurance, but it’s important to know the differences since it can impact the selection process.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents often have affiliation with several companies so they have the ability to put coverage through many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your premiums go up, your policy is moved internally and you don’t have to switch agencies.
When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you get quotes from at least one independent agent to maximize your price options. Most have the option of insuring with companies you’ve never heard of that many times have cheaper rates.
Below is a partial list of independent insurance agents in Oakland that can give you free auto insurance quotes.
- Greater Metrowest Insurance Agency
Oakland, CA 94612 – Oakland, CA 94612 – (510) 444-1404 – View Map - Ruth Stroup Insurance Agency
3560 Grand Ave – Oakland, CA 94610 – (510) 874-5700 – View Map - All Purpose Insurance Agency
5857 MacArthur Blvd – Oakland, CA 94605 – (510) 382-1900 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agents can usually just insure with one company and examples are State Farm, Allstate and AAA. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so they have no alternatives for high prices. These agents are well trained on what they offer which aids in selling service over price. Some consumers prefer to choose to use an exclusive agent partially due to the brand legacy rather than low rates.
The following is a list of exclusive agents in Oakland willing to provide comparison quotes.
- Farmers Insurance – Jimmie Oliver
1800 55th Ave – Oakland, CA 94621 – (510) 517-7663 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Anthony Sue
3333 Grand Ave #203 – Oakland, CA 94610 – (510) 465-1544 – View Map - Joe Trapasso – State Farm Insurance Agent
1901 Harrison St Ste 100 – Oakland, CA 94612 – (510) 808-7120 – View Map
Picking the best car insurance agent requires you to look at more than just a low price. Here are some questions you should ask.
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- How are they compensated?
- Do they have designations such as AIC, CPCU, or CIC?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
When do I need an agent’s advice?
When buying the best insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique.
These are some specific questions might help in determining whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Does my Audi A7 need full coverage?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in California?
- What happens if I owe more than my Audi A7 is worth?
- Where can I find high-risk insurance?
- What is the minimum liability in California?
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required California minimum liability coverage?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.
Cheaper coverage is out there
We just presented a lot of information how to lower your Audi A7 insurance car insurance rates in Oakland. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the best car insurance rates are with the least-expected company.
Consumers leave their current company for many reasons like questionable increases in premium, extreme rates for teen drivers, lack of trust in their agent or an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Regardless of your reason, switching companies is not as hard as you think.
As you quote Oakland car insurance, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, someone sacrificed full coverage only to discover later that they should have had better coverage. Your objective should be to buy enough coverage at the best possible price, not the least amount of coverage.
More detailed insurance information can be found by following these links:
- Understanding your Policy (NAIC.org)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Teenage Females in Oakland? (FAQ)
- How Much are Oakland Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota RAV4? (FAQ)
- Credit and Insurance Scores (Insurance Information Institute)
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)