Shocking but true, a large majority of drivers in California have stayed with the same insurance company for a minimum of four years, and almost half have never shopped around. Drivers in America could cut their rates by approximately $850 a year just by shopping around, but they underestimate the benefits if they switched.
If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to save on Buick Verano insurance is to compare prices regularly from insurers who provide auto insurance in Oakland.
- First, spend a few minutes and learn about how auto insurance works and the measures you can take to drop your rates. Many rating criteria that cause rate increases like accidents, traffic tickets, and a low credit score can be rectified by paying attention to minor details.
- Second, quote rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while agents who are independent can quote prices from many different companies.
- Third, compare the new quotes to your current policy premium and see if you can save money. If you can save some money and make a switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Fourth, give notification to your agent or company to cancel your existing policy. Submit payment and a completed application for your new policy. Once received, keep the new certificate verifying proof of insurance in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
A key point to remember is to use the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to compare as many different companies as possible. This enables a fair price comparison and the best rate selection.
We hope to introduce you to how to effectively get price quotes and some money-saving tips. If you already have coverage, you will most likely be able to find the best rates using the ideas presented in this article. Comparison shoppers just need to learn the quickest way to quote multiple rates online.
Best Buick Verano insurance rates in California
The companies shown below are our best choices to provide price comparisons in Oakland, CA. If multiple companies are listed, it’s highly recommended you visit as many as you can in order to find the most affordable rates.
Lower rates by qualifying for these eight discounts
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but there may be some discounts that can help lower your rates. Certain reductions will be credited when you complete an application, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about before being credited.
- No Claim Discounts – Oakland drivers who stay claim-free get the best auto insurance rates compared to drivers with a long claim history.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen with less frequency and earn discounts up to 10% off your Oakland auto insurance quote.
- Waiver for an Accident – This one isn’t a discount, but some insurance companies permit an accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear for a specific time period.
- Renewal Discounts – A few larger companies give discounts for signing up prior to the expiration date on your current Verano insurance policy. It could save around 10% when you buy Oakland auto insurance online.
- Distant Student Discount – Older children who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
- Club Memberships – Being in a qualifying organization could earn you a nice discount when shopping for auto insurance.
- Discounts for Responsible Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents can save as much as half off their rates than less cautious drivers.
- Home Ownership Discount – Owning a home in Oakland can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
As a footnote on discounts, some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, nobody gets a free ride.
Companies and a selection of discounts are:
- GEICO may have discounts that include five-year accident-free, daytime running lights, seat belt use, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and good student.
- MetLife offers discounts including multi-policy, good student, good driver, claim-free, accident-free, and defensive driver.
- Progressive includes discounts for multi-policy, homeowner, online quote discount, online signing, multi-vehicle, continuous coverage, and good student.
- Travelers offers discounts for home ownership, student away at school, hybrid/electric vehicle, multi-car, multi-policy, and early quote.
- SAFECO has savings for safe driver, anti-lock brakes, teen safe driver, accident prevention training, multi-car, and anti-theft.
- AAA may offer discounts for good driver, pay-in-full, AAA membership discount, education and occupation, multi-policy, multi-car, and good student.
Before buying, ask each company or agent the best way to save money. Depending on the company, some discounts may not be offered in your state. To see a list of insurers who offer discounts in Oakland, follow this link.
Insurance agents can help
When selecting the best insurance coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Your situation is unique.
For instance, these questions may help highlight if you will benefit from professional help.
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
- Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
- What if I total my Buick Verano and owe more than it’s worth?
- Does insurance cover tools stolen from my truck?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Should I rate my vehicle as business use?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.
Neighborhood Oakland auto insurance agents
A small number of people would prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is not a bad decision Insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help in the event of a claim. The best thing about comparing rate quotes online is you can get lower rates and still have a local agent. Buying insurance from local agents is important particularly in Oakland.
To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, your information is submitted to local insurance agents in Oakland that can give you free Oakland auto insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to contact any insurance agencies because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. If you need to compare prices from a specific insurance provider, you just need to visit that company’s website and fill out the quote form the provide.
If you are wanting to purchase insurance from local Oakland agents, it’s helpful to know the types of insurance agents and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Insurance agencies in Oakland are either exclusive or independent. Both types of agents can handle insurance, but it’s important to point out the difference between them since it can affect the kind of agent you use.
Independent Insurance Agencies or Brokers
Independent insurance agents can quote rates with many companies so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies and find you cheaper rates. If premiums increase, your agent can just switch to a different company and you don’t have to find a new agent. When shopping rates, you absolutely need to include price quotes from a couple of independent agencies in order to have the best price comparison.
Featured below is a list of independent agents in Oakland that may be able to provide free price quotes.
Western-Southern Life Insurance Co
80 Swan Way # 102 – Oakland, CA 94621 – (510) 877-4119 – View Map
Fred Loya Insurance
1620 High St STE B – Oakland, CA 94601 – (510) 434-1801 – View Map
All Purpose Insurance Agency
5857 MacArthur Blvd – Oakland, CA 94605 – (510) 382-1900 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive insurance agents can only provide one company’s prices such as Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, and AAA. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agents are usually well trained on what they offer which helps them sell on service rather than price.
The following are exclusive insurance agents in Oakland that are able to give comparison quotes.
Farmers Insurance – Norman Garcia
8105 Edgewater Dr #118 – Oakland, CA 94621 – (510) 878-7555 – View Map
Larry Sneed – State Farm Insurance Agent
11881 Skyline Blvd c – Oakland, CA 94619 – (510) 336-9909 – View Map
Farmers Insurance – Mike Clauson
859 Clay St – Oakland, CA 94607 – (510) 839-3276 – View Map
Picking the best insurance agency should depend on more than just the premium amount. Any agent in Oakland should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Can glass claims be handled at your home?
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
Auto insurance coverages and their meanings
Understanding the coverages of auto insurance can help you determine appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Comprehensive auto insurance
This coverage covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as damage from flooding, a broken windshield, falling objects, damage from getting keyed and fire damage. The highest amount your auto insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Coverage for medical expenses
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for bills for EMT expenses, pain medications, doctor visits and ambulance fees. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers both the driver and occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Collision protection
Collision coverage covers damage to your Verano from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things such as scraping a guard rail, sideswiping another vehicle, backing into a parked car, hitting a mailbox and colliding with a tree. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible on your Verano to get cheaper collision coverage.
Auto liability insurance
This protects you from damage or injury you incur to other people or property. It protects YOU against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see policy limits of 15/30/5 that means you have $15,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and property damage coverage for $5,000. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability can pay for claims like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, emergency aid and loss of income. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but consider buying as much as you can afford. California requires drivers to carry at least 15/30/5 but you should consider buying more liability than the minimum.
The next chart shows why buying minimum limits may not be adequate coverage.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family and also any damage incurred to your Buick Verano.
Since many California drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 15/30/5), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Normally these limits are set the same as your liability limits.
Which auto insurance company is best in Oakland?
Finding the best car insurance company is difficult considering how many different companies there are to choose from in California. The company ratings below can help you choose which coverage providers to look at comparing rates 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
Top 10 Oakland Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Claims Service
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- Esurance
- AAA Insurance
- Progressive
- Liberty Mutual
- GEICO
- Allstate
- Titan Insurance
- The Hartford
More quotes mean more car insurance savings
Cost effective Buick Verano insurance is possible from both online companies as well as from insurance agents, so you need to shop Oakland auto insurance with both so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies don’t offer price quotes online and most of the time these regional carriers only sell coverage through independent agents.
Insureds who switch companies do it for many reasons like an unsatisfactory settlement offer, not issuing a premium refund, poor customer service or even policy cancellation. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is actually quite simple.
You just read many tips how you can shop for Buick Verano insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the higher your chance of finding inexpensive Oakland auto insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the best price on car insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies.
More tips and info about car insurance is located in the articles below:
- Car Insurance for Teen Drivers with Divorced Parents (Allstate)
- Who Has Affordable Oakland Car Insurance for a Toyota Corolla? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Hybrid Vehicles in Oakland? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Low Credit Scores in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Oakland Auto Insurance for a Toyota Camry? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for a Toyota Tacoma in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Your Car has been Stolen: Now What? (Allstate)
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Drunk Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Auto Insurance for Teen Drivers (Insurance Information Institute)