Would you like an easy way to compare more affordable Toyota C-HR insurance in Oakland? Do you think you bought an under-performing, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you there are a lot of people in Oakland just like you who feel imprisoned by their auto insurance policy.
It’s a fact that auto insurance companies don’t want their policyholders to compare prices. People who get comparison quotes at least once a year are likely to switch companies because they have a good chance of finding better rates. A recent survey found that people who make a habit of shopping around saved approximately $850 each year as compared to drivers who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If finding the cheapest price for Toyota C-HR insurance is your ultimate objective, then having some knowledge of how to get free comparison quotes and analyze insurance can help simplify the process.
Steps to finding discount Toyota C-HR insurance in Oakland
It takes a little time, but the best way to find cheaper prices for car insurance rates in Oakland is to start comparing rates regularly from providers who provide car insurance in California.
- Step 1: Spend some time learning about how companies price auto insurance and the measures you can take to lower rates. Many factors that drive up the price like traffic citations and a negative credit history can be eliminated by making minor changes to your lifestyle. Keep reading for information to help keep prices low and find more discounts that you may not know about.
- Step 2: Compare prices from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can quote prices from multiple insurance companies. Find an Oakland insurance agent
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available in Oakland. If you can save money, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
One thing to point out is that you’ll want to compare similar limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to analyze all possible companies. Doing this ensures a fair price comparison and and a good selection of different prices.
Companies like State Farm, GEICO and Farmers Insurance all promote huge savings with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to ignore the flashy ads and do the work needed to find the best deal.
The fastest way that we advise to get rate comparisons for Toyota C-HR insurance in Oakland is to know the fact most larger insurance companies participate in a system to quote your coverage. The only thing you need to do is provide information such as if you have a valid license, marital status, your occupation, and how your vehicles are used. Your information gets transmitted to many different companies and you will receive price estimates very quickly.
If you wish to get multiple quotes for your Toyota C-HR now, click here and find out if lower rates are available in Oakland.
The providers in the list below can provide free quotes in Oakland, CA. To find cheap auto insurance in CA, it’s a good idea that you visit two to three different companies to get the best price comparison.
Get cheaper rates by receiving these nine discounts
Car insurance companies don’t always publicize every discount they offer in a way that’s easy to find, so the following list contains both well-publicized as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using when you buy Oakland auto insurance online. If you do not check that you are getting every discount possible, you could be saving more on your auto insurance.
- Resident Student – Children who are enrolled in a college that is more than 100 miles from Oakland and won’t have access to an insured vehicle may qualify for this discount.
- Save over 55 – Older drivers may be able to get lower premium rates.
- Passive Restraints – Options like air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may get savings up to 30%.
- Telematics Devices – Oakland drivers who agree to allow driving data collection to study when and where they use their vehicle remotely like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot may see discounts if their driving habits are good.
- Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Buying coverage for multiple vehicles on the same auto insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Own a Home and Save – Simply owning a home can earn you a little savings since home ownership means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Participating in a course that instructs on driving safety could earn you a small percentage discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Theft Prevention System – Vehicles that have factory alarm systems and tracking devices are less likely to be stolen and can earn a small discount on your policy.
As a footnote on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way.
Larger auto insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are detailed below.
- Esurance has savings for homeowner, good driver, online shopper, DriveSense, paid-in-full, claim free, and anti-theft.
- The Hartford has discounts for anti-theft, driver training, bundle, vehicle fuel type, good student, and defensive driver.
- AAA policyholders can earn discounts including multi-policy, pay-in-full, education and occupation, good driver, multi-car, and anti-theft.
- GEICO offers discounts for emergency military deployment, daytime running lights, membership and employees, anti-theft, and multi-policy.
- State Farm offers discounts including multiple autos, good driver, passive restraint, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and accident-free.
It’s a good idea to ask each company which discounts you may be entitled to. Discounts may not be offered in your area. If you would like to choose from a list of companies that offer many of these discounts in Oakland, follow this link.
Local Oakland insurance agencies
A small number of people would rather get professional advice from a licensed agent. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find lower rates and also buy local. Putting coverage with neighborhood agents is definitely important in Oakland.
Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is transmitted to companies in Oakland who will give you quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You won’t need to contact an agency due to the fact that quote results will go immediately to you. You’ll get the best rates without requiring a lot of work. In the event you want to get a rate quote from one company in particular, you would need to navigate to their website and fill out their quote form.
If you want to buy insurance from a local insurance agency, it helps to know the two different types of agencies and how they are slightly different. Insurance agents can be categorized as either independent or exclusive.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents of this type are not required to write business for one company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies and find the cheapest rate. If your premiums go up, they simply move the coverage in-house and you can keep the same agent. When shopping rates, you absolutely need to include price quotes from multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection.
Shown below is a short list of independent agencies in Oakland who may be able to give you pricing information.
Travel Insurance Agency
610 16th St #508 – Oakland, CA 94612 – (510) 452-3366 – View Map
JCB Insurance Services
6427 Westover Dr – Oakland, CA 94611 – (510) 336-3490 – View Map
Susan Bernosky – Strahan Ins Services Inc
5940 College Ave a – Oakland, CA 94618 – (510) 450-9051 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies can only place business with one company like Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide rate quotes from other companies so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agencies are very knowledgeable on sales techniques which can be an advantage.
The following is a list of exclusive agencies in Oakland who can help you get price quote information.
Allstate Insurance: Amy Cheok
180 2nd St #1 – Oakland, CA 94607 – (510) 338-3570 – View Map
Rich Kirchner – State Farm Insurance Agent
5736 Thornhill Dr Ste 101 – Oakland, CA 94611 – (510) 339-9340 – View Map
Frank Sanchez – State Farm Agent
5301 Claremont Ave – Oakland, CA 94618 – (510) 658-2722 – View Map
Picking an insurance agent should include more criteria than just the premium amount. Below are some questions you should ask.
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- How will an accident affect your rates?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Where would your vehicle be repaired?
When in doubt talk to an agent
When it comes to buying coverage online or from an agent, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Each situation is unique and your car insurance should be unique as well.
Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.
- If my pet gets injured in an accident are they covered?
- What discounts do I qualify for?
- Is extra glass coverage worth it?
- What does roadside assistance cover?
- Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
- Should I get collision insurance on every vehicle?
- What are the liability requirements in my state?
- When can my company non-renew my policy?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider 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
Why you need car insurance
Even though it can be expensive, paying for car insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
- Most states have minimum liability requirements which means the state requires specific limits of liability insurance if you drive a vehicle. 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 Toyota, more than likely the lender will require that you buy full coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If you default on your policy, the lender may insure your Toyota at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over for the expensive policy.
- Insurance safeguards both your assets and your Toyota. It will also pay for most medical and hospital costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of your driving. If you have damage to your Toyota as the result of the weather or an accident, your car insurance policy will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially with large liability claims. Today the average American driver overpays more than $700 annually so it’s very important to do a rate comparison at every renewal to ensure rates are competitive.
Specifics of your car insurance policy
Having a good grasp of car insurance helps when choosing the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are the usual coverages offered by car insurance companies.
Collision coverage protection
Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers things such as hitting a parking meter, damaging your car on a curb, hitting a mailbox and colliding with another moving vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. You can also raise the deductible on your C-HR in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for expenses such as dental work, nursing services and prosthetic devices. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover you and your occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Liability car insurance
This protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property that is your fault. It protects you against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see limits of 15/30/5 which means $15,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $30,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $5,000. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit that pays claims from the same limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage pays for claims such as court costs, bail bonds, emergency aid and funeral expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as much as you can afford. California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but drivers should carry more coverage.
The illustration below shows why buying the state minimum limits may not be high enough to cover claims.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This provides protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Toyota C-HR.
Due to the fact that many California drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (15/30/5 in California), their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Usually the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liability limits.
Comprehensive insurance
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, rock chips in glass and fire damage. The maximum payout a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Auto insurance company ratings
Selecting a high-quality insurance company is hard considering how many different companies sell coverage in Oakland. The company information in the next section could help you choose which auto insurance companies to look at to insure your vehicles.
Top 10 Oakland Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Esurance – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
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
Don’t give up on cheaper rates
You just learned many ways to save on Toyota C-HR insurance in Oakland. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding the cheapest Toyota C-HR rate quotes. Consumers may even find the best price on auto insurance is with a smaller regional carrier. Regional companies may only write in your state and offer lower prices compared to the large companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
Affordable Toyota C-HR insurance in Oakland can be purchased from both online companies in addition to local insurance agencies, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers only sell coverage through independent agents.
When searching for cheaper Oakland auto insurance quotes, do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many cases, someone sacrificed liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
How to buy cheaper Toyota C-HR insurance in Oakland
If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to find affordable auto insurance rates is to start doing a yearly price comparison from different companies who sell insurance in Oakland.
- Step 1: Try to understand how car insurance works and the factors you can control to keep rates low. Many factors that result in higher rates like accidents, careless driving, and a less-than-favorable credit score can be amended by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Step 2: Compare rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only quote rates from a single company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide rate quotes from multiple insurance companies. Compare rates
- Step 3: Compare the new rates to the price on your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find better rates and decide to switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
One key aspect of rate comparisons is to make sure you enter the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every price quote and to quote with every company you can. Doing this guarantees the most accurate price comparison and a complete rate analysis.
More tips and info about auto insurance can be read in these articles:
- What is Full Coverage? (Allstate)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers Over Age 50 in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for College Graduates in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Event Data Recorders FAQ (iihs.org)
- How to shop for a safer car (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)