Really, the only way to find affordable auto insurance rates is to compare quotes once a year from insurance carriers in Oakland.
- First, get an understanding of the different coverages in a policy and the modifications you can make to keep rates in check. Many factors that drive up the price like traffic citations and an unfavorable credit rating can be controlled by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
- Second, request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agencies can quote prices for a wide range of companies. Find an Oakland insurance agent
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find better rates and switch companies, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
The key aspect of shopping around is that you’ll want to make sure you compare identical coverage information on each quote and and to compare as many different companies as possible. Doing this ensures the most accurate price comparison and a thorough selection of prices.
It’s safe to assume that insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. Consumers who shop around for cheaper price quotes will, in all likelihood, switch auto insurance companies because there is a good chance of finding discount prices. A recent auto insurance study revealed that people who faithfully checked for cheaper rates saved about $3,500 over four years compared to those who never compared other company’s rates.
If finding budget-friendly car insurance is why you’re here, then having a grasp of how to find companies and compare insurance premiums can help you succeed in saving money.
Locating the cheapest car insurance policy in Oakland can be fairly easy. In a nutshell, every vehicle owner who has to purchase car insurance will be able to find lower rates. But California drivers must understand how the larger insurance companies calculate their prices because it can help you find the best coverage.
Auto insurance providers offering low-cost price quotes in California
The providers in the list below provide price comparisons in Oakland, CA. In order to find cheap car insurance in Oakland, we recommend you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Cheap Ford GT insurance in Oakland
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but discounts can save money and there are some available to help offset the cost. Certain reductions will be credited at the time you complete a quote, but once in a while a discount must be asked about prior to getting the savings.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Purchasing coverage when you have multiple cars or trucks on a single policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Active Service Discounts – Having a family member in the military can result in better car insurance rates.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Just being a homeowner may trigger a policy discount on car insurance because of the fact that having a home is proof of financial responsibility.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags may get savings of up to 25% or more.
- Driving Data Discount – Insureds that choose to allow driving data submission to analyze driving manner by using a telematics device such as Progressive’s Snapshot could see a rate decrease if they are good drivers.
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – This one isn’t a discount, but some companies like GEICO, Progressive, and Allstate may permit one accident before your rates go up so long as you are claim-free for a set time period.
- Student Driver Training – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers participate in a local driver’s education class if offered at their school.
- Early Signing – Some larger companies reward drivers for switching policies before your current GT insurance policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
It’s important to note that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So even though you would think it’s possible to get free car insurance, it’s just not the way it works.
A list of companies and their offered discounts are included below.
- Travelers has savings for IntelliDrive, hybrid/electric vehicle, multi-car, payment discounts, driver training, and multi-policy.
- 21st Century offers premium reductions for defensive driver, air bags, teen driver, driver training, automatic seat belts, 55 and older, and theft prevention.
- State Farm offers discounts including anti-theft, good driver, Drive Safe & Save, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good student, accident-free, and safe vehicle.
- GEICO includes discounts for daytime running lights, emergency military deployment, defensive driver, air bags, and anti-lock brakes.
- SAFECO has discounts for drive less, accident prevention training, safe driver, bundle discounts, teen safety rewards, homeowner, and teen safe driver.
- AAA may have discounts that include education and occupation, good student, pay-in-full, multi-policy, AAA membership discount, good driver, and anti-theft.
Double check with every company which discounts you qualify for. Some credits may not be available in every state.
Compare prices but still have a neighborhood Oakland auto insurance agent
Some consumers still like to go talk to an agent and that can be a great decision The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find cheaper rates but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting neighborhood insurance agencies is still important in Oakland.
Once you complete this quick form, your information gets sent to insurance agents in Oakland that give free quotes to get your business. You won’t even need to search for any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent immediately to you. You can most likely find cheaper rates and work with a local agent. In the event you want to compare prices from a specific company, feel free to visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
When researching a reliable insurance agent, there are a couple of different types of agencies and how they can service your needs differently. Agents can either be independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for.
Independent Insurance Agencies
These agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies and get the cheapest rates. If they find a cheaper price, they can switch companies in-house without you having to go to a different agency. When comparison shopping, you definitely need to get quotes from independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
Shown below is a list of independent insurance agents in Oakland who may provide cheap rate quotes.
Ruth Stroup Insurance Agency
3560 Grand Ave – Oakland, CA 94610 – (510) 874-5700 – View Map
Fred Loya Insurance
1620 High St STE B – Oakland, CA 94601 – (510) 434-1801 – View Map
Links Insurance Services
1155 3rd St # 220 – Oakland, CA 94607 – (925) 361-5185 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agents can only place business with one company and some examples include State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. They generally cannot compare rates from other companies so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agencies receive a lot of sales training on what they offer and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive agents in Oakland that can give you comparison quotes.
Farmers Insurance – Mike Clauson
859 Clay St – Oakland, CA 94607 – (510) 839-3276 – View Map
Farmers Insurance – Mahir Abdul-Haqq
4267 Masterson St – Oakland, CA 94619 – (510) 530-8502 – View Map
Farmers Insurance – Lorraine Yip Yung
1168 Franklin St – Oakland, CA 94607 – (510) 832-5113 – View Map
Deciding on an insurance agency requires more thought than just the quoted price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
- Are they able to provide referrals?
Auto insurance coverage basics
Understanding the coverages of your policy helps when choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the normal coverages offered by auto insurance companies.
Collision coverage protection
This pays for damage to your GT from colliding with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things such as hitting a mailbox, crashing into a ditch, sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a building and rolling your car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible on your GT to save money on collision insurance.
Coverage for medical expenses
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses such as hospital visits, surgery, prosthetic devices, doctor visits and funeral costs. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to you and your occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive auto insurance
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like vandalism, hail damage and falling objects. The maximum amount your auto insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
Auto liability
Liability coverage protects you from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 15/30/5 that translate to $15,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $30,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $5,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as structural damage, pain and suffering and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. California requires drivers to carry at least 15/30/5 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
The illustration below shows why buying low liability limits may not provide adequate coverage.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Ford GT.
Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (California limits are 15/30/5), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Normally these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
The best rates come from being thorough
As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to find out that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
You just read many ways to get a better price on Ford GT insurance in Oakland. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding inexpensive Oakland car insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the most savings is with a small local company. These smaller insurers often have lower car insurance rates on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
More detailed auto insurance information is located at these sites:
- Dangers of fake or stolen airbags (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for Government Employees in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Police Officers in Oakland? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers Requiring a SR22 in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Reducing Your Risks in a Car Crash Video (iihs.org)
- Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)