If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to quote cheaper car insurance rates is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from insurance carriers in Oakland. This can be done by completing these steps.
First, take a little time to learn about how auto insurance works and the measures you can control to keep rates in check. Many rating criteria that cause high rates like at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and an imperfect credit rating can be controlled by paying attention to minor details. Keep reading for the details to find cheap rates and find overlooked discounts.
Second, compare rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes from multiple companies.
Third, compare the quotes to your current policy premium to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you can save money and buy the policy, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
Fourth, provide notification to your current company of your intention to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application to the newly selected company. When you receive it, keep your new certificate verifying coverage in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.
An important bit of advice to remember is to try to compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on each price quote and and to get price estimates from every company you can. Doing this helps ensure a fair price comparison and a better comparison of the market.
Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that almost 70% of drivers have remained with the same car insurance company for over three years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never compared quotes from other companies. Most drivers in Oakland could pocket approximately $500 a year, but they just don’t understand the large savings they would see if they changed companies.
Buying the cheapest car insurance in Oakland is actually quite easy if you know where to start. If you have a current car insurance policy, you will surely be able to get lower rates using the concepts you’re about to learn. Although California consumers do need to learn the way insurance companies calculate your policy premium because rates are impacted by many factors.
It’s important to know that comparing a large number of companies helps increase your odds of locating the best offered rates. Not every company does online price quotes, so it’s recommended that you also compare prices from them, too.
The companies shown below are ready to provide price comparisons in Oakland, CA. To find the cheapest auto insurance in Oakland, we suggest you visit several of them to get the most competitive price.
Why you need to buy insurance
Even though it can be expensive, buying insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
- The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to carry a specific level of liability insurance in order to drive the car legally. 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 bought your vehicle with a loan, almost every bank will have a requirement that you buy insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you let the policy lapse, the lender will be forced to insure your Lexus for a much higher rate and force you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects your vehicle and your assets. It will also reimburse you for hospital and medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability coverage also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of having insurance outweigh the cost, especially when you need to use it. According to a recent study, the average American driver is wasting up to $855 a year so it’s important to compare rates each time the policy renews to ensure rates are competitive.
Data for Lexus LS 460 insurance
The premium information below highlights detailed analysis of insurance prices for Lexus LS 460 models. Being more informed about how insurance quotes are determined can help drivers make decisions when shopping around.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LS 460 4-Dr Sedan | $412 | $914 | $454 | $26 | $136 | $1,942 | $162 |
LS 460 4-Dr Sedan | $412 | $914 | $454 | $26 | $136 | $1,942 | $162 |
LS 460 AWD 4-Dr | $412 | $914 | $454 | $26 | $136 | $1,942 | $162 |
LS 460 L 4-Dr Sedan | $412 | $914 | $454 | $26 | $136 | $1,942 | $162 |
LS 460 L AWD 4-Dr | $412 | $914 | $454 | $26 | $136 | $1,942 | $162 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Prices above based on single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, safe-driver, and multi-policy. Price information does not factor in specific zip code location which can increase or decrease coverage rates noticeably.
Physical damage deductible comparison
One common question asked by Oakland drivers is how high should the physical damage deductibles be. The rates shown below show how much more rates are when you select higher and lower physical damage deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $100 deductible and the second pricing table uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LS 460 4-Dr Sedan | $576 | $1176 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $2,287 | $191 |
LS 460 4-Dr Sedan | $576 | $1176 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $2,287 | $191 |
LS 460 AWD 4-Dr | $576 | $1176 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $2,287 | $191 |
LS 460 L 4-Dr Sedan | $576 | $1176 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $2,287 | $191 |
LS 460 L AWD 4-Dr | $576 | $1176 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $2,287 | $191 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LS 460 4-Dr Sedan | $420 | $794 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,724 | $144 |
LS 460 4-Dr Sedan | $420 | $794 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,724 | $144 |
LS 460 AWD 4-Dr | $420 | $794 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,724 | $144 |
LS 460 L 4-Dr Sedan | $420 | $794 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,724 | $144 |
LS 460 L AWD 4-Dr | $420 | $794 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,724 | $144 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, and homeowner. Rate quotes do not factor in vehicle location which can lower or raise auto insurance rates considerably.
Based on this data, we can arrive at the conclusion that using a $100 deductible will cost you about $47 more each month or $564 each year than requesting the higher $500 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $400 more out of your own pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you go at a minimum 9 months between claims, you would probably be better off if you opt for a higher deductible. Below is how this decision is made.
Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $191 |
Average monthly premium for $500 deductibles (subtract): | – $144 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $47 |
Difference between deductibles ($500 – $100): | $400 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $400 / $47 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 9 months |
Bad driving habits will cost you more
The illustration below illustrates how violations and at-fault accidents influence Lexus LS 460 car insurance rates for different ages of insureds. The data assumes a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Lexus LS 460 full coverage rates compared to liability only
The illustration below compares Lexus LS 460 insurance prices with full coverage compared to only the California minimum liability coverage. The premiums assume no accidents or driving violations, $100 deductibles, single status, and no additional discounts are factored in.
When to stop buying comprehensive and collision coverage
There is no written rule of when to phase out physical damage insurance, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of your full coverage insurance is more than around 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s assume your Lexus LS 460 settlement value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most your company will settle for is $2,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If premiums are more than $200 a year for physical damage coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.
There are a few situations where dropping physical damage coverage is not advised. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not buy liability only.
Take policy discounts and save on Lexus LS 460 insurance in Oakland
Auto insurance is easily one of your largest bills, but you may find discounts to reduce the price significantly. Some of these discounts will be visible at quote time, but some discounts are required to be asked for in order for you to get them.
- Senior Citizens – Mature drivers can get a small decrease in premiums.
- Switch and Save Discount – A few insurance companies offer discounts for switching to them prior to your current LS 460 insurance policy expiring. You could save around 10% when you buy Oakland auto insurance online.
- Safety Course Discount – Taking part in a course that instructs on driving safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Paperless Signup – Some of the larger companies may give you up to $50 for signing up online.
- Low Miles Discount – Low annual miles could earn better premium rates on cars that stay parked.
- Bundled Policy Discount – If you combine your auto and home policies with the same insurance company you will save at least 10% off all policies.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
- Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break when shopping for auto insurance.
- Driver’s Ed – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them enroll and complete driver’s education in school.
One thing to note about discounts is that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you aren’t that lucky.
The diagram below compares Lexus LS 460 insurance premiums with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The rate quotes are based on a female driver, no claims or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, homeowner, marriage, multi-car, safe-driver, and multi-policy discounts applied.
If you would like to see a list of insurers with discount rates in Oakland, click here.
Buying from car insurance agents
Many drivers just prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that can be a great decision One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is that drivers can save money and get cheaper rates but also keep your business local.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, the coverage information is submitted to companies in Oakland who will give competitive quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You don’t have to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent to you instantly. It’s the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. In the event you want to compare rates from a specific insurance provider, don’t hesitate to navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.
Selecting a insurance company requires more thought than just the quoted price. Before buying a policy in Oakland, get answers to these questions.
- Do they offer rental car reimbursement?
- Has the agent ever had any license suspensions?
- Is the agent CPCU or CIC certified?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
- Is coverage determined by price?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
Listed below are Oakland auto insurance companies that can give you price quotes for Lexus LS 460 insurance in Oakland.
- Farmers Insurance – Norman Garcia
8105 Edgewater Dr #118 – Oakland, CA 94621 – (510) 878-7555 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Yonas Hagos
220 4th St Suite 200 – Oakland, CA 94607 – (510) 763-1030 – View Map - Larry Sneed – State Farm Insurance Agent
11881 Skyline Blvd c – Oakland, CA 94619 – (510) 336-9909 – View Map - Farmers Insurance: Howard Ruud
5956 MacArthur Blvd – Oakland, CA 94605 – (510) 635-0608 – View Map
Your car insurance coverage should be tailored to you
When quoting and comparing coverage online or from an agent, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and your car insurance should unique, too.
These are some specific questions can help discover if your situation will benefit from professional help.
- Do I need roadside assistance coverage?
- What happens if I owe more than my Lexus LS 460 is worth?
- What if an uninsured driver hits me?
- Will my insurance pay for OEM parts?
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- What is the rate difference between pleasure use and commuting?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.
Persistence pays off
When buying insurance coverage, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are a lot of situations where someone sacrificed liability coverage limits only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
We just covered a lot of ways to reduce Lexus LS 460 insurance premium rates online in Oakland. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get prices for, the better your chances of lowering your prices. Consumers may even find the best premium rates are with the smaller companies. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like Allstate or State Farm.
More detailed car insurance information is located by following these links:
- How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record in Oakland? (FAQ)
- What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Does No-Fault Insurance Cover? (Allstate)