Everyone knows that insurance companies don’t want you comparing rates. People who shop rates annually are very likely to switch car insurance companies because they stand a good chance of finding a more affordable policy premium. Remarkably, a study showed that consumers who compared rates once a year saved over $865 a year compared to drivers who never compared other company’s rates.
If saving the most money on auto insurance is your ultimate target, then having a good understanding the best way to compare insurance rates can help simplify the process.
If saving money is your primary concern, then the best way to find more affordable car insurance rates in Oakland is to compare prices regularly from insurance carriers in California.
Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of the different coverages in a policy and the things you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many factors that result in higher rates such as traffic citations, accidents, and a poor credit score can be controlled by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
Step 2: Quote rates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can provide prices from multiple sources.
Step 3: Compare the new quotes to the price on your current policy and see if there is a cheaper rate. If you find better rates and decide to switch, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
Step 4: Provide proper notification to your current company of your intention to cancel your existing policy and submit a down payment and signed policy application for your new policy. Once coverage is bound, place your new proof of insurance paperwork in your vehicle.
A good tip to remember is to make sure you enter identical deductibles and limits on each quote and and to look at as many different insurance providers as possible. Doing this ensures the most accurate price comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
Coverage analysis
The data table displayed next showcases estimates of insurance coverage prices for Honda Civic models. Having a better idea how prices are established can be valuable when making informed purchases.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $284 | $672 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,586 | $132 |
| Civic VP 4-Dr Sedan | $284 | $792 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,706 | $142 |
| Civic LX 4-Dr Sedan | $284 | $792 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,706 | $142 |
| Civic DX 2-Dr Coupe | $284 | $792 | $580 | $34 | $174 | $1,864 | $155 |
| Civic EX 4-Dr Sedan | $284 | $792 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,706 | $142 |
| Civic LX-S 4-Dr Sedan | $284 | $792 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,706 | $142 |
| Civic LX 2-Dr Coupe | $284 | $912 | $580 | $34 | $174 | $1,984 | $165 |
| Civic EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $326 | $912 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,868 | $156 |
| Civic SI 4-Dr Sedan | $326 | $912 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,868 | $156 |
| Civic EX 2-Dr Coupe | $326 | $912 | $580 | $34 | $174 | $2,026 | $169 |
| Civic GX 4-Dr Sedan | $326 | $912 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,868 | $156 |
| Civic EX-L 2-Dr Coupe | $326 | $912 | $580 | $34 | $174 | $2,026 | $169 |
| Civic Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $370 | $792 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,792 | $149 |
| Civic SI 2-Dr Coupe | $370 | $1032 | $580 | $34 | $174 | $2,190 | $183 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data rating is based on married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in specific location information which can raise or lower price quotes noticeably.
Deductible comparison
A question often asked by Oakland drivers is how high should the deductibles for physical damage be. The comparison tables below may help to conceptualize the costs and benefits when you buy lower versus higher coverage deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $100 deductible for comp and collision and the second price chart uses a $1,000 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $332 | $686 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,643 | $137 |
| Civic VP 4-Dr Sedan | $332 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,767 | $147 |
| Civic LX 4-Dr Sedan | $332 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,767 | $147 |
| Civic DX 2-Dr Coupe | $332 | $810 | $552 | $32 | $166 | $1,917 | $160 |
| Civic EX 4-Dr Sedan | $332 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,767 | $147 |
| Civic LX-S 4-Dr Sedan | $332 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,767 | $147 |
| Civic LX 2-Dr Coupe | $332 | $932 | $552 | $32 | $166 | $2,039 | $170 |
| Civic EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $380 | $932 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,937 | $161 |
| Civic SI 4-Dr Sedan | $380 | $932 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,937 | $161 |
| Civic EX 2-Dr Coupe | $380 | $932 | $552 | $32 | $166 | $2,087 | $174 |
| Civic GX 4-Dr Sedan | $380 | $932 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,937 | $161 |
| Civic EX-L 2-Dr Coupe | $380 | $932 | $552 | $32 | $166 | $2,087 | $174 |
| Civic Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $430 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,865 | $155 |
| Civic SI 2-Dr Coupe | $430 | $1054 | $552 | $32 | $166 | $2,259 | $188 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civic DX 4-Dr Sedan | $184 | $362 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,146 | $96 |
| Civic VP 4-Dr Sedan | $184 | $426 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,210 | $101 |
| Civic LX 4-Dr Sedan | $184 | $426 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,210 | $101 |
| Civic DX 2-Dr Coupe | $184 | $426 | $552 | $32 | $166 | $1,360 | $113 |
| Civic EX 4-Dr Sedan | $184 | $426 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,210 | $101 |
| Civic LX-S 4-Dr Sedan | $184 | $426 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,210 | $101 |
| Civic LX 2-Dr Coupe | $184 | $490 | $552 | $32 | $166 | $1,424 | $119 |
| Civic EX-L 4-Dr Sedan | $210 | $490 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,300 | $108 |
| Civic SI 4-Dr Sedan | $210 | $490 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,300 | $108 |
| Civic EX 2-Dr Coupe | $210 | $490 | $552 | $32 | $166 | $1,450 | $121 |
| Civic GX 4-Dr Sedan | $210 | $490 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,300 | $108 |
| Civic EX-L 2-Dr Coupe | $210 | $490 | $552 | $32 | $166 | $1,450 | $121 |
| Civic Hybrid 4-Dr Sedan | $238 | $426 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,264 | $105 |
| Civic SI 2-Dr Coupe | $238 | $556 | $552 | $32 | $166 | $1,544 | $129 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Premium data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and homeowner. Rate quotes do not factor in garaging location in Oakland which can influence prices noticeably.
Based on this data, using a $100 deductible costs roughly $50 more each month or $600 for a full year averaged for all Civic models than buying the higher $1,000 deductible. Since you would have to pay $900 more out-of-pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you average more than 18 months between claim filings, you would save more money if you elect the higher deductible.
Insurance rate increases from tickets or accidents
The information below demonstrates how speeding tickets and fender-benders raise Honda Civic car insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The costs are based on a married male driver, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Rate comparison of male drivers versus female drivers
The illustration below illustrates the comparison of Honda Civic insurance costs for male and female drivers. The premiums assume no violations or claims, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied.
Rate difference between full and liability-only coverage
The information below illustrates the difference between Honda Civic annual premium costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying the minimum liability limits required in California. The rates are based on no claims or driving citations, $250 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are applied.
When to stop buying full coverage
There is no exact formula of when to drop physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than around 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s say your Honda Civic claim settlement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would receive is $6,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If it’s costing in excess of $600 a year for full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
There are some cases where eliminating full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage in order to satisfy the requirements of the loan. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not consider dropping full coverage.
Auto insurance coverages
Learning about specific coverages of your policy can help you determine the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Insurance for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for expenses for surgery, nursing services, chiropractic care and prosthetic devices. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers both the driver and occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your Honda Civic.
Due to the fact that many California drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (15/30/5 in California), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like damage from flooding, rock chips in glass and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Civic from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage pays for things such as colliding with a tree, crashing into a ditch and hitting a parking meter. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible on your Civic to bring the cost down.
Auto liability – This coverage will cover damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see liability limits of 15/30/5 that means you have a $15,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is a combined limit which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability coverage protects against things such as court costs, funeral expenses and loss of income. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. California state law requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but drivers should carry higher limits.
The illustration below shows why buying the state minimum limits may not be adequate coverage.
Quote more to save more
As you prepare to switch companies, you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many cases, someone sacrificed collision coverage only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest cost.
Budget-friendly car insurance in Oakland is possible on the web and also from your neighborhood Oakland agents, and you should compare rates from both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies do not provide online rate quotes and usually these regional insurance providers work with independent agencies.
We just showed you a lot of ways to find cheaper Honda Civic insurance in Oakland. The key concept to understand is the more you quote Oakland car insurance, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the lowest rates are with a lesser-known regional company.
More tips and info about car insurance can be read by following these links:
- Rental Car Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for Hybrid Vehicles in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for 17 Year Olds in Oakland? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Jeep Wrangler in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Rates for High School Students in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Vehicle Insurance in the U.S. (Wikipedia)
- Event Data Recorders FAQ (iihs.org)