It’s well known that insurance companies don’t want policyholders to compare prices from other companies. Consumers who shop around annually are inclined to switch to a new company because the odds are good of finding a lower rate. A recent study showed that people who did price comparisons regularly saved an average of $3,450 over four years compared to those who never compared other company’s rates.
If finding budget-friendly car insurance in Oakland is your ultimate goal, then having an understanding of the best way to shop and compare insurance rates can help make the process easier.
The preferred way to save on car insurance rates is to start doing an annual price comparison from companies who can sell car insurance in Oakland.
First, read about what is in your policy and the steps you can take to prevent rate increases. Many rating factors that drive up the price like speeding tickets, careless driving and poor credit history can be amended by being financially responsible and driving safely. Later in this article we will cover information to help keep rates affordable and find more discounts that you may not know about.
Second, get rate quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while agents who are independent can quote rates for a wide range of companies.
Third, compare the new rate quotes to the price on your current policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find a lower rate, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
Fourth, notify your company or agent of your intention to cancel your existing policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application to your new company or agent. As soon as you can, put the new certificate verifying coverage somewhere easily accessible.
The most important part of shopping around is to try to compare similar coverage information on each quote request and and to get rate quotes from every company you can. This enables an apples-to-apples comparison and the best rate selection.
Finding the cheapest auto insurance coverage in Oakland is not that difficult as long as you know where to start. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your rates using the concepts covered in this article. Shoppers only need an understanding of the quickest way to get comparison rates from many different companies.
How to buy Chrysler Crossfire insurance in Oakland, California
The companies in the list below are ready to provide price quotes in Oakland, CA. To find cheap auto insurance in Oakland, we recommend you get rate quotes from several of them to get the best price comparison.
Chrysler Crossfire insurance discounts in Oakland
Some insurers do not advertise every discount they offer in a way that’s easy to find, so we researched both the well known as well as some of the hidden car insurance savings.
- Claim Free – Oakland drivers who stay claim-free can save substantially when compared to policyholders that have many claims.
- Waiver for an Accident – This isn’t a discount exactly, but some companies like Progressive, State Farm and GEICO may permit one accident before your rates go up as long as you don’t have any claims for a certain period of time.
- Distant Student Discount – Kids who attend college more than 100 miles from Oakland and do not take a car to college could get you a discount.
- ABS Brakes – Cars and trucks that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts may qualify for discounts of 25 to 30%.
- Theft Deterrent – Cars and trucks equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and that can save you a little bit as well.
- Early Renewal Discounts – A few insurance companies give discounts for switching policies prior to the expiration date on your current Crossfire insurance policy. Ten percent is about the average savings.
One thing to note about discounts is that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. If you do the math and it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky. Any amount of discount will definitely lower your car insurance premiums.
A partial list of companies that possibly offer most of the discounts above possibly include:
- GEICO
- Mercury Insurance
- Farmers Insurance
- Auto-Owners Insurance
- Liberty Mutual
- SAFECO
- Progressive
- USAA
It’s a good idea to ask each company or agent which credits you are entitled to. Some credits may not be available in Oakland. If you would like to see a list of insurance companies that offer some of these discounts in California, follow this link.
It may be expensive, but it’s not optional
Even though Oakland Crossfire insurance rates can get expensive, buying insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
First, most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific minimum amounts of liability protection in order to be legal. 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.
Second, if you have a loan on your vehicle, most banks will require that you have comprehensive coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Chrysler at a significantly higher premium and require you to pay much more than you were paying before.
Third, insurance preserves not only your vehicle but also your financial assets. It also can pay for medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also covers legal expenses if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your Chrysler gets damaged, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance more than cancel out the cost, particularly for liability claims. Unknowingly, the average driver overpays as much as $750 every year so compare rates every year to ensure rates are inline.
Oakland car insurance companies ranked
Picking the right insurer can be rather challenging considering how many companies are available to choose from in Oakland. The company rank data in the lists below may help you decide which car insurance providers to look at when comparing rate quotes.
Top 10 Oakland Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 95%
- USAA – 94%
- AAA of Southern California – 92%
- AAA Insurance – 91%
- Nationwide – 90%
- State Farm – 90%
- The Hartford – 89%
- GEICO – 89%
- The General – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
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
When to talk to an insurance agency
Certain consumers would rather get advice from a local agent and that can be a smart move Most agents can help determine the best coverages and will help you if you have claims. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get the lowest rates and also buy local.
For easy comparison, once you complete this quick form, your information is emailed to agents in your area who will give you quotes for your coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to contact an agency because quoted prices will be sent to you. If you wish to get a comparison quote from a specific company, feel free to visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
Finding a good company should depend on more than just the price. Before buying a policy in Oakland, get answers to these questions.
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Does their agency support local causes in Oakland?
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- What is their Better Business Bureau rating?
- How is replacement cost determined on your vehicle?
What types of car insurance agents are in Oakland?
If you need to find a good insurance agency, there are a couple of different agency structures and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Agents are categorized either independent agents or exclusive agents. Both do a good job, but it’s worth learning why they differ since it could factor into the selection process.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive insurance agents can only quote rates from one company such as Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. Exclusive agents are unable to shop your coverage around so they really need to provide good service. They are well trained on their products and sales techniques which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agencies in Oakland who can help you get price quote information.
Joe Trapasso – State Farm Insurance Agent
1901 Harrison St Ste 100 – Oakland, CA 94612 – (510) 808-7120 – View Map
Farmers Insurance – Thy Le
745 E 12th St #101 – Oakland, CA 94606 – (510) 465-2029 – View Map
Judy Chambers – State Farm Insurance Agent
1305 Franklin St #400 – Oakland, CA 94612 – (510) 832-2195 – View Map
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agencies do not sell for just one brand so they have the ability to put coverage with a variety of different insurance companies and find the cheapest car insurance rates. If they quote lower rates, an independent agent can move your coverage and you won’t have to switch agencies.
If you are comparing car insurance prices, you should always check rates from a few independent agents to have the most options to choose from.
Shown below is a list of independent insurance agents in Oakland who can help you get price quotes.
David E. Quan Agency Insurance Brokers, Inc.
523 47th St – Oakland, CA 94609 – (510) 653-8880 – View Map
Fred Loya Insurance
1620 High St STE B – Oakland, CA 94601 – (510) 434-1801 – View Map
On My Way Insurance
320 10th St – Oakland, CA 94607 – (510) 893-3298 – View Map