Comparing and finding more affordable prices for Suzuki XL-7 insurance in Oakland might be challenging for drivers who are beginners to comparing rates online. You have so many choices that it can quickly become a real difficult job to compare prices on Suzuki XL-7 insurance.
It’s an obvious statement that insurance companies don’t want you to look for cheaper rates. Drivers who get comparison quotes once a year will presumably switch to a new company because of the good chance of finding a lower-cost company. A recent study showed that people who shopped around saved an average of $3,400 over four years compared to people who never shopped around.
If finding the best rates on auto insurance in Oakland is why you’re here, then learning about how to quote prices and compare insurance premiums can save time and make the process easier.
Finding the cheapest insurance coverage in Oakland can be easy if you know a few tricks. If you have insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut your premiums using the concepts covered in this article. Although California vehicle owners must understand how companies set your policy premium because it varies considerably.
Verify you’re earning every discount
Some providers don’t list all available discounts very clearly, so the list below contains a few of the more well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to bring down your rates.
- College Student Discount – College-age children who live away from home to go to college and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Membership in Organizations – Belonging to qualifying clubs or civic groups is a simple method to lower premiums on your next renewal.
- Good Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than less cautious drivers.
- E-sign – A few companies will provide an incentive get Oakland car insurance online.
- Student Driver Training – Require your teen driver to successfully take a driver’s education course in school or through a local driver safety program.
It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you aren’t that lucky.
Large insurance companies and some of the discounts can be found below.
- State Farm may have discounts that include accident-free, good driver, driver’s education, Drive Safe & Save, passive restraint, and defensive driving training.
- Nationwide has discounts for business or organization, family plan, multi-policy, easy pay, anti-theft, accident-free, and good student.
- GEICO offers discounts for defensive driver, emergency military deployment, daytime running lights, five-year accident-free, multi-vehicle, seat belt use, and air bags.
- AAA may offer discounts for good student, good driver, AAA membership discount, anti-theft, and pay-in-full.
- 21st Century policyholders can earn discounts including early bird, driver training, student driver, defensive driver, homeowners, and theft prevention.
- The Hartford offers discounts including driver training, defensive driver, anti-theft, bundle, air bag, vehicle fuel type, and good student.
It’s a good idea to ask all companies you are considering which discounts they offer. Savings may not be offered in your state.
When shopping for affordable Suzuki XL-7 insurance quotes, there are a couple of ways of comparing rate quotes from companies that offer auto insurance in California. The fastest way to compare rates is to jump online and get quotes.
Just remember that comparing more quotes increases your odds of finding more affordable insurance. Not every company provides online Oakland XL-7 insurance quotes, so it’s important to compare price quotes from those companies as well.
The following companies provide comparison quotes in California. If your goal is to find cheap car insurance in Oakland, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get a more complete price comparison.
What insurance coverages do I need?
When it comes to a policy for your vehicles, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Your financial needs are unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if your insurance needs could use an agent’s help.
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- How much liability coverage do I need in California?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- Are combined or split liability limits better?
- Am I covered if I hit a deer?
- How high should deductibles be on a Suzuki XL-7?
- Should I bundle my homeowners policy with my auto?
- Do I need replacement cost coverage on my Suzuki XL-7?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.
Local Oakland insurance agents and insurance
A small number of people still prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. The best thing about comparing rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get cheap rate quotes and still choose a local agent.
By using this simple form, your insurance coverage information is transmitted to companies in Oakland that give free quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t even need to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent to your email. Get lower rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If you wish to get a rate quote from a specific insurance company, you can always visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
Finding the right insurance company is decision based upon more than just the premium amount. Here are some questions you should ask.
- Will you work with the agent or an assistant?
- Will the agent help in case of a claim?
- Can you use your own choice of collision repair facility?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in California?
- Are they in the agency full-time?
Exclusive and independent Oakland car insurance agents
If you prefer to buy insurance from a local agent, it can be helpful to understand the different agency structures that you can select. Insurance agencies in Oakland are considered either independent or exclusive.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents in the exclusive channel have only one company to place business with such as State Farm, AAA, Farmers Insurance or Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot place coverage with different providers so always compare other rates. Exclusive agents are trained well on sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage. Many people purchase coverage from exclusives primarily because of the brand name and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Shown below are exclusive insurance agencies in Oakland willing to provide price quote information.
- Kristen Law – State Farm Insurance Agent
3940 High St c – Oakland, CA 94619 – (510) 530-3200 – View Map - Jain Williams – State Farm Insurance Agent
4222 MacArthur Blvd – Oakland, CA 94619 – (510) 530-3222 – View Map - Jose Cano – State Farm Insurance Agent
3301 E 12th St Suite 113 – Oakland, CA 94601 – (510) 533-8107 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agents can quote rates with many companies and that enables them to quote your coverage through lots of different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If premiums increase, they simply switch companies in-house and you don’t have to switch agencies. When comparing insurance rates, you definitely need to check rates from at least one independent agent for the best price selection. Most have the option of insuring with less well-known companies which may provide better rates.
Shown below is a short list of independent agents in Oakland willing to provide price quotes.
- Nationwide Insurance: Ruby Joyce Barnett
440 Grand Ave #450 – Oakland, CA 94610 – (510) 251-3800 – View Map - JCB Insurance Services
6427 Westover Dr – Oakland, CA 94611 – (510) 336-3490 – View Map - On My Way Insurance
320 10th St – Oakland, CA 94607 – (510) 893-3298 – View Map
Why you need insurance for your Suzuki vehicle
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Suzuki XL-7 in Oakland, insuring your vehicle is not optional due to several reasons.
First, most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a specific level of liability in order to drive the car. 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 lien on your car, almost all lenders will make it mandatory that you have insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Suzuki at a significantly higher premium and require you to fork over the higher premium.
Third, insurance safeguards your vehicle and your assets. It will also pay for all forms of medical expenses for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your Suzuki gets damaged, collision and comprehensive coverages will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having car insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially when you need to use it. According to a 2015 survey, the average American driver is overpaying over $750 every year so it’s important to compare rates at every renewal to ensure rates are competitive.
The coverage is in the details
Understanding the coverages of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Comprehensive auto coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like a broken windshield, hitting a deer, falling objects, hail damage and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Collision coverage – This covers damage to your XL-7 from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage pays for claims like damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a building, colliding with a tree, sideswiping another vehicle and crashing into a ditch. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also raise the deductible on your XL-7 to bring the cost down.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Med pay and PIP coverage pay for expenses like hospital visits, nursing services, dental work, pain medications and chiropractic care. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – This gives you protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your Suzuki XL-7.
Since many California drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (15/30/5), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.
Liability car insurance – Liability insurance will cover damage or injury you incur to people or other property that is your fault. It protects you against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 15/30/5 that means you have a limit of $15,000 per injured person, $30,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $5,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability coverage protects against claims like court costs, funeral expenses, pain and suffering, bail bonds and emergency aid. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying higher limits if possible. California state law requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
The chart below shows why minimum state limits may not be high enough to adequately cover claims.
Ratings for Oakland auto insurance companies
Picking a good quality company is hard considering how many different insurance companies sell coverage in California. The ranking data in the lists below could help you analyze which coverage providers you want to consider shopping your coverage with.
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 Ranked by Claims Service
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- Esurance
- AAA Insurance
- Progressive
- Liberty Mutual
- GEICO
- Allstate
- Titan Insurance
- The Hartford
Frequent quotes can save
Some auto insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through local independent agencies. Budget-friendly auto insurance in Oakland is possible both online and also from your neighborhood Oakland agents, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis.
Drivers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including policy cancellation, high prices, being labeled a high risk driver or even extreme rates for teen drivers. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a great new company is easier than you think.
When getting Oakland car insurance quotes online, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an accident victim reduced full coverage to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate and still be able to protect your assets.
Steps to finding discount Suzuki XL-7 insurance in Oakland
The best way we recommend to get low-cost auto insurance rates is to do a yearly price comparison from different companies who provide auto insurance in Oakland. Drivers can shop around by completing these steps.
- Get an understanding of coverages and the things you can change to keep rates in check. Many factors that increase rates like your driving record and poor credit history can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes from multiple sources.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium to determine if you can save on XL-7 insurance in Oakland. If you can save money and decide to switch, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
The most important part of shopping around is to try to use the same level of coverage on each quote request and and to compare as many car insurance companies as possible. Doing this guarantees an apples-to-apples comparison and the best price selection.
More information is located at these links:
- Liability Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for a Nissan Versa in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Protect Yourself Against Auto Theft (Insurance Information Institute)
- Automakers compete to add autobraking (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Frontal Crash Tests (iihs.org)