If you’re trying to find more affordable insurance, do you get overwhelmed by the crazy number of car insurance providers available to you? Many other drivers are as well. California vehicle owners have so many providers to choose from that it can easily turn into a chore to find the perfect company for you. San Diego has many things to offer, but expensive car insurance premiums can make it hard for many residents to be able to afford adequate car insurance coverage limits.
A recent car insurance study revealed that most car insurance policyholders in California have been with the same company for more than four years, and almost half have never compared rates from other carriers. Many consumers in the United States could save themselves nearly 46.5% a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they assume it’s a waste of time to compare rates online.
If you’re already insured, you should be able to save money using these tips. Our objective in writing this article is to teach you how car insurance companies work and some tips to save money. But California vehicle owners need to have an understanding of how insurance companies sell insurance online because rates are impacted by many factors.
Best companies for affordable Suzuki Aerio insurance in California
The car insurance companies shown below are our best choices to provide price comparisons in San Diego, CA. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Car insurance discounts are available to get cheap rates
Car insurance companies do not list every policy discount very clearly, so we break down both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that may be available.
- Save over 55 – If you’re over the age of 55, you can get a small discount on rates.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your entire bill at once instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
- No Claim Discounts – Good drivers with no accidents get the best car insurance rates in comparison to drivers with a long claim history.
- Driving Data Discount – People who choose to allow driving data collection to study driving habits by using a small device installed in their vehicle like Allstate’s Drivewise could see a rate decrease if they exhibit good driving behavior.
- Lower Rates for Military – Having a family member in the military may lower your car insurance rates slightly.
Discounts reduce rates, but you should keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. If you do the math and it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you aren’t that lucky.
Popular car insurance companies and their offered discounts include:
- Mercury Insurance may have discounts that include multi-policy, good student, low natural disaster claims, accident-free, professional/association, age of vehicle, and location of vehicle.
- Farmers Insurance offers discounts for pay in full, business and professional, switch companies, electronic funds transfer, distant student, teen driver, and early shopping.
- Farm Bureau may offer discounts for 55 and retired, multi-policy, renewal discount, driver training, safe driver, and good student.
- State Farm offers discounts including good driver, multiple autos, anti-theft, accident-free, safe vehicle, and student away at school.
- Allstate discounts include defensive driver, farm vehicle, early signing, good payer, and premier plus.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for military active duty, daytime running lights, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and membership and employees.
Before purchasing a policy, check with each company which discounts they offer. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered in your area.
Compare rate quotes but work with a local neighborhood San Diego car insurance agent
Some people just want to go talk to an agent and doing so can bring peace of mind One of the great benefits of getting free rate quotes online is that you can find cheap car insurance quotes and still have an agent to talk to.
Once you complete this short form, the coverage information is transmitted to companies in San Diego that can provide free San Diego car insurance quotes for your coverage. You won’t need to contact any agents because prices are sent to your email. You can most likely find cheaper rates and work with a local agent. If you want to get a comparison quote for a specific company, just navigate to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Finding a good insurer requires more thought than just a cheap price. These questions are important to ask:
- Will you get a loaner vehicle if you car is being repaired?
- How many companies do they write for?
- Will they make sure you get an adequate claim settlement?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
If you are searching for a reliable agent, you should know the types of agencies and how they can quote your rates. Agents can either be exclusive or independent.
Exclusive Car Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents can only place business with one company like State Farm, Allstate, and Farm Bureau. These agents are not able to shop your coverage around so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. They are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them sell on service rather than price. Some consumers prefer to use the same exclusive agent mainly due to the brand legacy rather than having low rates.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive insurance agencies in San Diego that are able to give comparison quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: David James
8333 Clairemont Mesa Blvd Ste 110 – San Diego, CA 92111 – (858) 278-4880 – View Map - State Farm: Wendy Phillips
3838 Camino Del Rio N #103 – San Diego, CA 92108 – (619) 563-0380 – View Map - Steve Elder – State Farm Insurance Agent
9225 Mira Mesa Blvd #208d – San Diego, CA 92126 – (858) 271-8928 – View Map
Independent Car Insurance Agents
Agents of this type are appointed with more than one company so they can insure your vehicles through many different car insurance companies and find the cheapest rate. If your premiums go up, your policy is moved internally and that require little work on your part.
If you are comparing car insurance prices, it’s a good idea to get quotes from several independent insurance agents to get the most accurate price comparison. Most independent agents also contract with companies you’ve never heard of which may have better rates.
Below is a short list of independent agents in San Diego willing to provide comparison quotes.
- Oversea Insurance Agency, Inc
1274 Scott St – San Diego, CA 92106 – (800) 266-2662 – View Map - ARROWHEAD General Insurance Agency, Inc.
701 B St #2100 – San Diego, CA 92101 – (619) 744-5000 – View Map - Springbrook Insurance Agency
10650 Treena St #105 – San Diego, CA 92131 – (858) 391-3001 ext. 105 – View Map
Do drivers who switch really save?
Allstate and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the companies make the same claim that people will save just by moving your insurance policy to them. It sounds good, but how can they all claim to save you money? It’s all in how they say it.
All companies have specific guidelines for a prospective insured that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable insured may be over the age of 40, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will get very good San Diego rates and have a good chance to cut their Suzuki Aerio insurance rates if they switch.
Consumers who may not quite match the requirements may be forced to pay more expensive rates with the end result being the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “customers who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much. That is how companies can make those statements. Because each company has a different risk profile, you need to get price quotes at each policy renewal. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will have the best prices for your profile.
More comparisons equals affordable rates
We just showed you a lot of ways to save on Suzuki Aerio insurance in San Diego. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the better chance you’ll have of finding low cost San Diego car insurance quotes. You may even find the lowest prices come from a small local company.
People change insurance companies for many reasons like lack of trust in their agent, delays in paying claims, questionable increases in premium or unfair underwriting practices. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a great new company can be less work than you think.
A few companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these smaller providers provide coverage only through independent agencies. Discount Suzuki Aerio insurance is possible from both online companies in addition to local insurance agencies, and you should be comparing both to have the best selection.
Additional insurance information can be found below:
- Collision Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
- Who Has the Cheapest San Diego Auto Insurance Rates for Immigrants? (FAQ)
- Red Light Cameras (State Farm)
- Choosing a Car for Your Teen (State Farm)