8 Money Saving Ideas Guaranteed to Save on Car Insurance Costs in Belmont, CA

Are you tired of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as the majority of other car owners in California. Companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually hit you with TV and radio ads and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, buy you may qualify for discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Most are applied when you quote, but less common discounts must be asked for before you get the savings. If you aren't receiving every discount available, you are throwing money away.

  • Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class in high school.
  • No Claims - Claim-free drivers can save substantially when compared to drivers who are more careless.
  • Save with a New Car - Insuring a new car is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
  • Pay Upfront and Save - By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
  • Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
  • Low Mileage Discounts - Keeping the miles down can earn a substantially lower rate.
  • Defensive Driving Course - Taking a defensive driving course could save 5% or more if you qualify.
  • Sign Early and Save - A few companies offer discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. It can save you around 10%.

Keep in mind that some credits don't apply to the entire cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn't work that way. But any discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

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Save $429 a year? Really?

Consumers in California get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance from companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all have a common claim that you can save if you move your policy.

How can each company claim to save you money?

Different companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a driver they prefer might be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured that hits that "sweet spot" will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't qualify for the requirements will be quoted a higher premium and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads say "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's why insurance companies can claim big savings.

This emphasizes why you should get as many quotes as possible. It's just too difficult to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

More information can be found on the website for the California Department of Insurance through this link. Visitors are able to download brochures, read industry bulletins, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view a list of available companies.

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A tidy conclusion

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's not a good idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to discover later that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

Affordable car insurance is definitely available both online in addition to many Belmont insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection. A few companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.