Tightwads Guide to Saving on Capitola Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced auto insurance? Believe me when I say many Capitola consumers feel financially strained by their auto insurance policy.

Because you have many different company options, it is very difficult to pick the lowest price company.

It's important to take a look at other company's rates every six months since insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the lowest rates a few years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the tricks you need to know to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.

The purpose of this post is to help educate you on how to get online quotes. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. Nevertheless, California vehicle owners do need to know the way companies market insurance on the web and use this information to your advantage.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you can get discounts to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied before you will receive the discount.

Life Insurance Discount - Larger companies have a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
Memberships - Affiliation with a professional or civic organization may earn a discount on auto insurance.
Safety Course Discount - Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Theft Prevention System - Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Pay Now and Pay Less - By paying your policy upfront instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
Senior Discount - Mature drivers may receive better auto insurance rates.
Drive Less and Save - Low mileage vehicles can earn a substantially lower rate.
Driver's Ed - Have your child complete a driver education course if offered at their school.

Consumers should know that some credits don't apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies don't profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of companies with discount auto insurance rates in California, click here.

Compare Quotes for Capitola Auto Insurance

The are a couple different ways of comparing rate quotes from auto insurance companies in your area. The best method to find competitive insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The best way to get quotes for comparison is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This type of form prevents you from having to do separate quotes to each individual auto insurance company. Filling out one form will get you price quotes instantly.
A less efficient way to shop for auto insurance online requires a visit to the website for each individual company to request a price quote. For examples sake, we'll assume you want to compare rates from , and . To find out each rate you need to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, and that's why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Capitola, click here.
The most time-consuming method of getting rate comparisons is to waste gas driving to and from local Capitola insurance agencies. Buying insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you have a need for the professional guidance only provided by licensed Capitola agents. It is possible to obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent and we'll touch on that later.

Whichever method you choose, ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples coverage limits for each price quote. If you use differing limits it will be very difficult to truly determine the lowest rate in Capitola. Slightly different coverage limits may cause a big price difference. Just remember that obtaining a wide range of quotes provides better odds of finding better pricing.

Capitola Rates are Influenced by These Factors

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates enables informed choices that may reward you with big savings.

Shown below are a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Lower miles equals lower premium - The higher the mileage driven in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies price each vehicle's coverage determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars not used for work or commuting qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your auto insurance declarations sheet properly reflects the correct usage for each vehicle.
Protect your assets with liability insurance - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage if ever a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not skimp.
Add-on coverages can add up - There are quite a few extra coverages that you can buy if you aren't careful. Things like vanishing deductibles, towing coverage and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem good when talking to your agent, but if they're wasting money remove them from your policy.
Consolidate policies to earn discounts - Some insurance companies will give a discount to people who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, it's in your best interest to compare rates to ensure the best deal. Drivers may still find a better deal by buying auto insurance from a different company.
Theft deterrents lower rates - Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart auto theft.
Mature drivers pay less - Teenage drivers in California have a tendency to be more careless when behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and are safer drivers.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Auto insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive consistently run television and radio advertisements. They all seem to have a common claim of big savings if you change to their company. But how can every company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a desirable insured might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Drivers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay higher premiums and this can result in business not being written. The ads state "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. That's the way insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

When shopping online for auto insurance, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price.

Cost effective auto insurance is attainable on the web and also from your neighborhood Capitola agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

Learn more about California auto insurance

Additional auto insurance information can be found on the website for the California Department of Insurance. Click here for link. California drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out which companies have the most complaints, discover disciplinary actions, and read consumer alerts.

Additional helpful sites include Auto Insurance 101 and this page where you can research Capitola insurance agents.