Lower Online Chico Car Insurance Prices With These Methods

If shopping for car insurance online is new to you, you can be overwhelmed by the vast number of car insurance companies all offering big savings in Chico.

It's important to price shop coverage periodically due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price a few years ago you will most likely find a better rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you're about to find out one of the best ways to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.

These discounts can lower your rates

Car insurance can cost a lot, buy you may qualify for discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be applied at quote time, but a few need to be manually applied in order for you to get them. If you aren't receiving every discount you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

  • Early Switch Discount - Select companies give a discount for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. It's a savings of about 10%.
  • Good Student - Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
  • Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
  • Federal Employees - Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount with certain companies.
  • Military Discounts - Being on active duty in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver's ed class if it's offered in school.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will reduce the cost of coverage.

California car insurance

Different people need different coverages

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Everyone's situation is unique.

For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you might need an agent's assistance.

  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in California?
  • Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
  • Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
  • Should I buy additional glass protection?
  • Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?

If you're not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and may give you better protection.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Consumers in California get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance from companies such as State Farm and Allstate. All the ads make an identical promise about savings after switching your policy.

How can each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a preferred risk might be between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any driver who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who are not a match for the requirements will be charged more money and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

That is why you should get as many comparisons as possible. You cannot predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Additional California consumer information

Additional information can be found on the California Department of Insurance website. Click here for link. Visitors are able to learn about specific coverages, file complaints about a company, and learn about insurance regulations.

California car insurance

In the end, you save

We just presented some good ideas how you can reduce car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest rates come from a smaller regional carrier.

When shopping online for car insurance, it's a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many cases where someone dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

People change insurance companies for any number of reasons including high prices, poor customer service, denial of a claim and even high rates after DUI convictions. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching car insurance companies is less work than it seems.