Getting Low-Cost Clayton Car Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced car insurance? Trust us when we tell you many consumers are feeling buyer's remorse and feel like there's no way out. With so many different company options, it's difficult to pick the most cost effective provider.

Buying affordable car insurance in Clayton is simple if you know the tricks. If you have a policy now or need new coverage, you can follow these tips to get lower rates while maintaining coverages. California vehicle owners just need to know the most effective way to compare rates on the web.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you may find discounts that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you purchase, but some must be specifically requested before being credited. If you don't get every credit possible, you're paying more than you need to.

Driver's Ed - Have your child successfully complete driver's ed class if offered at their school.
Low Mileage Discounts - Low mileage vehicles can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.
Multiple Cars - Buying insurance for all your vehicles on the same car insurance policy could earn a price break for each car.
Anti-lock Brakes - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
Distant Student - Youth drivers who live away from home and don't have a car can receive lower rates.
Senior Citizens - Mature drivers may receive reduced rates.
Paperwork-free - Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up online.
Military Rewards - Being deployed with a military unit could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Discount for Swiching Early - A few companies offer discounts for buying a policy before your current expiration date. The savings is around 10%.

Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply the the whole policy. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

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

Compare the Market for Car Insurance in Clayton

Finding cheaper car insurance prices is a fairly straight forward process. Consumers just need to take a couple of minutes comparing rate quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The best way to get the best comparison quotes is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This type of form keeps you from doing repetitive form submissions for each company. Completing one form gets you price quotes from multiple companies.
A slightly less efficient method to shop for car insurance online requires a trip to the website of each company and fill out their own quote form. For sake of this example, let's assume you want to compare rates from , and . You would have to spend time on each company's site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Clayton, click here.
The most time-consuming method of getting rate comparisons is driving to insurance agents' offices. The internet has reduced the need for local agents unless you prefer the personal advice of a licensed agent. It is possible to obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent and you'll learn how to do that later.

However you get your quotes, compare apples-to-apples quote information for each comparison quote. If each company quotes mixed coverages it will be next to impossible to determine the lowest rate in Clayton.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Clayton

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to better car insurance rates.

Optional equipment can affect rates - Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention devices such as GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart auto theft.
Choose a safe vehicle and save - Safer cars get lower rates. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates.
Adjust deductibles and save - The deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, insures against damage to your car. Examples of covered claims would be running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, or theft. The more money you're willing to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
How many coverages with the same company - Some insurance companies provide better rates to insureds who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, you may still want to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. Drivers may still find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.
Mature drivers pay less - Youthful drivers in California have a tendency to be careless and easily distracted when behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher. Older insureds are more cautious drivers, tend to cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
Liability coverage is peace of mind - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage when you are found liable for damages from an accident. It provides legal defense coverage up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability insurance is quite affordable as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not skimp.
Your credit rating is important - Having a bad credit score is a large factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with poor credit. If your credit score is low, you could pay less to insure your by improving your rating.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Consumers in California can't get away from ads that promise big savings by companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all have a common claim that you'll save big if you change to them.

But how can every company claim to save you money?

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that is profitable for them. An example of a driver they prefer might be a mature driver, has no tickets, and has excellent credit. Any driver that hits that "sweet spot" will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Consumers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will be quoted higher prices and this can result in the customer not buying. The ad wording is "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That's the way companies can make those claims.

This emphasizes why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

A tidy conclusion

Discount car insurance can be sourced both online and with local Clayton insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.

While you're price shopping online, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn't purchase enough coverage. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

Much more information about car insurance in California is available on the website for the California Department of Insurance through this link. Visitors are able to view a list of available companies, find disaster information, report car insurance fraud, and read consumer alerts.

Additional helpful sites include this site for car insurance rates in California and this list of insurance agents in Clayton, CA.