Find Low-Cost Fair Oaks Auto Insurance

Are you intimidated by the dozens of auto insurance company choices in Fair Oaks? Many other drivers are as well. People have so many companies to choose from that it can turn into more work than you anticipated to find better rates.

This article will help educate you on the best way to quote coverages and some money-saving tips. If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. But California vehicle owners do need to know the way companies price insurance differently because it can help you find the best coverage.

These discounts can lower your rates

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you may find discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be applied at quote time, but a few must be manually applied in order for you to get them.

  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
  • Multiple Vehicles - Buying coverage for multiple vehicles on one policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Auto/Home Discount - If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
  • Federal Government Employee - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
  • Driver Safety - Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
  • Accident Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less when compared with drivers who are more careless.
  • Seat Belts Save - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
  • Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
  • Driver's Ed - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver's education if it's offered in school.
  • Military Rewards - Being on active duty in the military may qualify for rate reductions.

Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like it's possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will help reduce the cost of coverage.

auto insurance in Fair Oaks

Why some people pay less for insurance in Fair Oaks

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

The following are a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine premiums.

  • Safer cars are cheaper to insure - Cars with high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates.
  • Do you know your deductibles? - Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are required to spend in the event of a claim. Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, insures against damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and rolling your vehicle. The more you're willing to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
  • Your location affects your rates - Choosing to live in a rural area is a positive aspect when buying auto insurance. Drivers who live in large cities tend to have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Lower population means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
  • Discounts for multiple policies - Many insurers will award you with lower prices to people who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it's in your best interest to compare other company rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.
  • An active claims history can cost you - Auto insurance companies in California award discounts to people who file claims infrequently. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
  • Little extras can really add up - There are a ton of extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren't careful. Things like rental car reimbursement, accidental death and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but if you don't need them remove them from your policy.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads on television and other media. All the companies make an identical promise that you'll save big after switching to them. But how can every company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has a short commute. A propective insured who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who are not a match for this ideal profile must pay more money and ends up with business not being written. The ads say "drivers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save money. That's the way companies can make the claims of big savings.

This illustrates why drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It's not possible to predict which auto insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

Much more information about auto insurance in California is located on the California Department of Insurance website. Click here for link. California drivers can find disaster information, report car insurance fraud, and view agent and company licensing information.

Also read more on this resource for California auto insurance prices and this page of Fair Oaks insurance agents.

Do the work, save more money

Budget-conscious auto insurance can be purchased on the web and with local Fair Oaks insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where someone sacrificed collision coverage and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

People change insurance companies for any number of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, lack of trust in their agent, policy non-renewal and even extreme rates for teen drivers. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching auto insurance companies is less work than it seems.