How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Auto Insurance in Northridge

Overpriced auto insurance can drain your savings account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Shopping your coverage around is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to lower your monthly bill.

Companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive increase brand awareness with ads and it is difficult to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

Northridge Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates enables informed choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

Do you have enough liability coverage? - Liability coverage is the protection if a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
Pay less after the wedding - Getting married can get you a discount on your policy. Having a spouse means you're more mature and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Where do you drive? - Driving more miles in a year's time the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies apply a rate based on their usage. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Double check that your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage.
Your car's features help determine rates - Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping car theft.
High deductibles save money - Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply could be colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and burglary. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
Do men or women drive better? - Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Both sexes cause accidents at a similar rate, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving. Young males are the most expensive to insure and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.

How to Lower Your Auto Insurance Cost in Northridge, California

Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can be a daunting task if you don't understand the most efficient way. You can spend your afternoon talking about coverages with insurance agencies in Northridge, or you could use online quotes to get rates in a matter of minutes.

Most of the larger companies enroll in a system that enables customers to only type in their quote data once, and each company returns a rated price determined by their information. This saves time by eliminating quote requests to each individual auto insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to getting quotes like this is buyers cannot specifically choose which providers you want pricing from. So if you want to choose from a list of companies to request quotes from, we have assembled a list of companies who write auto insurance in California. Click to view list.

It's your choice how you get your quotes, but ensure you are comparing exactly the same information for every quote you compare. If your comparisons have higher or lower deductibles then you won't be able to determine the best price in Northridge. Quoting even small variations in limits may cause a big price difference. Just remember that obtaining a wide range of quotes will increase your chances of finding the best price.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you can get discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time of purchase, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied prior to receiving the credit.

Multiple Vehicles - Having multiple vehicles with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
Accident Waiver - A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven't had any claims for a set time period.
Discount for New Cars - Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
Payment Method - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
Save over 55 - If you're over the age of 55, you may be able to get better auto insurance rates.

Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn't work that way. But any discount will reduce your premiums.

To choose insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Northridge, click here to view.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. All the companies make an identical promise that you can save after switching to their company. How can each company make almost identical claims? It's all in the numbers.

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. A good example of a profitable customer could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't measure up to the requirements must pay higher prices and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. This is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do.

This illustrates why you need to quote coverage with many companies. It's impossible to know which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

More information can be read on the website for the California Department of Insurance found here. California consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, get help finding coverage, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view a list of available companies.

Shop smart and save

Affordable auto insurance can be purchased online and also from your neighborhood Northridge agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some auto insurance companies may not provide online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, drivers have reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.