Getting Cheap Vacaville Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say you are not the only one feeling buyer's remorse. There are many to pick from, and although it's a good thing to have multiple companies, it makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to check auto insurance prices every six months because prices are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the best deal two years ago a different company probably has better rates today. So block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the only way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies do not list all their discounts very clearly, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known auto insurance savings. If you're not getting every credit possible, you are throwing money away.

Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Clubs and Organizations - Being a member of a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break on auto insurance.
Safety Course Discount - Completing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
No Charge for an Accident - Certain companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.
Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive reduced rates.
Federal Government Employee - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, auto insurance companies aren't that generous.

What determines how much you pay?

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

Shown below are some of the factors companies use to determine rates.

Proper usage rating affects rates - The higher the mileage driven in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most companies charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Make sure your auto insurance declarations sheet shows the correct usage for each vehicle, because it can save money.
Liability coverage protects you - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage if ever you are found liable for damages from an accident. Liability provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are quite a few extra coverages that you can buy when buying auto insurance. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and motor club memberships are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but if you don't need them eliminate them to save money.
Men are more aggressive - Statistics demonstrate that women are safer drivers than men. Now that doesn't mean women are better drivers. Women and men are in accidents at about the same rate, but the males tend to have more serious accidents. They also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving.
Older drivers pay less - Youthful drivers in California have a tendency to be more careless when behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and get fewer tickets.
Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs - If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance companies in California provide lower rates to insureds who file claims infrequently. Auto insurance is intended for the large, substantial claims.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Consumers in California get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings by companies like GEICO, State Farm and Progressive. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you change to them.

How does each company claim to save you money?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save when switching.

Consumers who are not a match for these standards will have to pay higher rates which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save money. That's the way companies can truthfully state the savings. Because of the profiling, drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Even more information is available at the California Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find out which companies have the most complaints, discover disciplinary actions, and learn about insurance regulations.

Also read more on Auto Insurance 101 and this page where you can research Vacaville insurance agents.

A tidy conclusion

When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don't skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many instances, someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford.

Cheap auto insurance is attainable both online and with local Vacaville insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

We covered a lot of information how to reduce auto insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies. Regional companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as .