How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Car Insurance in Vallejo

Are you sick and tired of being strong-armed each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than the majority of other car owners in California.

There is such a variety of to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates.

It's important to get comparison quotes before your policy renews because rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the lowest price last year the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because we're going to demonstrate the proper way to find great coverage at a great price.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies do not advertise all their discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the more common and the more hidden car insurance savings.

  • 55 and Retired - Mature drivers may qualify for a discount up to 10%.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
  • Good Students Pay Less - A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.
  • One Accident Forgiven - Certain companies permit an accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Air Bag Discount - Factory air bags may earn rate discounts up to 30%.

It's important to note that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you're out of luck.

To see a list of companies offering car insurance discounts in California, follow this link.

Vallejo car insurance comparison

Compare Vallejo Car Insurance Costs

There are several ways to compare quotes and find the best price. The best method to find competitive insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

  • The best way consumers can analyze rates is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This method prevents you from having to do separate forms to each individual car insurance company. In just a few minutes this one form will return quotes from several companies.
  • Another way to compare rate quotes is to take the time to go to each company's website to request a price quote. For instance, we'll assume you want rates from , and . To find out each rate you need to go to every website and enter your information, which is why most consumers use the first method.

    To view a list of companies in Vallejo, click here.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just ensure you're using identical coverages and limits for each price quote. If you use different deductibles it will be next to impossible to truly determine the lowest rate in Vallejo. Just a small difference in limits could mean much higher rates. And when price shopping your coverage, having more price comparisons helps locate a lower rate.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining your car insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.

  • Are you male or female? - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. They both tend to get into accidents in similar numbers, but the males cause more damage. They also get cited for more serious violations such as reckless driving. Young males are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore have the most expensive car insurance rates.
  • More claims means more premium - If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Car insurance companies in California provide lower rates to drivers who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • How's your driving record? - Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Drivers with clean records receive lower rates than bad drivers. Just one speeding ticket may increase your cost by twenty percent. Drivers who have serious citations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
  • Clean credit earns discounts - Credit score is a large factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit rating is lower than you'd like, you could pay less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to be less risk to insure than those with poor credit.
  • Theft deterrents lower rates - Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your car from being stolen.
  • Little extras can really add up - There are many extra bells and whistles that you can buy on your policy. Coverages for roadside assistance, towing coverage and membership fees are examples of these. These coverages may sound good at first, but your needs may have changed so eliminate them to save money.
  • Bundling policies can get discounts - Most companies will give a discount to policyholders who carry more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, you may still want to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still be able to find better rates by splitting coverages up.
  • Bump up deductibles to save - Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are colliding with a building, vandalism, and windstorm damage. Your deductibles are how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing that you can save if you switch your policy. How does each company make the same claim?

All the different companies can use profiling for the right customer that is profitable for them. For instance, a desirable insured could be between 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and has great credit. A customer who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and most likely will save when switching.

Drivers who don't qualify for these standards will have to pay higher premiums which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "people who switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That's why insurance companies can advertise the savings. Because of the profiling, drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know the company that will give you the biggest savings.

Affordable insurance is out there

As you prepare to switch companies, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced liability coverage limits only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate.

We just showed you a lot of tips how to compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the best prices are with a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers often have lower prices on specific markets than their larger competitors like .

Learn more today

Additional detailed information is located at the California Department of Insurance website. Consumers can learn about insurance regulations, download brochures, file complaints about a company, and find out industry alerts.