Costing Too Much for Car Insurance in Chula Vista California? Here’s How to Save!

Have you fallen victim to an overpriced car insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you you’re not alone.

Companies like State Farm, Farmers Insurance, GEICO and Allstate continually hit you with advertising and it is challenging if not impossible to ignore the flying pigs and cute green geckos and do the work needed to find the best deal.

Do you qualify for a discount?

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find some of the best known and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using.

• Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
• Safety Course Discount – Successfully completing a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
• Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% with a few car insurance companies.
• Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.
• Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
• Multi-car Discount – Having more than one vehicle on the same car insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
• Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
• Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.

It’s important to note that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it doesn’t quite work that way.

To see a list of providers who offer car insurance discounts in Chula Vista, follow this link.

Comparison of Car Insurance in Chula Vista, California

Most companies provide coverage price quotes directly from their websites. Obtaining pricing is fairly straightforward as you simply enter the coverages you want as detailed in the form. After you complete the form, their system will obtain your driving record and credit report and provides a quote determined by many factors. This simplifies rate comparisons, but having to visit different websites and fill out multiple forms can be a bit repetitive. But it is imperative to perform this step if you want to find the lowest car insurance rates.

The smarter way to locate the lowest prices makes use of a single form that obtains quotes from a lot of companies. It’s a real time-saver, eliminates repetitive work, and makes online quotes much more enjoyable. As soon as you send your information, it gets priced and you can select any of the quotes that you receive. If you find a better price you simply finish the application and purchase the new policy. The entire process just takes a couple of minutes and may save quite a bit of money.

To compare rates now, click here to open in a new tab and enter your vehicle and coverage information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you duplicate deductibles and limits exactly as shown on your declarations page. This way, you are getting an apples-to-apples comparison based on identical coverages.

You have some control over your rates

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that come into play when calculating car insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to big savings.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine prices.

• More than one policy can earn a discount – Many insurance companies give discounts to customers who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s still a good idea to compare rates to ensure the best deal.
• Better crash test results mean better rates – Safer cars can get you lower premiums. These vehicles have better occupant injury protection and better occupant protection translates into savings for insurance companies passed on to you as lower rates.
• Women pay lower rates – Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. Now that doesn’t mean men are WORSE drivers than women. They both tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also statistically get cited for more serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving.
• Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are a lot of add-on coverages you can purchase on your policy. Coverages like roadside assistance, better glass coverage and term life insurance are examples of these. They may seem good initially, but if they’re wasting money get rid of them and save.
• What are your deductibles? – Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before your car insurance pays a claim. Physical damage coverage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are colliding with a building, damage from fire, and windstorm damage. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive.

Buying car insurance from a local agent

Some consumers would prefer to buy from a local agent. The best thing about comparing rates online is that you can obtain better rates and still have an agent to talk to.

For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, the coverage information is submitted to local insurance agents in Chula Vista who will return price quotes for your business. There is no reason to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent to your email. Now that’s easy! Get lower rates and a licensed agent to work with.

Choosing an insurer needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Agents should be asked these questions:

• Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
• Are they full-time agents?
• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• Who are their largest clients?
• What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
• If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
• Can glass repairs be made at your home?
• How are they compensated?

Two types of insurance agents

When finding a local agent, you must know there are a couple different agency structures that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are either captive or independent (non-captive).

Captive Agents

Captive agents write business for a single company such as Allstate, State Farm and Farmers Insurance. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agents receive extensive training on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage.

The following is a list of captive insurance agencies in Chula Vista that can give you rate quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 1458 Melrose Ave – Chula Vista, CA 91911 – (619) 409-1760
Farmers Insurance Group – 1165 3rd Ave – Chula Vista, CA 91911 – (619) 409-5055

Independent Agents

Independent agencies are not required to write business for one company so they have the ability to put coverage amongst many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency. When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to include at a minimum one independent agency for the best price selection.

The following are Chula Vista independent agents who can help you get price quotes.

Johnson Amos Jr Agency – 815 3rd Ave – Chula Vista, CA 91911 – (619) 420-3713
Garrison Insurance Inc – 26 3rd Ave # 260 – Chula Vista, CA 91910 – (619) 591-0101
Millan Insurance Brokerage – 1096 Broadway # 204 – Chula Vista, CA 91911 – (619) 425-9815

To view a complete directory of licensed insurance agents in Chula Vista, simply jump to this page.

After getting acceptable answers to any questions you have and locked in a price quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that is a good match to provide car insurance coverage.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

As you shop your coverage around, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, an insured dropped liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

Low-cost car insurance is definitely available online as well as from independent agents in Chula Vista, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some car insurance companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

Additional detailed information is located at the California Department of Insurance website. California drivers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, read consumer alerts, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Other useful links include NAIC.org’s Understanding your Policy and QuoteClickSave.com.