Easy Ways to Pay Less on Big Bear Lake Car Insurance

Finding affordable Big Bear Lake car insurance is hard for beginners to comparison shopping online. Consumers have so many choices that it can be a big hassle to compare prices in Big Bear Lake.

If you have a current car insurance policy or are looking for a new policy, you can follow these tips to find better prices while maintaining coverages. Pricing the cheapest protection in Big Bear Lake is quite easy. California drivers only need an understanding of the proper methods to buy car insurance over the internet.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you can get discounts to reduce the price significantly. A few discounts will automatically apply when you quote, but less common discounts must be specially asked for prior to getting the savings. If you aren't receiving every discount available, you're paying more than you need to.

  • Drivers Ed for Students - Have your child successfully complete driver's ed class if it's offered in school.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% with a few car insurance companies.
  • Save with a New Car - Putting insurance coverage on a new car can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
  • Distant Student - Youth drivers who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
  • Good Students Pay Less - A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
  • Passive Restraints - Cars that have air bags can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
  • Driver Safety - Completing a defensive driving course could save 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
  • Anti-lock Brakes - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.

Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, companies don't profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce the cost of coverage.

To see a list of insurance companies who offer car insurance discounts in Big Bear Lake, click here.

compare Big Bear Lake car insurance rates

Comparison of Car Insurance in Big Bear Lake

Most companies quote coverage prices online. Obtaining pricing is pretty painless as you simply type in as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, the system will obtain credit information and your driving record and provides a quote.

Online quotes helps simplify price comparisons, but the work required to visit multiple sites and complete many quote forms gets old quite quickly. But it's very important to compare as many rates as possible if you are searching for the best price on car insurance.

There is an easier way!

The preferred way to lower your car insurance bill makes use of a single form that gets prices from several different companies. The form is fast, eliminates form submissions, and makes online price comparison much easier. As soon as the form is sent, it is quoted and you can select your choice of the price quotes you receive.

If you find a better price you can simply submit the application and purchase the new policy. It takes 15 minutes at the most and may result in a nice savings.

In order to find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and submit the form. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you replicate your coverages identical to your current policy. This makes sure you're receiving a rate comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Big Bear Lake Rates are Influenced by These Factors

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.

  • Too many car insurance claims drive up costs - If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Companies in California generally give cheaper rates to policyholders who are claim-free. Auto insurance is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Where do you drive? - Driving more miles every year the higher your rate. Most insurance companies charge to insure your cars determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars left parked in the garage qualify for better rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Make sure your car insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage.
  • Mature drivers pay less - Mature drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to file fewer claims and get fewer tickets. Youthful drivers are known to get distracted easily in a vehicle and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
  • Bad driving skills means higher rates - A bad driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Careful drivers get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Even a single citation can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. If you have flagrant violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find they need to submit a SR-22 form to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
  • Little extras can really add up - There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that can waste your money when buying car insurance. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, accident forgiveness and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem good initially, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • Bump up deductibles to save - The deductibles define the amount you are required to spend before your car insurance pays a claim. Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply would be running into the backend of another car, damage caused by hail, or theft. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
  • Credit scores impact car insurance rates - Having a bad credit history is a big factor in your rate calculation. If your credit score is not that good, you could pay less to insure your by improving your credit score. Drivers who have good credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers with lower credit scores.
  • Special features that cut premiums - Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder auto theft.

How can State Farm, Allstate and GEICO save drivers who switch?

Consumers in California can't get away from ads for the lowest price auto insurance by State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all have a common claim of big savings after switching to their company.

How can each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

All companies can use profiling for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a driver they prefer might be between 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and chooses high deductibles. Any driver that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who are not a match for the requirements will be quoted a higher premium and this can result in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. That's why insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

This emphasizes why drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. You cannot predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

A tidy conclusion

Drivers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including extreme rates for teen drivers, high rates after DUI convictions, delays in paying claims or not issuing a premium refund. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new car insurance company is actually quite simple.

When buying insurance coverage, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while still protecting your assets.

We just presented a lot of techniques to compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies.

Additional car insurance information can be found on the California Department of Insurance website found here. Visitors are able to download brochures, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.