Best Way to Find the Cheapest Coalinga Auto Insurance

Purchasing the most affordable Coalinga auto insurance online can seem to be intimidating for beginners to comparison shopping online. Since there are so many online companies available, how can consumers even start to compare every one to find the lowest rates?

If you have a current auto insurance policy or need a new policy, you can learn to shop for the lowest rates and possibly find even better coverage. The purpose of this post is to teach you how car insurance quotes work and some money-saving tips. California drivers only need an understanding of the most efficient way to compare rates over the internet.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies don't always list every discount in a way that's easy to find, so here is a list both well-publicized as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving. If you aren't receiving every discount you deserve, you are throwing money away.

Payment Method - By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
Life Insurance Discount - Larger companies have better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
Save over 55 - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
No Claims - Drivers who don't have accidents can earn big discounts when compared to drivers who are more careless.
Low Mileage Discounts - Fewer annual miles can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.
Multiple Policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with one company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
Government Employees - Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount with a few auto insurance companies.

It's important to understand that some credits don't apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it doesn't quite work that way.

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to big savings.

The following are some of the factors that factor into prices.

Save money with special equipment - Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all aid in stopping auto theft.
More people means more accidents - Residing in less populated areas can save you money when insuring your vehicles. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. City drivers regularly have traffic congestion and a longer drive to work. Higher commute times means higher likelihood of an accident.
Men pay higher rates - Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. They both have accidents at about the same rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are most likely to cause an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like doctors, social workers and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates because of job stress and lots of time spent at work. Other occupations like pilots, historians and performers pay the least.
Choose a safe vehicle and save - Vehicles with good safety scores get lower rates. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders.

Insurance agents can help

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

For example, these questions can help discover whether your personal situation might need an agent's assistance.

Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?

If you can't answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and can help protect your family.

Save $429 a year? Really?

California consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings from companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all have a common claim of big savings after switching your policy.

How can each company make almost identical claims?

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that earns them a profit. An example of a driver they prefer could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and has a short commute. A driver that hits that "sweet spot" will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for the requirements will be quoted more money and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings. This emphasizes why drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Learn more about auto insurance in California

More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the California Department of Insurance website. California consumers can view a list of available companies, view agent and company licensing information, and learn about insurance regulations.

And the best car insurance company is...

Drivers change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as unfair underwriting practices, delays in paying claims, denial of a claim and even high rates after DUI convictions. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is less work than it seems.

As you shop your coverage around, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where consumers will sacrifice comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

Low-cost auto insurance can be bought online in addition to many Coalinga insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.