Greenbrae Auto Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

Finding lower premiums on Greenbrae auto insurance is challenging for people who are new to buying insurance online. You have so many options available that it can turn into a ton of work to locate the lowest price in Greenbrae.

It's important to get comparison quotes before your policy renews since insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal a few years ago you may be paying too much now. Starting right now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the proper way to save on auto insurance.

Buying car insurance in Greenbrae is easy if you know what you're doing. If you have insurance now or are looking for a new policy, you can use these techniques to shop for the lowest rates while maximizing coverage. California vehicle owners just need to know the best way to get comparison quotes online.

Compare Greenbrae Auto Insurance Costs

Getting better auto insurance pricing is not a difficult process. Just invest a little time to compare rate quotes provided by online insurance companies. This can be done in a couple of different ways.

The first (and easiest) way consumers can analyze rates is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This form saves time by eliminating separate quotes for every auto insurance company. In just a few minutes this one form compares rates instantly. Recommended for those who want to invest the least amount of time.

A less efficient way to compare rate quotes is going to each individual company website to complete a price quote. For examples sake, let's say you want rates from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, which is why the first method is more popular.

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

The hardest way to compare rates is to spend your day driving to and from local insurance agencies. The ability to buy insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you require the personal advice of a local agent. Drivers can compare the best prices online and still use a local agent and we'll touch on that later.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just ensure you're using identical coverage limits and deductibles with each company. If you use different liability limits it's impossible to make an equal comparison in Greenbrae.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

It's important that you understand the rating factors that go into determining auto insurance rates. Knowing what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

  • 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 a windshield shattered by a rock, damage caused by hail, and windstorm damage. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
  • Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs - Car insurance companies in California give lower rates to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Consolidate policies to earn discounts - Most auto insurance companies will give a discount to people who carry more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, you still need to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still be able to find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
  • Being married can save on auto insurance - Being married can actually save you money on your auto insurance policy. It usually means you are more mature than a single person and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
  • Clean credit earns discounts - Credit score is a important factor in your rate calculation. So if your credit is lower than you'd like, you could be paying less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with poor credit.
  • Traffic citations inflate rates - Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Just one speeding ticket may increase your cost forty percent or more. Drivers with clean records have lower premiums than bad drivers. Drivers who have serious citations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to file a SR-22 with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
  • Proper usage rating affects rates - The more miles you rack up on your car every year the more you will pay for auto insurance. The majority of insurers price each vehicle's coverage based on how the vehicle is used. Autos left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Make sure your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
  • Your job and insurance rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Jobs such as doctors, executives and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates because of stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. Conversely, professions such as farmers, engineers and homemakers pay the least.

Take advantage of discounts

Car insurance companies don't list all their discounts very clearly, so here is a list some of the best known as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance. If you're not getting every credit available, you're just leaving money on the table.

  • Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a house in Greenbrae may earn you a small savings because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Simply working for the federal government can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
  • Anti-theft Discount - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
  • Drivers Education - Require your teen driver to complete a driver education course in school.
  • Braking Control Discount - Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Bundle and Save - When you have multiple policies with the same company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
  • Good Students Pay Less - Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
  • New Vehicle Savings - Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% since new cars are generally safer.
  • No Claims - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts as compared to frequent claim filers.
  • Multi-car Discount - Insuring more than one vehicle on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.

Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, companies wouldn't make money that way.

For a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts in California, click this link.

More detailed California auto insurance information is available at the California Department of Insurance website. California drivers can report car insurance fraud, download brochures, and read consumer alerts.

Best coverage at the best price

Budget-conscious auto insurance can be found on the web in addition to many Greenbrae insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies do not provide online quoting and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

Insureds switch companies for a number of reasons such as an unsatisfactory settlement offer, extreme rates for teen drivers, policy cancellation and policy non-renewal. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is not as hard as you think.

When shopping online for auto insurance, never reduce needed coverages to save money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford.