Easy Ways to Spend Less on Hayward Auto Insurance

Saving money on Hayward auto insurance is hard for beginners to comparing rates online. People have so many options available that it can turn into a big hassle to compare prices in Hayward.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these methods. This information will instruct you on how to effectively get price quotes and some tricks to saving. Nevertheless, California consumers do need to know the way companies sell online and apply this information to your search.

Save big with these discounts

Companies don't list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find both the well known and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings.

  • Memberships - Being a member of certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
  • Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
  • Paperless Signup - A few companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing on their website.
  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Fewer annual miles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
  • Senior Citizens - Mature drivers may be able to get better auto insurance rates.
  • Good Students Pay Less - A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
  • One Accident Forgiven - A few companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven't had any claims for a set time period.

It's important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn't quite work that way.

To see a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Hayward, follow this link.

How to Compare Auto Insurance Costs in Hayward

There are several ways of comparing rates and find the best price. The best method to find the lowest rates consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This can be done in a couple of different ways.

  • The best way to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This method saves time by eliminating boring form submissions for each company you want a rate for. Taking the time to complete one form gets you price quotes from all major companies. It's the fastest way to compare.
  • A slightly less efficient method to get quotes online requires visiting each individual company website to complete a price quote. For examples sake, we'll assume you want rates from , and . To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker.

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

Whichever way you use, double check that you are using the exact same quote information for every company. If you use mixed coverages then you won't be able to decipher which rate is best in Hayward. Just a small difference in coverage limits may cause a big price difference. It's important to know that obtaining a wide range of quotes will increase your chances of finding the best offered rates.

Hayward Rates are Influenced by These Factors

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what determines base rates enables informed choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

  • Protect yourself with liability coverage - Liability coverage will protect you if you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment - Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all hinder your car from being stolen.
  • Marriage pays dividends - Having a spouse can get you a discount when buying auto insurance. Having a spouse means you're more mature and responsible and statistics show drivers who are married are more cautious.
  • Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are a ton of extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying when buying auto insurance. Coverages like roadside assistance, accidental death 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.
  • Women pay lower rates - The statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Both sexes tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are the most expensive to insure and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
  • Cautious drivers pay less - Whether or not you get tickets impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Careful drivers get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Just one citation can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. Drivers with flagrant tickets like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
  • Low deductibles can be expensive - Your deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend before a claim is paid by your company. 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 colliding with a building, 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.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually stream ads on TV and radio. All the companies say the same thing of big savings after switching to their company. How do they all claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

Insurance companies can use profiling for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a profitable customer might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has a high credit rating. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and most likely will cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who fall outside the "perfect" profile must pay more money which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads state "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That's why insurance companies can confidently state the savings. This illustrates why drivers must compare many company's rates. It's impossible to know the company that will have the lowest rates.

Shop smart and save

Low-cost auto insurance can be sourced both online and also from your neighborhood Hayward agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

Consumers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including questionable increases in premium, unfair underwriting practices, an unsatisfactory settlement offer or delays in responding to claim requests. Whatever your reason, finding a new auto insurance company is actually quite simple.

As you restructure your insurance plan, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to discover later that they should have had better coverage. Your focus should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

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More California auto insurance information

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the California Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, view a list of available companies, and get help finding coverage.