Find the Cheapest Los Altos Hills Auto Insurance

If online auto insurance comparisons are new to you, you may be confused by the vast number of auto insurance companies all offering big savings in Los Altos Hills.

It's important to shop coverage around periodically because insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best rates last year a different company probably has better rates today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding auto insurance online but I'm going to show you some great ways to find cheap auto insurance.

If you are insured now or need new coverage, you can learn to find the best rates and possibly find even better coverage. This article will familiarize you with the most effective way to quote insurance and some tips to save money. California drivers only need an understanding of the most efficient way to get comparison rates online.

Save big with these discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't necessarily list all their discounts in a way that's easy to find, so the following is a list of both well-publicized as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using. If you aren't receiving every discount you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

Accident Forgiveness - A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.
Passive Restraint Discount - Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to complete a driver education course in high school.
Drive Less and Save - Keeping the miles down could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
College Student - Kids in college living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
Bundle and Save - If you have multiple policies with the same company you may earn up to 20% off your total premium.
Claim Free - Good drivers with no accidents pay less as compared to drivers who are more careless.

It's important to understand that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn't quite work that way.

Tips to Get Lower Los Altos Hills Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

The list below includes some of the items used by your company to calculate rates.

Sex matters - Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don't assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. Women and men tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving.
High credit ratings translate to low rates - Credit rating is a important factor in determining your rates. People with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than drivers who have lower credit ratings. So if your credit history can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your credit score.
Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates - Car insurance companies in California award cheaper rates to policyholders who do not file claims often. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Auto insurance is designed for larger claims.
Theft deterrents lower rates - Owning a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system can help prevent car theft.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When it comes to buying coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Everyone's needs are different.

These are some specific questions may help highlight if your situation might need an agent's assistance.

Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?

If you're not sure about those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, simply complete this short form. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and can help protect your family.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

California consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance from the likes of State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. They all seem to make an identical promise of big savings if you move your coverage to them.

How can each company make almost identical claims?

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a desirable insured could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and has great credit. A driver who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Drivers who fall outside the requirements will have to pay higher premiums and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. That is how insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. Because of the profiling, drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

Additional California consumer information

More tips and info about auto insurance can be read at the California Department of Insurance website. California consumers can learn about insurance regulations, find out industry alerts, and download brochures.

A tidy conclusion

Low-cost auto insurance is possible online as well as from independent agents in Los Altos Hills, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

In this article, we presented many tips how you can reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from a small local company.

People who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as denial of a claim, poor customer service, extreme rates for teen drivers and even delays in responding to claim requests. Whatever your reason, choosing a new insurance company is less work than it seems.