Tightwads Tips for Saving on Oxnard Auto Insurance

Are you tired of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other drivers in California.

You have multiple to buy insurance from, and although it's nice to be able to choose, having more makes it harder to compare rates.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Oxnard

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to big savings.

Listed below are some of the items companies use to determine prices.

  • Always keep insurance in force - Allowing your coverage to lapse is a guaranteed way to bump up your auto insurance costs. Not only will you pay more, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a license revocation or jail time.You may need to file a SR-22 with the California motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
  • High numbers of claims are not good - If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Companies in California generally give lower rates to drivers who file claims infrequently. Insurance coverage is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Cautious drivers pay less - A bad driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Good drivers have lower premiums than bad drivers. Even a single speeding ticket can increase rates by twenty percent. If you have serious violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
  • Having a spouse can save you money - Getting married can actually save you money on auto insurance. Having a significant other is viewed as being more mature and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
  • Are you male or female? - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are better drivers. They both tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the men cause more damage. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving. Young males are most likely to cause an accident and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
  • One company can mean more discounts - Most insurance companies provide better rates to insureds who carry more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, you still need to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still be able to find better rates by splitting coverages up.
  • Save money with special equipment - Driving a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft features such as GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder auto theft.
  • Choose a safe vehicle and save - Vehicles with good safety scores get lower rates. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.

Compare Oxnard Auto Insurance Costs

There are several ways of comparing rates and find the best price. One of the best ways to find the cheapest insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online. This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

  1. The fastest way to get the best comparison quotes is to use a rate comparison form click to view form in new window. This type of form saves time by eliminating a different quote to each individual auto insurance company. In just a few minutes this one form will return quotes .
  2. A slightly less efficient method to get quotes online is to take the time to go to the website of each company to complete a price quote. For sake of this example, let's say you want rates from , and . To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company's site and enter your information, which is why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Oxnard, click here.

Whichever method you choose, ensure you're using identical coverages and limits with each company. If each company quotes different deductibles it's impossible to make an equal comparison in Oxnard. Slightly different limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when price shopping your coverage, more quotes helps locate a lower rate.

Save big with these discounts

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you may find discounts that you may not even be aware of. Most are applied at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be asked about before you will receive the discount.

  • Seat Belt Usage - Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Employees or retirees of the government may qualify you for a discount with a few auto insurance companies.
  • Good Students Pay Less - This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
  • Paperwork-free - A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application over the internet.
  • One Accident Forgiven - Certain companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if your claims history is clear for a particular time prior to the accident.

It's important to note that some credits don't apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you're out of luck. But any discount will bring down your overall premium however.

To choose insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in California, click here.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Auto insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. They all have a common claim that you can save if you switch to them. How does each company claim to save you money?

All the different companies can use profiling for the type of driver that makes them money. A good example of a driver they prefer might be over the age of 40, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote that hits that "sweet spot" will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when switching.

Potential insureds who fall outside these standards will be quoted more money and this can result in the customer not buying. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save money. That's why insurance companies can advertise the way they do.

This emphasizes why you need to compare as many rates as you can. It's impossible to know the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

More information can be read on the website for the California Department of Insurance located here. Visitors are able to find a variety of consumer forms, download brochures, file complaints about a company, and get help finding coverage.

Affordable insurance is out there

We covered a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may discover the lowest premiums are with some of the lesser-known companies. These smaller insurers often have lower prices on specific markets than their larger competitors like .

Lower-priced auto insurance is available both online and with local Oxnard insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.