How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Auto Insurance in Santa Ana

Paying for high-priced auto insurance can dwindle your savings account, especially in this economy. Comparison shopping is a great way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket. Numerous battle for your insurance dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare and get the definite lowest price

It's important to do rate comparisons quite often because prices are constantly changing. Just because you had the best rates six months ago you may be paying too much now. There is a lot of bad information regarding auto insurance online, so I'm going to show you some great ways to slash your auto insurance rates.

Low Cost Santa Ana Auto Insurance

Getting better auto insurance pricing is a fairly straight forward process. Just take a few minutes comparing rates provided by online insurance companies. This is very easy and can be done using a couple different methods.

The first (and easiest) way to get the best comparison quotes is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This type of form saves time by eliminating boring form submissions for every auto insurance company. One form will return quotes from all major companies.

A slightly less efficient method to compare rate quotes is to take the time to go to each individual company website to complete a price quote. For instance, let's assume you want comparison quotes from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website and enter your information, and that's why the first method is more popular.

To view a list of companies in Santa Ana, click here.

Whichever method you choose, make darn sure you compare the exact same coverages and limits with each company. If you use different deductibles it will be very difficult to make an equal comparison in Santa Ana.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Santa Ana

It's important that you understand the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

  • Having a spouse can save you money - Getting married can actually save you money on auto insurance. It is viewed as being more responsible it has been statistically shown that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • Older drivers save more - More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and receive fewer citations. Youthful drivers are statistically proven to be more careless when driving therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
  • Cautious drivers pay less - Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Even a single moving violation can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have serious citations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
  • Liability coverage is cheap - Liability insurance is the protection if ever you are found liable for damages from an accident. It will provide you with a defense in court starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
  • Are you male or female? - Statistics have proven that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are better drivers. Women and men tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the males cause more damage. They also get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers tend to get in the most accidents and thus pay the highest rates.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both the well known and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving. If they aren't giving you every credit you deserve, you're just leaving money on the table.

  • Sign Online - Certain companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy on their website.
  • Save with a New Car - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% since new cars are generally safer.
  • Good Student Discount - Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
  • Multi-car Discount - Insuring more than one vehicle on one policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Accident Waiver - A few companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.
  • Anti-lock Brakes - Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.

A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don't apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

For a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts in Santa Ana, click here.

How to know if you need help

When it comes to choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone's situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions may help you determine whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.

  • Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
  • Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
  • Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
  • Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
  • Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?

If you can't answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It's fast, free and may give you better protection.

Even more information can be read at the California Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to get help finding coverage, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, file complaints about a company, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Santa Ana auto insurance comparison

And the best car insurance company is...

Cheaper auto insurance is available both online and with local Santa Ana insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not offer online quoting and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, never reduce needed coverages to save money. In many cases, drivers have reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price.

We covered a lot of ways to lower your auto insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the best prices are with a smaller regional carrier. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like .