Tightwads Instructions on Saving on Saratoga Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced auto insurance? Trust us when we tell you there are lots of people in the same boat.

Lots of contend for your business, so it can be very hard to choose a to find the lowest rate

If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. Finding affordable coverage in Saratoga is easy if you know what you're doing. But California vehicle owners do need to know the way insurance companies price online insurance.

How much can you save with discounts?

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but discounts can save money and there are some available that many people don't even know exist. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at quote time, but some may not be applied and must be asked for in order for you to get them.

Student Driver Training - Have your child successfully complete driver's ed class in school.
Defensive Driver - Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Theft Prevention System - Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
Low Mileage Discounts - Driving fewer miles could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Payment Discounts - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.
Memberships - Affiliation with certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when shopping for auto insurance.
Paperwork-free - A handful of insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up on their website.
Claim Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less when compared to bad drivers.
Homeowners Discount - Simply owning a home may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
Federal Government Employee - Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with a few auto insurance companies.

Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will cut the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in Saratoga, follow this link.

Quick Saratoga Auto Insurance Quotes

Comparing auto insurance rates can take hours if you aren't aware of the most efficient way. You can waste a lot of time talking about coverages with insurance agencies in Saratoga, or you could save time and use the web to get pricing more quickly.

Many insurance companies belong to a marketplace that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and every company provides a quote based on the submitted data. This eliminates the need for quote requests for each company you want a rate for. To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to using this type of form is you are unable to specify which carriers to get quotes from. So if you want to select specific insurance companies to compare, we have a page of auto insurance companies in California. Click here for list of insurance companies in California.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just compare the exact same coverage limits and deductibles for every company. If each company quotes different liability limits it will be impossible to decipher which rate is best in Saratoga. Just a small difference in insurance coverages can result in a big premium difference. Just keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies will increase your chances of finding the best rates.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. Understanding what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to big savings.

Lower rates with optional equipment - Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system can thwart your car from being stolen.
Extra coverages can waste money - There are many extra coverages that can waste your money if you aren't careful. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but now you might not need them so get rid of them and save.
Multiple policies with one company can save - Most companies provide better rates to people who have multiple policies with them. It's known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can add up to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even though this discount sounds good, you still need to compare rates to verify if the discount is saving money. You may still be able to find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.
Choose a safe vehicle and save - Vehicles with good safety scores are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts and lower rates for you.
Don't sacrifice liability coverage - Liability insurance provides coverage when a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. It provides you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Your spouse saves you money - Getting married can actually save you money when buying auto insurance. Having a significant other translates into being more mature than a single person and it's proven that being married results in fewer claims.
Your job and insurance rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Careers like real estate brokers, architects and accountants have higher rates than average because of stressful work requirements and lots of time spent at work. On the flip side, occupations like actors, athletes and homemakers get better rates.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all say the same thing that you'll save big if you switch your coverage to them. How do they all say the same thing?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that is profitable for them. A good example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as a mature driver, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. A propective insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who don't meet the "perfect" profile will be quoted more money which usually ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. That's the way companies can claim big savings.

This emphasizes why drivers must compare many company's rates. It's not possible to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Affordable insurance is out there

Budget-conscious auto insurance can be found on the web as well as from independent agents in Saratoga, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies don't offer the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an insured dropped full coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

Find out more about auto insurance

Much more information about auto insurance in California can be read on the website for the California Department of Insurance located here. California drivers can view a list of available companies, discover disciplinary actions, read consumer alerts, and find disaster information.