How to Know You're Wasting Money for Auto Insurance in Van Nuys

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced auto insurance? Trust us, there are many people just like you. There is such a variety of to buy insurance from, and even though it's nice to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates.

Finding affordable coverage in Van Nuys is not that difficult. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. California consumers only need to know the most efficient way to compare prices on the web.

How much can you save with discounts?

Companies that sell car insurance don't list every discount very clearly, so the following is a list of both the well known as well as the least known auto insurance savings. If you're not getting every credit possible, you're paying more than you need to.

Pay Now and Pay Less - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
Memberships - Being a member of a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break when shopping for auto insurance.
Multiple Cars - Buying insurance for all your vehicles on the same auto insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Distant Student - Children living away from home attending college and don't have a car can receive lower rates.
Homeowners Discount - Simply owning a home may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
Federal Government Employee - Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off with a few auto insurance companies.
Save with a New Car - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

To see a list of insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in California, follow this link.

How to Compare Auto Insurance Quotes in Van Nuys, California

There are several ways to compare auto insurance prices and some are easier and takes less work. You can waste a lot of time talking about coverages with agents in Van Nuys, or you could save time and use online quotes to quickly compare rates.

Many insurance companies participate in a marketplace that allows shoppers to send in one quote, and each company provides a quote for coverage. 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 getting quotes like this is you can't choose which carriers to get quotes from. If you prefer to choose from a list of companies for rate comparison, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in California. Click here to view list.

Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing identical quote information for every quote you compare. If you use mixed coverages it's not possible to determine the best price in Van Nuys.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are some of the items that factor into prices.

Your car's features help determine rates - Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart your car from being stolen.
Don't skimp on liability - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage when you are found liable for damages caused by your negligence. It provides you with a defense in court which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is quite affordable as compared to coverage for physical damage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Do you know your deductibles? - Your deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, or theft. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the less your auto insurance will be.
Mature drivers pay less - Youthful drivers in California have a tendency to be careless and easily distracted when behind the wheel so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Older insureds are more cautious drivers, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
Claim-free discounts can add up - If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Companies in California provide lower rates to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is intended for the large, substantial claims.
Marriage pays dividends - Getting married helps lower the price when buying auto insurance. Having a significant other usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that being married results in fewer claims.

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

Consumers in California can't get away from ads that promise big savings from companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all say the same thing about savings if you change your policy.

How does each company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that is profitable for them. A good example of a driver they prefer might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who don't meet these standards will be quoted higher prices which usually ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's the way companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. This emphasizes why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

And the best car insurance company is...

The cheapest auto insurance can be sourced both online in addition to many Van Nuys insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some auto insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed collision coverage and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

Learn more about California auto insurance

Even more information can be read at the California Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to view a list of available companies, find out which companies have the most complaints, report car insurance fraud, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.