Comparison shopping for cheaper Ford C-Max Energi insurance in Irvine can seem to be very difficult for drivers who have little experience online comparison shopping. Because there are so many companies competing online, it can easily turn into a chore to find the perfect company for you.
It’s safe to conclude that insurance companies don’t want you to compare rates. Consumers who get price comparisons will presumably buy a different policy because there are good odds of finding a lower-priced policy. A recent car insurance study discovered that consumers who compared prices regularly saved over $3,500 over four years compared to policyholders who never shopped for cheaper rates.
If saving money on Ford C-Max Energi insurance is your intention, then knowing how to quote and compare insurance can help you be more efficient.
Consumers should take time to compare rates periodically because car insurance prices are variable and change quite frequently. Just because you had the best quotes on Ford C-Max Energi insurance in Irvine a few years ago a different company probably has better rates today. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you’re about to learn one of the best ways to find lower rates on car insurance.
To get cheaper Irvine car insurance quotes, there a variety of ways to compare rate quotes from different Irvine insurance companies. By far the easiest way to find the cheapest Ford C-Max Energi insurance rates is to jump online and get quotes. Just remember that comparing a wide range of rates will enable you to find lower pricing.
The companies shown below offer quotes in California. If you want to find cheap car insurance in California, we suggest you visit as many as you can in order to find the most affordable rates.
Score discounts on Irvine insurance
Auto insurance companies do not list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of a few of the more well known and also the lesser-known credits available to bring down your rates. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you are paying more than you should be.
- Drivers Ed for Students – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers participate in a local driver’s education class as it can save substantially.
- Safe Driver Discounts – Drivers without accidents may receive a discount up to 45% compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Good Student Discount – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
- Data Collection Discounts – Insureds who allow their company to analyze driving patterns by installing a telematics device like Allstate’s Drivewise may get a rate reduction as long as the data is positive.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Driving fewer miles may allow you to get slightly better insurance rates than normal.
- Multiple Cars – Having primary and secondary vehicles on a single policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles with ABS and/or traction control can stop better under adverse conditions and the ABS can save up to 10%.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Cars and trucks equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Home Ownership Discount – Simply owning a home can save you money because it requires a higher level of personal finance.
- Discounts for Federal Employees – Federal government employees can earn a discount up to 10% with some insurance companies.
You can save money using discounts, but some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Despite the fact that it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, insurance companies aren’t that generous.
Large insurance companies and some of the discounts are:
- AAA includes discounts for good driver, pay-in-full, education and occupation, multi-policy, good student, and multi-car.
- Progressive offers premium reductions for good student, continuous coverage, multi-policy, online signing, homeowner, and multi-vehicle.
- State Farm may offer discounts for multiple policy, student away at school, defensive driving training, good student, multiple autos, and anti-theft.
- Esurance offers discounts including claim free, Pac-12 alumni, online shopper, Switch & Save, and defensive driver.
- Nationwide has savings for easy pay, accident-free, business or organization, multi-policy, good student, and anti-theft.
Before buying, ask every company how many discounts you can get. Some credits may not be offered in your area. To see a list of insurance companies that offer discounts in California, click this link.
Insurance agents are trained to help
Many people still prefer to talk to an insurance agent and doing so can bring peace of mind The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is you may find cheaper car insurance rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from local agencies is important especially in Irvine.
Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents in Irvine who will gladly provide quotes for your business. There is no need to find an agent on your own since price quotes are sent to you instantly. You can most likely find cheaper rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you need to compare prices from a specific company, you can always navigate to their website and fill out their quote form.
Choose an insurance agent wisely
If you’re trying to find a local Irvine insurance agent, it’s important to understand the different types of agents and how they can quote your rates. Agents in Irvine are either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).
Independent Insurance Agencies
Agents in the independent channel often have affiliation with several companies and that enables them to quote your coverage with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If prices rise, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you won’t have to switch agencies.
If you are comparing rate quotes, it’s recommended you compare prices from several independent insurance agents to maximize your price options. Most also have access to different regional companies that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
Below is a partial list of independent insurance agents in Irvine who may provide price quote information.
- First American Property and Casualty Insurance Agency, Inc.
24 Executive Park Suite 250 – Irvine, CA 92614 – (888) 546-5118 – View Map - Journey Insurance
9541 Irvine Center Dr – Irvine, CA 92618 – (888) 323-7480 – View Map - Hodge and Hodge Insurance Inc
10 Hughes # 205 – Irvine, CA 92618 – (949) 458-0442 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be exclusive can only provide pricing for a single company and examples are AAA, Allstate, and State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so you need to shop around if the rates are high. These agents are well schooled on what they offer which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates. Some people will only use the same agent mainly due to loyalty to the company and solid financial strength.
Shown below is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Irvine willing to provide rate quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: Kay Yang
4255 Campus Dr A270 – Irvine, CA 92612 – (949) 509-2888 – View Map - Rebecca Higgs – State Farm Insurance Agent
5410 Trabuco Rd #100 – Irvine, CA 92620 – (949) 726-9015 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Berdy Gonzalez-Lubnau
41 Corporate Park #240 – Irvine, CA 92606 – (714) 263-2623 – View Map
Picking an insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- How experienced are they in personal risk management?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- How long has their agency been in business in Irvine?
- What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
- Are they able to provide referrals?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
Upon receiving good responses to these questions as well as low cost Ford C-Max Energi insurance quotes, it’s a good possibility that you have found an insurance agency that can be trusted to properly service your insurance policy.
Which is the best auto insurance?
When it comes to buying insurance from an agent or online for your vehicles, there really isn’t a best way to insure your cars. Your financial needs are unique and your auto insurance should unique, too.
For example, these questions might point out whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
- Should I carry comprehensive and collision coverage?
- How do I insure my teen driver?
- What is PIP insurance?
- Can my teen drive my company car?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- When should I drop full coverage on my Ford C-Max Energi?
- Which companies are cheaper for teen drivers?
- When should I not buy collision coverage?
If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Educated Choices Result in Lower Insurance Premiums
Many things are taken into consideration when premium rates are determined. Some factors are common sense like an MVR report, but other criteria are more obscure such as your credit history and annual miles driven. When buying car insurance it’s important to understand some of the elements that aid in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. When you understand what determines base rates, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get better car insurance rates.
The following are some of the most common factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set premiums.
- Performance makes a difference – The performance of the car you need to insure makes a huge difference in your rates. The cheapest rates are usually for the lowest performance passenger models, but your final cost has many other factors.
- Where you live is a factor – Having an address in a small town is a good thing when trying to find low car insurance rates. Lower population translates into fewer accidents. City drivers regularly have more aggressive driving styles and longer commutes to work. The longer drive time translates into higher accident risk.
- Don’t skimp on liability protection – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance kicks in if ever a jury decides you are liable for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is relatively inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not skimp.
- Remove unneeded extra coverages – Insurance companies have many extra add-on coverages that may not really be needed when buying car insurance. Add-on coverages like replacement cost coverage, better glass coverage, and term life insurance may be costing you every month. You may think they are a good idea when deciding what coverages you need, but your money might be better spent on other coverage so remove them and pocket the money.
Protect your Ford C-Max Energi and other assets
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Ford in Irvine, maintaining insurance is required for several reasons.
- Almost all states have minimum liability requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific minimum amounts of liability in order to be legal. In California these limits are 15/30/5 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $5,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your vehicle has a loan, almost every bank will have a requirement that you buy full coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender may insure your Ford at a much higher rate and force you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance protects both your Ford and your assets. It will also provide coverage for hospital and medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having auto insurance are definitely more than the cost, especially when you need to use it. An average driver in America is currently overpaying as much as $865 each year so we recommend shopping around once a year at a minimum to be sure current rates are still competitive.
California car insurance companies
Ending up with the top insurer can be rather challenging considering how many different insurance companies sell coverage in California. The ranking information listed below can help you decide which providers to look at when comparing rate quotes.
Top 10 Irvine Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Esurance – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
Top 10 Irvine Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 95%
- USAA – 94%
- AAA of Southern California – 92%
- AAA Insurance – 91%
- Nationwide – 90%
- State Farm – 90%
- The Hartford – 89%
- GEICO – 89%
- The General – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
Final considerations
A few companies do not provide price quotes online and many times these regional carriers work with independent insurance agencies. Budget-conscious Ford C-Max Energi insurance can be sourced on the web and from local insurance agents, so you need to compare both to have the best rate selection.
When getting Irvine car insurance quotes online, it’s a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to find out that it was a big error on their part. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.
We’ve covered a lot of ways to reduce Ford C-Max Energi insurance premium rates online in Irvine. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of getting affordable Ford C-Max Energi insurance quotes. You may even discover the lowest priced insurance comes from some of the smallest insurance companies. They can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive and GEICO.
How to find cheaper Ford C-Max Energi insurance in Irvine
The best way to get the cheapest car insurance rates in Irvine is to compare prices annually from insurance carriers that sell auto insurance in California.
- Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of how insurance works and the modifications you can make to drop your rates. Many policy risk factors that result in higher prices like accidents, traffic violations, and a substandard credit history can be rectified by being financially responsible and driving safely.
- Step 2: Request price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agents can provide rate quotes from multiple sources.
- Step 3: Compare the new rates to your current policy and see if you can save money. If you find a lower rate and buy the policy, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Provide written notification to your current company to cancel your existing policy. Submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to your new carrier. Be sure to place the new certificate of insurance in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
The key aspect of shopping around is that you use identical deductibles and limits on each quote and and to get quotes from as many different companies as possible. This provides a fair price comparison and a complete price analysis.
To read more, take a look at the following helpful articles:
- New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has Cheap Irvine Auto Insurance for Ride Shares? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for Handicapped Drivers in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers with Bad Credit in Irvine? (FAQ)
- How Much are Irvine Car Insurance Rates for a Toyota RAV4? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for 19 Year Olds in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Eight Auto Insurance Myths (Insurance Information Institute)
- Get the Right Protection (InsureUonline.org)
- Vehicle Insurance (Wikipedia)
- Distracted Driving (Insurance Information Institute)