It’s an obvious conclusion that car insurance companies don’t want their customers to go rate shopping. Insureds who shop for lower prices will presumably switch to a new company because there are good odds of finding a policy with more affordable rates. A study discovered that drivers who shopped around every year saved an average of $3,400 over four years compared to drivers who never shopped around.
If finding budget-friendly auto insurance is your objective, learning the best way to compare insurance rates can help simplify the process.
The best way we recommend to get more affordable Honda S2000 insurance is to start doing a yearly price comparison from providers in Irvine.
Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of what is in your policy and the steps you can take to prevent high rates. Many policy risk factors that drive up the price like multiple speeding tickets and poor credit rating can be eliminated by making minor changes in your lifestyle. This article provides instructions to prevent high prices and find overlooked discounts.
Step 2: Request price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes from multiple companies.
Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available. If you find better rates and buy the policy, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
Step 4: Notify your current company to cancel your current auto insurance policy and submit the required down payment along with the signed application to your new company or agent. Once coverage is bound, keep the new proof of insurance paperwork in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.
The most important part of shopping around is to use similar limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get rate quotes from as many companies as feasibly possible. This ensures an apples-to-apples comparison and and a good selection of different prices.
Companies offering Honda S2000 insurance in California
The companies in the list below offer free quotes in California. To buy the best car insurance in Irvine, CA, it’s highly recommended you visit two to three different companies to find the cheapest car insurance rates.
Insurance discounts help lower rates for Honda S2000 insurance in Irvine
Auto insurance companies do not list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below contains both well-publicized and also the lesser-known credits available to bring down your rates.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Drivers who insure primary and secondary vehicles on a single policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Theft Deterrent – Anti-theft and alarm system equipped vehicles are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Smart Student Discounts – A discount for being a good student could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. Most companies allow this discount up until you turn 25.
- College Student Discount – Youth drivers who live away from home to go to college and do not have a car could get you a discount.
- Low Miles Discount – Low annual miles could qualify for lower rates due to less chance of an accident.
- Accident Waiver – This one isn’t a discount, but certain companies will let one accident slide before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims for a specific time period.
- Senior Discount – Older drivers may be able to get reduced rates.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Having worked for a branch of the government may reduce rates when you quote Irvine auto insurance depending on your insurance provider.
- Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower insurance rates.
- Defensive Driving Course – Participating in a driver safety course can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
As a footnote on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To locate insurance companies who offer discounts in Irvine, follow this link.
Are car insurance agents of importance?
Some people just want to get advice from a local agent and doing that can be a smart decision One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is you may find cheap car insurance rates but still work with a licensed agent.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information is sent to participating agents in Irvine who will give you quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. There is no need to drive around because quoted prices will be sent to your email. You can find the lowest rates without a big time investment. If you need to compare rates from one company in particular, just go to their quote page to submit a rate quote request.
Choosing an company should include more criteria than just a cheap price. Get answers to these questions too.
- Do you work with a CSR or direct with the agent?
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- What insurance companies do they work with in Irvine?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
Auto insurance agents in Irvine come in two varieties
If you want to use an insurance agent, it can be helpful to understand the different types of agents and how they operate. Insurance agencies in Irvine may be either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer.
Exclusive Agents
Agents that choose to be exclusive can only quote rates from one company like Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. These agents receive a lot of sales training on their company’s products which helps them sell on service rather than price. A lot of people buy from exclusive agents mostly because of the prominence of the brand rather than low price.
The following are exclusive insurance agencies in Irvine who can help you get price quotes.
- Chris Barr – State Farm Insurance Agent
17802 Irvine Blvd a121 – Tustin, CA 92780 – (714) 544-2558 – View Map - Farmers Insurance: James Lohse
4850 Barranca Pkwy #202 – Irvine, CA 92604 – (949) 559-0175 – View Map - State Farm: Richard Tay
14210 Culver Dr A – Irvine, CA 92604 – (949) 559-8866 – View Map
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be independent often have many company appointments and that enables them to quote your coverage amongst many companies and get you the best rates possible. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to do anything. When comparison shopping, you should always contact independent agents to have the best price comparison. Most can insure with less well-known companies which may have better rates.
Shown below is a list of independent agencies in Irvine that can give you price quote information.
- KCAL Insurance Agency (Irvine)
14795 Jeffrey Rd – Irvine, CA 92618 – (949) 786-6888 – View Map - Gardner Insurance Orange County
4952 Warner Ave – Huntington Beach, CA 92649 – (714) 846-4231 – View Map - USG Insurance Services-California
100 Pacifica Suite 340 – Irvine, CA 92618 – (800) 886-3897 – View Map
The coverage is in the details
Learning about specific coverages of your policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Liability car insurance
This coverage provides protection from damage that occurs to other people or property by causing an accident. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see liability limits of 15/30/5 that translate to a limit of $15,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and a limit of $5,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability coverage pays for claims like pain and suffering, repair costs for stationary objects, attorney fees, bail bonds and medical services. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but consider buying higher limits if possible. California requires drivers to carry at least 15/30/5 but drivers should carry higher limits.
The illustration below shows why buying the state minimum limits may not be adequate coverage.
Coverage for medical expenses
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for immediate expenses for things like ambulance fees, nursing services, doctor visits and hospital visits. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover both the driver and occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
Comprehensive car insurance
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things like damage from a tornado or hurricane, damage from getting keyed, rock chips in glass, hail damage and hitting a bird. The maximum amount your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Collision coverage
This coverage will pay to fix damage to your S2000 caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for things such as driving through your garage door, hitting a mailbox, damaging your car on a curb and colliding with a tree. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to increase the deductible on your S2000 to bring the cost down.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your Honda S2000.
Due to the fact that many California drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 15/30/5), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Affordable auto insurance rates are out there
Cheap Honda S2000 insurance in Irvine is attainable both online and from local agencies, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance providers do not provide internet price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies prefer to sell through independent insurance agencies.
You just learned many ways to save on Honda S2000 insurance in Irvine. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the lesser-known companies.
While you’re price shopping online, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
More information is available on the following sites:
- Credit Impacts Car Insurance Rates (State Farm)
- Who Has Cheap Irvine Auto Insurance Quotes for a Nissan Rogue? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Irvine Auto Insurance Quotes for Low Mileage Drivers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Quotes for Low Income Drivers in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Irvine Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers Over Age 70? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Irvine Auto Insurance for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record? (FAQ)
- Distracted Driving Extends Beyond Texting (State Farm)
- Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)