Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that a large majority of car insurance policyholders have bought car insurance from the same company for at least the last four years, and nearly half have never compared rates with other companies. The average driver in California could cut their rates by $470 a year just by shopping around, but they mistakenly think it’s difficult to compare rate quotes.
To save the most money, the best way to get affordable car insurance rates in Irvine is to compare quotes once a year from providers in California. Rates can be compared by following these guidelines.
- Try to learn a little about what is in your policy and the measures you can control to keep rates in check. Many things that result in higher prices like your driving record and an unacceptable credit score can be eliminated by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. Keep reading for more details to get lower rates and find additional discounts.
- Request rate estimates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can provide rates from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide prices from multiple sources.
- Compare the new rates to your existing rates and determine if there is any savings. If you find a better price and switch companies, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Tell your current agent or company of your decision to cancel your existing policy. Submit the required down payment along with the signed application to your new insurance company. As soon as you have the new policy, place the new certificate verifying proof of insurance in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.
A key point to remember is to try to use the same deductibles and limits on each price quote and and to get price estimates from as many auto insurance providers as possible. This enables a level playing field and the best price selection.
Lower your car insurance rates with discounts
Not many people think insurance is cheap, but discounts can save money and there are some available that many people don’t even know exist. Some of these discounts will be visible at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be asked for before you will receive the discount.
- Driving Data Discount – Drivers who elect to allow their company to look at driving patterns by installing a telematics device like Allstate’s Drivewise might see lower rates if they exhibit good driving behavior.
- Discount for Multiple Policies – When you have multiple policies with the same company you could save up to 20% and get you cheap X5 eDrive insurance.
- Discount for New Cars – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less because newer models are generally safer.
- Payment Method – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
- Early Renewal Discounts – A few companies give discounts for renewing your policy prior to your current X5 eDrive insurance policy expiration. Ten percent is about the average savings.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may receive a discount up to 45% compared to accident prone drivers.
- Government Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government could qualify for a slight premium decrease with certain companies.
- Good Student – This discount can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up to age 25.
- Accident Waiver – This one is not really a discount per se, but certain companies will allow you to have one accident before raising your premiums if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Have your child successfully take a driver’s education course if it’s offered in school.
As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
A few popular companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are outlined below.
- 21st Century offers premium reductions for anti-lock brakes, good student, early bird, air bags, theft prevention, and student driver.
- State Farm has discounts for accident-free, safe vehicle, anti-theft, driver’s education, good driver, Drive Safe & Save, and good student.
- AAA may include discounts for AAA membership discount, anti-theft, good driver, multi-car, pay-in-full, and multi-policy.
- Liberty Mutual includes discounts for good student, new vehicle discount, preferred payment discount, newly married, safety features, multi-policy, and new graduate.
- Progressive may offer discounts for online quote discount, online signing, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, good student, and continuous coverage.
When comparing rates, check with each company to apply every possible discount. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not be offered in Irvine. To see a list of car insurance companies that provide some of the discounts listed above in Irvine, click this link.
Just keep in mind that having more price comparisons increases your odds of finding a lower rate than you’re paying now. Some smaller insurers do not give Irvine X5 eDrive insurance quotes online, so it’s necessary to compare price quotes from them as well.
The companies shown below are our best choices to provide quotes in California. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you compare several of them to find the lowest car insurance rates.
Lower Your Irvine Insurance Rates
Lots of things are considered when premium rates are determined. Most are fairly basic like a motor vehicle report, although some other factors are not as apparent such as your marital status or your commute time. The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at the different types of things that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this helps enable you to make changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.
Don’t cancel your policy without a new one in place – Having a lapse in insurance coverage can be a fast way to pay more for auto insurance. And not only will insurance be more expensive, being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you fines or a revoked license.
Your job is a factor – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations such as military personnel, air traffic controllers, and financial analysts generally pay higher premiums than the average policyholder because of intense work requirements and long work hours. On the other hand, occupations such as scientists, engineers and performers have the lowest average rates.
Teenagers vs. mature drivers – More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, cost insurance companies less in claims, and tend to be get fewer driving tickets. Drivers with little experience have a tendency to be more careless behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher.
Bundle policies to earn discounts – The majority of auto insurance companies provide lower prices to clients who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even with this discount applied, it’s always a smart idea to get quotes from other companies to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Your credit rating is important – Credit score can be a huge factor in determining your rates. Drivers with high credit ratings tend to be less risk to insure than those with lower ratings. If your credit history is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your BMW X5 eDrive by repairing your credit.
Liability coverage – Your policy’s liability coverage kicks in when you are determined to be liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Your liability coverage provides legal defense coverage which can cost a lot. Liability is cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
Which policy gives me the best coverage?
When quoting and comparing the best auto insurance coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Your financial needs are unique and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions could help you determine if your situation may require specific advice.
- How many claims can I have before being canceled?
- Why do I have to buy liability insurance?
- Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
- Are rock chip repairs covered?
- If I drive on a suspended license am I covered?
- Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
- Is my teen driver covered when they drive my company car?
- Am I covered if hit by an uninsured driver?
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
Auto insurance agents can help
A lot of people just prefer to buy from a licensed agent. The biggest benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get cheaper premium rates and still have a local agent.
By using this simple form, the quote information is submitted to participating agents in Irvine who will return price quotes to get your business. You don’t have to contact any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent directly to you. Get lower rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you want to get a rate quote from a specific auto insurance provider, you just need to go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.
Finding a good provider requires more thought than just the premium amount. These are valid questions to ask:
- Can you contact them at any time?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Will the agent or a CSR service your policy?
- Is the agency active in community causes in Irvine?
- Is the agent properly licensed in California?
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
Shown below is a list of insurers in Irvine willing to provide price quotes for BMW X5 eDrive insurance in Irvine.
- Blackwell Insurance
23002 Lake Center Dr – Lake Forest, CA 92630 – (949) 421-0222 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Jeff Adams
4860 Irvine Blvd Ste 206 – Irvine, CA 92620 – (714) 505-2457 – View Map - Gardner Insurance Orange County
4952 Warner Ave – Huntington Beach, CA 92649 – (714) 846-4231 – View Map - Sharon Leung – State Farm Insurance Agent
18004 Sky Park Cir #250 – Irvine, CA 92614 – (949) 252-0900 – View Map
Three reasons to insure your BMW X5 eDrive
Even though Irvine X5 eDrive insurance rates can get expensive, insuring your vehicle is required by state law in California and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
- Most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific limits of liability insurance coverage in order to license the vehicle. 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 you took out a loan on your X5 eDrive, more than likely the lender will force you to buy full coverage to guarantee loan repayment. If you default on your policy, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your BMW at a significantly higher premium and force you to pay for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance safeguards your vehicle and your assets. Insurance will also pay for most medical and hospital costs incurred in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay for a defense attorney in the event you are sued. If you have damage to your BMW as the result of the weather or an accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of having insurance outweigh the cost, especially if you ever need it. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is wasting up to $825 a year so you should quote rates at least once a year to save money.
California auto insurance companies ranked
Choosing a good quality company can be rather challenging considering how many companies are available to choose from in California. The company rank data listed below could help you analyze which insurers to look at comparing rates with.
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+
Persistent drivers can save
We’ve covered some good ideas how to get a better price on BMW X5 eDrive insurance in Irvine. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better chance you’ll have of finding inexpensive Irvine car insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the most savings is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Regional companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like Allstate and Progressive.
Cost effective BMW X5 eDrive insurance can be bought on the web as well as from independent agents in Irvine, so you should compare both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not offer online quoting and these small, regional companies provide coverage only through independent agents.
Additional detailed information is available by following these links:
- If I File a Claim will My Insurance Go Up? (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Infrequent Drivers in Irvine? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Rates for Drivers Over Age 60 in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for College Students in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Older Drivers FAQ (iihs.org)
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)