If you want to save the most money, the best way to find cheaper quotes for car insurance rates in Irvine is to begin comparing prices regularly from companies who provide car insurance in California. You can shop around by following these steps.
First, learn about what is in your policy and the changes you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many policy risk factors that cause rate increases like inattentive driving and a low credit score can be eliminated by being financially responsible and driving safely. Read the full article for information to get low prices and find discounts that may have been missed.
Second, request rate estimates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can provide rates from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes for a wide range of companies.
Third, compare the new quotes to the price on your current policy and see if there is a cheaper rate. If you find a lower rate and change companies, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
Fourth, tell your current agent or company to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit a completed policy application and payment to your new carrier. As soon as you receive it, store the proof of insurance certificate in an accessible location in your vehicle.
The most important part of shopping around is to make sure you enter the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every quote and and to get quotes from as many companies as feasibly possible. This enables an apples-to-apples comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
Regrettably, over 70% of California drivers kept their coverage with the same insurance company for at least four years, and virtually 40% of consumers have never quoted rates to find cheaper coverage. American drivers could cut their rates by nearly 46.5% a year just by getting comparison quotes, but most undervalue the amount of money they would save if they changed companies.
Learn How to Buy Insurance More Affordably
Lots of factors are used in the calculation when premium rates are determined. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving history, but others are more transparent like your continuous coverage or your commute time.
- Premiums increase with driving tickets – Even a single moving violation can increase rates twenty percent or more. Good drivers pay less for auto insurance compared to bad drivers. Drivers unfortunate enough to have severe citations like DUI, reckless driving or excessive speeding may find they need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state’s licensing department in order to legally drive a vehicle.
- Do you work long hours in a stressful occupation? – Careers like military generals, airline pilots, and emergency personnel usually pay higher premiums than the average policyholder because of high stress levels and long work days. On the flip side, careers such as farmers, students and performers receive lower rates.
- Lower prices with continuous coverage – Not having insurance is against the law and any future policy may cost more because you let your insurance coverage expire. Not only will you pay more, failure to provide proof of insurance may result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
- Stay claim-free and save money – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Car insurance companies in California award better rates to people who only file infrequent claims. Insurance coverage is designed for larger claims.
- Do thieves like your car? – Owning a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your insurance. Anti-theft features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system help track and prevent auto theft.
- Insurance rates for married couples – Being married may cut your premiums on your insurance bill. Having a spouse means you’re more mature than a single person and it’s proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Extra coverages can cost a lot – There are many extra bells and whistles that you can buy but may not be useful. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, towing, and Farm Bureau memberships are probably not needed. The coverages may be enticing at first, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
How to get Irvine Pontiac Solstice insurance rate quotes
The majority of larger companies allow consumers to get price estimates from their websites. Getting online rates for Pontiac Solstice insurance in Irvine doesn’t take a lot of time as you simply type in the amount of coverage you want as requested by the quote form. Upon sending the form, the system will order credit information and your driving record and generates a price determined by many factors.
The ability to get online price quotes for Pontiac Solstice insurance in Irvine helps simplify price comparisons, and it’s also necessary to do this in order to get a better rate.
To find out what other companies charge, take a look at the companies shown below. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended that you enter the limits and deductibles exactly as shown on your declarations page. This way, you will have a fair comparison for similar insurance coverage.
The following companies provide quotes in California. To find the best auto insurance in Irvine, we recommend you visit several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Why do I need car insurance?
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Pontiac Solstice in Irvine, insuring your vehicle is required by state law in California and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
First, almost all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific limits of liability insurance coverage if you want to drive legally. 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.
Second, if you took out a loan on your vehicle, most lenders will force you to buy full coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Pontiac for a lot more money and force you to pay the higher price.
Third, car insurance preserves both your Pontiac Solstice and your personal assets. It will also pay for all forms of medical expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you cause an accident and are sued. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having car insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially for larger claims. An average driver in America overpays as much as $825 a year so you should quote and compare rates once a year at a minimum to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Save money on Pontiac Solstice insurance in Irvine with these discounts
Not too many consumers would say car insurance is affordable, but you may qualify for discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at quote time, but a few must be inquired about prior to getting the savings.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Factory options such as air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Sign Online – Certain companies will give you a small discount get Irvine car insurance online.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Teen drivers should enroll and complete driver’s education as it can save substantially.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
- Claim-Free Discount – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims pay less in comparison with bad drivers.
- Telematics Data Discounts – People who choose to allow driving data collection to spy on where and when they drive remotely such as State Farm’s In-Drive could save a few bucks if their driving habits are good.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS and/or traction control have fewer accidents and the ABS can save up to 10%.
- Membership in Organizations – Having an affiliation with a qualifying organization can get you a small discount when shopping for car insurance.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save a little off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Home Ownership Discount – Just being a homeowner can help you save on car insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home requires a higher level of personal finance.
A quick disclaimer, some credits don’t apply to the entire cost. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.
A list of car insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are shown below.
- Farmers Insurance may offer discounts for homeowner, pay in full, alternative fuel, distant student, and early shopping.
- Esurance offers premium reductions for safety device, good student, defensive driver, anti-theft, Switch & Save, DriveSense, and claim free.
- State Farm may have discounts that include Drive Safe & Save, student away at school, multiple policy, good student, and anti-theft.
- GEICO has savings for air bags, daytime running lights, military active duty, multi-policy, driver training, defensive driver, and multi-vehicle.
- Allstate offers discounts for farm vehicle, safe driver, good student, good payer, new car, 55 and retired, and anti-lock brakes.
If you need inexpensive Irvine car insurance quotes, ask every insurance company to apply every possible discount. Some discounts listed above may not apply to policies in every state. If you would like to choose from a list of providers who offer free Pontiac Solstice insurance quotes in California, click this link.
Shop online but buy locally
A small number of people still like to talk to an insurance agent. One of the benefits of price shopping on the web is that you can obtain cheap insurance quotes and still have an agent to talk to.
Once you complete this short form, your information is immediately sent to agents in your area that provide free Irvine car insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no need to contact an agency because quoted prices will be sent to your email. It’s the lowest rates without requiring a lot of work. If you wish to get a price quote from a specific company, you can always go to their quote page and complete a quote there.
Deciding on an insurance company should depend on more than just a cheap quote. You should also get answers to these questions.
- Do you work with a CSR or direct with the agent?
- If you raise deductibles, how much can you save?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies in Irvine?
- Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
- Can you choose the body shop in case repairs are needed?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- How many companies do they write for?
Two types of Irvine auto insurance agents
If you would like to find a local agent, it’s important to understand the types of insurance agents that you can choose from. Agents can be described as either exclusive agents or independent agents.
Exclusive Agents
Agents that elect to be exclusive write business for a single company and examples are Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide rate quotes from other companies so they really need to provide good service. These agents are usually well trained on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents. Some insured continue to choose to use a exclusive agent primarily because of the prominence of the brand rather than low rates.
Shown below is a list of exclusive agencies in Irvine that can give you price quotes.
- Mike McCain – State Farm Insurance Agent
1442 Irvine Blvd #204 – Tustin, CA 92780 – (714) 734-8300 – View Map - Rich Stevens – State Farm Insurance Agent
4482 Barranca Pkwy #224 – Irvine, CA 92604 – (949) 552-6601 – View Map - State Farm: Richard Tay
14210 Culver Dr A – Irvine, CA 92604 – (949) 559-8866 – View Map
Independent Agencies or Brokers
These type of agents do not have single company limitations so they can quote policies through many companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To move your coverage to a new company, they simply move the coverage in-house and you can keep the same agent.
If you need lower rates, you should always compare prices from a couple of independent agencies to get the best comparison. Many write coverage with mutual insurance companies which could offer lower prices.
Listed below are independent agents in Irvine that can give you comparison quotes.
- Isu Insurance Services Irvine
18022 Cowan Ste 225 – Irvine, CA 92614 – (949) 419-2100 – View Map - Hodge and Hodge Insurance Inc
10 Hughes # 205 – Irvine, CA 92618 – (949) 458-0442 – View Map - California Agency Insurance
17632 Irvine Blvd # 235 – Tustin, CA 92780 – (714) 731-8300 – View Map
How to find a good California auto insurance company
Picking the top insurance company can be rather challenging considering how many different companies insure vehicles in California. The ranking information shown below may help you decide which auto insurance companies to look at when looking for cheaper rates.
Top 10 Irvine Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Claims Service
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- Esurance
- AAA Insurance
- Progressive
- Liberty Mutual
- GEICO
- Allstate
- Titan Insurance
- The Hartford
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%
There’s no such thing as the perfect car insurance policy
When selecting the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. You are unique.
These are some specific questions can aid in determining if your situation might need an agent’s assistance.
- What if I owe more than I can insure my car for?
- Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
- How do I insure my teen driver?
- Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
- When can my company non-renew my policy?
- Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
Cheap rates are available
Drivers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, high prices, denial of a claim or even lack of trust in their agent. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many instances, an insured cut collision coverage only to regret at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.
We just covered a lot of tips how to lower your Pontiac Solstice insurance car insurance rates in Irvine. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest priced insurance comes from a lesser-known regional company.
For more information, take a look at the articles below:
- Airbag FAQ (iihs.org)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Felons in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Teenage Males in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Irvine Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers Over Age 70? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Lyft Drivers in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Auto Insurance FAQ (Farmers Insurance)