How to Get the Best Auto Insurance Prices in California
If you love to drive, California is the right place for you. A few hours behind the wheel can take you to the iconic beauty of Yosemite National Park. And a little more time behind the wheel can take you to more awesome locations ranging from the Golden Gate Bridge to Disneyland.
However, seeing and doing everything California has to offer can get pretty expensive. And the rising costs of gasoline alone may make you sweat as you reach for your wallet.
One of the best ways to put money back in that wallet, then, is to save on your car insurance premium. Read on to find out how to get the best auto insurance prices in California.
Finding the “Sweet Spot”
Getting the best insurance prices in California can be a little tricky. For example, if you simply want the lowest possible insurance premium, you can settle for getting only the minimum level of insurance required by the state.
In California, the minimum requirement is to have liability insurance in the following amounts:
- $15,000 for injury/death to one person.
- $30,000 for injury/death to more than one person.
- $5,000 for property damage.
However, getting only the minimum car insurance may leave you vulnerable if you are struck by a driver with no insurance or simply not enough insurance. And if you are the one who causes an accident, then simply having liability insurance means you have no protection at all.
What does this mean for you and your hunt for the best car insurance prices in California? While it’s easier said than done, you need to find that “sweet spot” between how much you can afford to pay and the type of coverage that you think is worth it.
Special Discounts in California
One of the easiest ways to save money on your car insurance premium is to get special discounts. Such discounts are usually offered directly through your carrier. Additionally, California has a couple of discounts required by the state.
If you are a high school or college student with good grades (a B average or higher), you may end up qualifying for a Good Student discount. If you meet the different requirements, you may be able to get a special discount on your insurance premium.
The other major state discount is the California Good Driver discount. If you have no more than one point assigned by the DMV and no drug- or alcohol-related driving offenses in the last 10 years, you may qualify for a 20% savings on your car insurance policy.
Ask Your Carrier About Other Discounts
The discounts we mentioned above are required by the state of California. Beyond those discounts, though, every insurance carrier offers its own special discounts for drivers that meet certain qualifying conditions.
In other words, you can start saving on your premium almost right away by calling your carrier to see what they offer. You may already qualify for special discounts, and proving that to the carrier will lower how much you have to pay.
Another way to approach discounts is to do your homework ahead of time. When you are shopping around for a new insurance carrier (more on this later), be sure to find out what discounts they offer. If it comes down to two carriers offering similar services and similar prices, you can always go with the one offering better discounts because this can help you save hundreds or even thousands of dollars over time.
Alert Your Carrier About Certain Life Events
At some point, every driver who has ever lived squints at their insurance premium and asks a question out loud: “why am I paying this much?”
The truth is that many different factors influence how much you pay. And in the state of California, insurance carriers are allowed to use the following factors when setting your car insurance prices:
- Age
- Zipcode
- Education & occupation
- Marital status
Unlike many other states, though, California forbids carriers from using the following factors:
- Credit score
- Gender
What does this mean for you and your own monthly insurance premium? If some of these factors change (such as your marital status, education level, and zip code), you should alert your insurance carrier. This change may be enough to lower how much you pay for your insurance coverage in California!
Time To Bundle Insurance Packages
For better or for worse, insurance is a major part of our lives. And it’s not limited to automobiles: you need things like life insurance to protect your family and homeowners insurance to protect your home.
However, when you are trying to save money on car insurance in California, you can make this work in your favor. Simply put, you should explore how much money you can save if you bundle different insurance policies together under the same carrier.
In addition to saving money, bundling like this can also save time because you will have only one point of contact for all your insurance needs. The only trick is finding the best insurance carrier that offers all the different types of insurance coverage you need.
Don’t Be Afraid to Shop Around
Most drivers who want to save money on their insurance premium start out trying to negotiate with their existing carrier. And the right combination of bundles and discounts can potentially save a lot of money.
Generally speaking, though, the absolute best way to save money on car insurance is to “shop around” for prices from different carriers. Remember, automobile insurance is not like health insurance: you aren’t limited to how often you can change carriers. And the earlier you find a carrier offering better prices, the more money you can save.
Get the Best Auto Insurance Price in California Today
Our guide can help you get a better insurance rate. But what if you could get the best auto insurance in California today?
We offer a variety of insurance policies to suit every driver and every family. Get started with a free car insurance quote online, visit us at an office near you, or call us at (800) 390-4071 for a quote.
