Are you at wits end from not being able to afford each month for auto insurance? You are in the same boat as many other California consumers.
Astonishng but true according to a recent study, the vast majority of auto insurance customers have remained with the same auto insurance company for at least four years, and about 40% of consumers have never even shopped around for cheaper coverage. With the average premium in California being $1,400, drivers can save hundreds of dollars each year by just comparing quotes, but they just don’t understand the big savings they would realize if they switched to a more affordable policy. Since you have so many online and local companies to choose from, it’s nearly impossible to locate the most affordable insurance company.
The following companies offer quotes in San Diego, CA. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you visit as many as you can in order to find the most affordable rates.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RL 3.7 | $454 | $998 | $574 | $34 | $172 | $2,232 | $186 |
RL 3.7 with Tech Package | $526 | $1086 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $2,422 | $202 |
RL 3.7 with Tech/CMBS Package | $600 | $1054 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $2,440 | $203 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Table data assumes single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, claim-free, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Price estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can affect rates noticeably.
Deductible comparison
When buying auto insurance, a common question is how high should the physical damage coverage deductibles be. The rates below can help show the price difference between high and low physical damage coverage deductibles. The first pricing table uses a $250 physical damage coverage deductible and the second set of prices uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RL 3.7 | $474 | $882 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,981 | $165 |
RL 3.7 with Tech Package | $474 | $882 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,981 | $165 |
RL 3.7 with Tech/CMBS Package | $474 | $882 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,981 | $165 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RL 3.7 | $384 | $712 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,696 | $141 |
RL 3.7 with Tech Package | $384 | $712 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,696 | $141 |
RL 3.7 with Tech/CMBS Package | $384 | $712 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,696 | $141 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, homeowner, and multi-policy. Rate information does not factor in your specific San Diego location which can lower or raise coverage rates substantially.
Based on the above data, using a $250 deductible would cost the average driver about $24 more each month or $288 a year than selecting the higher $500 deductible. Because you would pay $250 more out of your own pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to average at a minimum 10 months between claims, you would most likely save money going with the higher deductible.
Comparison of full coverage and liability-only policies
The information below illustrates the difference between Acura RL car insurance costs with and without full coverage. The premiums are based on no violations or claims, $100 deductibles, married male driver, and no other discounts are factored in.
When to eliminate full coverage
There is no clear-cut formula to exclude full coverage, but there is a general school of thought. If the annual cost of coverage is about 10% or more of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Acura RL replacement cost is $3,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would receive is $2,000 after the deductible is paid. If it’s costing in excess of $200 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are a few cases where removing full coverage is not a good plan. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should keep full coverage on your policy.
Auto insurance deductibles
The chart below illustrates how choosing a deductible and can impact Acura RL insurance premiums for different age groups. Data assumes a single female driver, full coverage, and no discounts are applied.
Three reasons to not skimp on auto insurance
Despite the potentially high cost of Acura RL insurance, auto insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.
- Just about all states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to buy a specific minimum amount of liability in order to drive the car. 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 RL has a lien holder, it’s most likely the lender will require 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 Acura for a much higher rate and make you pay for it.
- Auto insurance preserves both your car and your personal assets. Insurance will also pay for medical transport and hospital expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of insuring your car outweigh the cost, especially with large liability claims. The average driver in America is overpaying more than $700 annually so smart consumers compare quotes once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are competitive.
Informed Decisions Result in Lower Insurance Premiums
Lots of things are part of the equation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable such as traffic violations, although some other factors are more obscure like your continuous coverage or your financial responsibility.
- Insurance prices and vehicle performance – The type of car you own makes a substantial difference in determining your rates. The lowest base rates are for economy passenger vehicles, but your final cost has many other factors. Since the Acura RL falls in the luxury sports car class, insuring your vehicle will cost up to twice as much as compared to the average rate in San Diego.
- City traffic equals higher costs – Being located in a small town may provide you with better prices when shopping for auto insurance. Residents of big cities regularly have traffic congestion and longer commutes to work. Fewer drivers and short commutes means reduced accidents and lower theft and vandalism rates.
- Consolidating policies can get discounts – Most larger insurance companies give lower prices for people that have more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s still a good idea to shop around to guarantee you are still saving the most. You may still find better rates by splitting coverages up.
- Discounts for married drivers – Your spouse helps lower the price when shopping for auto insurance. Having a significant other means you’re more stable financially and it’s statistically proven that married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
- Liability insurance is peace of mind – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance will provide protection if you are responsible for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide you with a defense in court to defend your case. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should make sure they buy enough to cover all assets.
- Do you need those incidental coverages? – Insurance policies have a lot of additional coverages that can add up if you aren’t diligent. Coverage for things like roadside assistance, towing coverage, and extra equipment coverage could be just wasting money. The coverages may be enticing when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
- Obey driving laws and save – Drivers with clean records receive lower rates compared to bad drivers. Having just one chargeable violation can increase the cost of insurance by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who have gotten severe citations such as reckless driving or DUI may face state-mandated requirements to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state’s licensing department in order to drive a vehicle legally.
- Loss statistics for an Acura RL – Insurers include the past claim history for a vehicle to calculate a rate that offsets possible losses. Vehicles that have high amounts or severity of claims will cost more for specific coverages.
The table below outlines the insurance loss data used by companies for Acura RL vehicles. For each policy coverage type, the loss probability for all vehicles averaged together is a value of 100. Values under 100 indicate a favorable loss history, while numbers shown that are more than 100 indicate frequent claims or an increased probability of a larger loss.
Insurance Loss Ratings for Acura RL Vehicles
Make and Model Collision Property Damage Comp Personal Injury Medical Payment Bodily Injury Acura RLX 4dr 128 63 179 82 Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Save money with these rate reducing discounts
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but there could be available discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain reductions will be credited at the time of purchase, but a few must be asked about before they will apply.
- Club Memberships – Participating in a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates on your next insurance statement.
- One Accident Forgiven – Not really a discount, but some insurance companies may permit one accident before they charge you more for coverage so long as you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
- No Accidents – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less in comparison to frequent claim filers.
- Paper-free Discount – Certain companies provide a small discount just for signing your application digitally online.
- Good Student – Excelling in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply until age 25.
- Multi-car Discount – Drivers who insure primary and secondary vehicles on one policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Require your teen driver to participate in a local driver’s education class if offered at their school.
- Military Rewards – Having an actively deployed family member could qualify you for better premium rates.
- Pay Early and Save – By paying your entire bill at once rather than paying in monthly installments you may reduce your total bill.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars and trucks equipped with ABS or steering control can stop better under adverse conditions and the ABS can save up to 10%.
You can save money using discounts, but some credits don’t apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. If you do the math and it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will positively reduce the cost of your policy.
A few popular companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are:
- Farmers Insurance has savings for multi-car, mature driver, pay in full, distant student, bundle discounts, and early shopping.
- Esurance has discounts for Switch & Save, Pac-12 alumni, online quote, online shopper, emergency road assistance, good student, and renters.
- State Farm offers discounts for multiple policy, multiple autos, safe vehicle, passive restraint, anti-theft, and defensive driving training.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for driver training, membership and employees, federal employee, good student, daytime running lights, air bags, and emergency military deployment.
- Allstate includes discounts for eSmart discount, premier plus, auto/life discount, new car, and FullPay discount.
If you need lower rates, check with every prospective company to give you their best rates. Discounts might not be offered on policies in San Diego. To choose insurers that offer the discounts shown above in California, click here.
Local San Diego insurance agencies
A small number of people just want to buy from a licensed agent. Good insurance agents can answer important questions and will help you if you have claims. The biggest benefit of getting free rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get lower rates and still have a local agent.
After completing this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is submitted to participating agents in San Diego who can give free rate quotes for your insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to search for an agent since rate quotes are delivered to you. In the event you want to get a comparison quote from a particular provider, feel free to go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.
Picking the best company needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Any agent in San Diego should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Will they take your side in the event of a claim?
- Where are claims handled?
- What are their preferred companies if they are an independent agency?
- How much experience to they have in personal lines coverages?
Below are San Diego auto insurance companies that may be willing to give price quotes for Acura RL insurance in San Diego.
Mike Moore – State Farm Insurance Agent
12880 Rancho Penasquitos Blvd d – San Diego, CA 92129 – (858) 484-1297 – View Map
Val Myers – State Farm Insurance Agent
12925 El Camino Real, Ste J26 – San Diego, CA 92130 – (858) 481-0401 – View Map
State Farm: Tom Latsko
8680 Navajo Rd #214 – San Diego, CA 92119 – (619) 462-5701 – View Map
Stanley Wong Insurance
4619 Convoy St # C – San Diego, CA 92111 – (858) 569-0383 – View Map
Compare but don’t skimp
We covered many ways to find cheap Acura RL insurance in San Diego. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher your chance of finding affordable San Diego auto insurance quotes. You may even discover the most savings is with some of the lesser-known companies. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give better rates as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
When buying insurance coverage, it’s very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best cost, not the least amount of coverage.
Helpful resources
- Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers Requiring a SR22 in San Diego? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for State Employees in San Diego? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for a Honda Accord in San Diego? (FAQ)
- How Much is San Diego Car Insurance for a Toyota Tacoma? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Teachers in San Diego? (FAQ)
- Understanding your Policy (NAIC.org)
- Neck Injury FAQ (iihs.org)