How long have you put off shopping around for cheaper Chevy Tahoe insurance in San Diego? Have you finally had enough of scraping the payment together to insure your Chevy every month? You have the same problem as many other California consumers.
Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that the majority of drivers have remained with the same auto insurance company for over three years, and nearly half have never compared auto insurance rates at all. With the average auto insurance premium being $1,390, California drivers could save an average of approximately $470 each year just by shopping around, but most undervalue the amount of money they would save if they replace their high priced policy.
Because you have many auto insurance companies to choose from, it can be hard to choose the best auto insurance company.
It’s important to compare prices periodically because insurance rates change frequently. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal on Chevy Tahoe insurance in San Diego on your last policy there is a good chance you can find better prices now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the fastest way to find great coverage at a great price.
There are several ways of comparing rate quotes from insurance companies in your area. By far the easiest way to find the cheapest Chevy Tahoe insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online.
Doing price comparisons online is so simple that it makes it a waste of time to drive around to each insurance agency near you. Shopping for insurance online eliminates this option unless you have a need for the advice and guidance of a local agent. Some companies do allow you to price shop online and get advice from an agent in your area.
When quoting insurance, remember that comparing a large number of companies helps improve the odds of finding more affordable rates. Not every company does online price quotes, so it’s recommended that you also compare rates from them, too.
The companies in the list below can provide price comparisons in California. If multiple companies are shown, we suggest you visit two to three different companies to get the lowest price.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tahoe LS 2WD | $294 | $564 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,488 | $124 |
Tahoe LS 4WD | $314 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,378 | $115 |
Tahoe LT 2WD | $378 | $662 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $1,766 | $147 |
Tahoe LT 4WD | $490 | $686 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $1,962 | $164 |
Tahoe LTZ 2WD | $350 | $624 | $456 | $26 | $136 | $1,592 | $133 |
Tahoe LTZ 4WD | $374 | $664 | $450 | $26 | $134 | $1,648 | $137 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Above prices assume married female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and claim-free. Price estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can modify prices greatly.
Deductible analysis
The illustration below demonstrates how deductible levels and can influence Chevrolet Tahoe premium costs for each different age category. The information is based on a single female driver, full coverage, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Cost of full coverage
The illustration below shows the comparison of Chevrolet Tahoe car insurance rates with and without full coverage. The data is based on no claims, a clean driving record, $500 deductibles, single male driver, and no policy discounts are applied.
When to stop buying physical damage coverage
There is no clear-cut rule of when to phase out full coverage, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is about 10% or more of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s assume your Chevrolet Tahoe book value is $3,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, you would only receive $2,000 after you pay the deductible. If premium cost is more than $200 a year for full coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are a few situations where dropping full coverage is not advised. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to carry full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you don’t have enough money to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should keep full coverage on your policy.
Why you need to buy auto insurance
Despite the high insurance cost for a Chevy Tahoe in San Diego, insuring your vehicle is not optional due to several reasons.
- Just about all states have minimum liability requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific limits of liability insurance 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 your Tahoe has a loan, almost all lenders will require you to have physical damage coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you default on your policy, the bank may insure your Chevy at a much higher premium rate and require you to reimburse them for it.
- Insurance protects both your Chevy and your assets. Insurance will also pay for medical bills incurred in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers legal expenses if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, collision and comprehensive coverages will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of insuring your Tahoe more than offset the price you pay, particularly if you ever have a claim. But the average American driver is wasting up to $800 each year so you should quote your policy with other companies at least once a year to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Car insurance discounts help lower rates for Chevy Tahoe insurance in San Diego
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you might already qualify for some discounts that you may not even know about. Some of these discounts will be visible when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be specifically requested before you get the savings.
- Student in College – College-age children who are attending college and do not take a car to college could get you a discount.
- Paper-free Discount – Some of the larger companies will give a small break simply for signing online.
- No Charge for an Accident – Not really a discount, but certain companies may permit one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
- Early Renewal Discounts – A few larger companies allow discounts for renewing your policy before your current coverage expires. You could save around 10% when you buy San Diego car insurance online.
- Telematics Devices – Insureds that choose to allow companies to scrutinize where and when they drive by using a telematics device in their vehicle like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot might get better premium rates if they are good drivers.
- Save with a New Car – Buying car insurance coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to fasten their seat belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the PIP or medical payment premium.
- Drivers Education – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers take driver’s ed class in high school.
- Discounts for Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment could qualify for a slight premium decrease with a few car insurance companies.
- Theft Deterrent Discount – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
As a sidenote, many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck. But any discount will definitely lower your policy premiums.
A list of companies and their offered discounts are:
- GEICO includes discounts for military active duty, daytime running lights, anti-theft, multi-vehicle, and air bags.
- SAFECO may offer discounts for teen safety rewards, homeowner, anti-theft, accident prevention training, bundle discounts, drive less, and safe driver.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including multiple policy, anti-theft, driver’s education, safe vehicle, Steer Clear safe driver discount, accident-free, and Drive Safe & Save.
- MetLife discounts include good student, multi-policy, claim-free, defensive driver, and accident-free.
- 21st Century may include discounts for air bags, homeowners, teen driver, automatic seat belts, and student driver.
- Progressive offers discounts including multi-vehicle, good student, homeowner, online signing, continuous coverage, and online quote discount.
When comparing rates, check with all companies you are considering which discounts can lower your rates. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be available to policyholders in San Diego. To choose car insurance companies who offer discounts in California, follow this link.
Compare rate quotes but work with a local neighborhood San Diego car insurance agent
Many drivers just prefer to talk to a local agent and that is just fine! A good thing about price shopping on the web is you can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. And buying from local agents is important especially in San Diego.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is immediately sent to insurance agents in San Diego who will gladly provide quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to search for an agent since rate quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. You can find better rates and a licensed agent to work with. In the event you want to compare prices for a specific company, you would need to find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
Insurance agent types
If you prefer to buy car insurance from local San Diego agents, you must know there are a couple different agency structures and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Car insurance agents can be categorized as either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies or Brokers
Independent agencies do not have single company limitations so they can insure your vehicles with any number of different companies and find the cheapest car insurance rates. If prices rise, your policy is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency.
If you are comparing car insurance prices, you need to get some free quotes from independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
Shown below are San Diego independent insurance agencies who may be able to give you price quote information.
Rubin Insurance
6363 Greenwich Dr #120 – San Diego, CA 92122 – (858) 457-5720 – View Map
Leavitt Group – Leavitt Insurance Agency of San Diego
3636 Nobel Dr #100 – San Diego, CA 92122 – (858) 436-2441 – View Map
B H Gold Insurance
9699 Tierra Grande St # 100 – San Diego, CA 92126 – (800) 421-4653 – View Map
Exclusive Car Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates such as State Farm, Allstate and AAA. Exclusive agents are unable to compare rates from other companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. These agents are trained well on what they offer and that enables them to sell even at higher rates.
Listed below are San Diego exclusive insurance agencies that are able to give comparison quotes.
Bill Flanigan – State Farm Insurance Agent
8888 Clairemont Mesa Blvd n – San Diego, CA 92123 – (858) 279-2173 – View Map
Mike Foley – State Farm Insurance Agent
5210 Balboa Ave, Ste A1 – San Diego, CA 92117 – (858) 277-1400 – View Map
Duane Werner – State Farm Insurance Agent
6663 El Cajon Blvd j – San Diego, CA 92115 – (619) 668-5414 – View Map
Finding a good insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Any good agent in San Diego should know the answers to these questions.
- Is the agency active in community causes in San Diego?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- How will an accident affect your rates?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
Different people need different car insurance coverages
When it comes to coverage online or from an agent, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is unique.
For instance, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation will benefit from professional help.
- Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
- When should I not file a claim?
- What are the liability requirements in my state?
- Is my trailer covered?
- What does UM/UIM cover?
- Is water damage covered by my policy?
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.
Compare but don’t skimp
When you buy San Diego car insurance online, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where an insured dropped collision coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your objective should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.
Drivers switch companies for any number of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, not issuing a premium refund, extreme rates for teen drivers or policy cancellation. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new company can be easier than you think.
Lower-priced Chevy Tahoe insurance in San Diego can be found from both online companies and also from your neighborhood San Diego agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies do not offer price quotes online and most of the time these smaller providers work with independent insurance agencies.
For more information, feel free to browse the following helpful articles:
- Where can I buy Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Rates for a Nissan Altima in San Diego? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for Homeowners in San Diego? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Ford Fusion in San Diego? (FAQ)
- How Much is Auto Insurance for a Nissan Versa in San Diego? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable San Diego Auto Insurance Quotes for 17 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Unemployed Drivers in San Diego? (FAQ)
- Your Car has been Stolen: Now What? (Allstate)
- Front crash protection reduces rear-end crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Drunk Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Insurance Losses by Make and Model (iihs.org)