Are you tired of being strong-armed to keep your car insured? You’re in the same situation as many other drivers in California.
A recent NerdWallet.com study revealed that over 70% of drivers have been with the same company for over three years, and nearly half have never compared rates with other companies. With the average auto insurance premium being $1,400, California drivers could save as much as 35% a year, but they don’t want to take the time to compare rates and save money.
Insurance companies such as State Farm, Progressive and GEICO increase brand awareness with advertising and consumers find it hard to ignore the flying pigs and cute green geckos and take the time to shop coverage around.
If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to find the best rates using the ideas presented in this article. Buying the cheapest insurance in San Diego is really not that difficult. But California vehicle owners must know the way companies calculate their prices and use it to find better rates.
To find the best insurance rates, there are several ways of comparing rate quotes from lots of California insurance companies. The quickest method to comparison shop consists of shopping online.
Comparison shopping rate quotes online is easy and it makes it obsolete to call or drive to insurance agents’ offices. Quoting and buying Hyundai Accent insurance online eliminates the middleman unless you have a need for the trained advice of a local agency. You can, however, comparison shop online but still have the advice of a local agent.
When price shopping your coverage, more quotes will improve the odds of getting lower pricing.
The following companies are ready to provide free rate quotes in California. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you visit several of them to get the cheapest price.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Accent Blue 2-Dr Hatchback | $254 | $472 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,236 | $103 |
Accent GS 2-Dr Hatchback | $302 | $632 | $386 | $22 | $116 | $1,458 | $122 |
Accent GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $186 | $454 | $470 | $28 | $140 | $1,278 | $107 |
Accent SE 2-Dr Hatchback | $316 | $630 | $492 | $30 | $148 | $1,616 | $135 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Above prices assume single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, claim-free, safe-driver, and homeowner. Information does not factor in vehicle location which can affect premiums noticeably.
Higher deductibles save money
One of the hardest decisions when shopping for auto insurance is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The premium rates below may help to illustrate the costs and benefits when you buy lower versus higher policy deductibles. The first set of prices uses a $100 physical damage deductible and the second set of rates uses a $500 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Accent Blue 2-Dr Hatchback | $282 | $564 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,381 | $115 |
Accent GS 2-Dr Hatchback | $332 | $686 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,553 | $129 |
Accent GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $332 | $810 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,847 | $154 |
Accent SE 2-Dr Hatchback | $380 | $932 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,847 | $154 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Accent Blue 2-Dr Hatchback | $206 | $382 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,098 | $92 |
Accent GS 2-Dr Hatchback | $242 | $464 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,216 | $101 |
Accent GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $242 | $546 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,468 | $122 |
Accent SE 2-Dr Hatchback | $278 | $630 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,418 | $118 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Information does not factor in San Diego location which can influence coverage prices greatly.
Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $100 deductible will cost you roughly $30 more each month or $360 annually than opting for the higher $500 deductible. Because you would pay $400 more out of your own pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to go at a minimum 13 months between claims, you would more than likely save some money if you opt for a higher deductible. Here is a better example of how this decision is made.
Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $138 |
Average monthly premium for $500 deductibles (subtract): | – $108 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $30 |
Difference between deductibles ($500 – $100): | $400 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $400 / $30 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 13 months |
Hyundai Accent liability-only versus full coverage
The illustration below illustrates the difference between Hyundai Accent auto insurance costs with full coverage compared to only the California minimum liability coverage. The price estimates are based on no accidents or driving violations, $500 deductibles, married male driver, and no additional discounts are factored in.
When to stop paying for full coverage
There is no definitive guideline for phasing out comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the annual cost of coverage is 10% or more of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
For example, let’s say your Hyundai Accent claim settlement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most your company will settle for is $6,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying over $600 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are a few cases where dropping full coverage is not in your best interest. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not buy liability only.
Why you need Accent insurance in California
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Hyundai in San Diego, insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.
- Most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific minimum amounts of liability in order to be legal. 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 have a lien on your Hyundai, most lenders will make it a condition of the loan that you buy full coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totalled. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank may buy a policy for your Hyundai for a much higher rate and require you to pay the higher price.
- Insurance protects both your assets and your car. It will also cover medical expenses incurred in an accident. Liability coverage will also pay to defend you if you cause an accident and are sued. If your Hyundai gets damaged, your policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. But the average American driver is overpaying more than $865 each year so it’s recommended you shop around at least once a year to make sure the price is not too high.
Cheap Hyundai Accent insurance quotes in San Diego
Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise their entire list of discounts very clearly, so the list below gives a summary of a few of the more common in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that you can inquire about if you buy San Diego car insurance online.
- Defensive Driver Discount – Completing a defensive driver class is a good idea and can lower rates and make you a better driver.
- San Diego Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings because owning a home means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Select companies reward you with a break if you buy a life policy as well.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Buying coverage for several vehicles on a single policy qualifies for this discount.
- Distant College Student Discount – Youth drivers who are enrolled in higher education away from home without a vehicle on campus could get you a discount.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
A list of companies and a selection of discounts are:
- American Family has savings for air bags, Steer into Savings, early bird, defensive driver, mySafetyValet, and good student.
- Farm Bureau offers discounts for renewal discount, safe driver, good student, driver training, youthful driver, multi-vehicle, and 55 and retired.
- State Farm has discounts for driver’s education, defensive driving training, student away at school, multiple autos, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and passive restraint.
- Travelers policyholders can earn discounts including payment discounts, multi-policy, early quote, hybrid/electric vehicle, home ownership, and multi-car.
- The Hartford may include discounts for air bag, driver training, anti-theft, vehicle fuel type, and defensive driver.
- GEICO discounts include anti-theft, five-year accident-free, multi-policy, daytime running lights, and emergency military deployment.
- Progressive offers premium reductions for homeowner, continuous coverage, online signing, good student, and multi-policy.
Before purchasing a policy, check with each company or agent which discounts can lower your rates. Some discounts might not be offered on policies in San Diego.
Get rate quotes but buy from a neighborhood San Diego auto insurance agent
Many people still like to talk to an insurance agent and we recommend doing that The best thing about comparing insurance online is that you can obtain better rates and still choose a local agent. Buying from neighborhood agents is definitely important in San Diego.
After completing this short form, your insurance coverage information is transmitted to companies in San Diego who will give you bids for your business. You won’t even need to leave your computer since rate quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. You can find the lowest rates without a big time investment. In the event you want to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance company, you can always search and find their rate quote page and give them your coverage information.
If you prefer to buy insurance from a good San Diego insurance agent, you should know the types of agencies to choose from. Insurance agents are either exclusive agents or independent agents.
Independent Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agencies often have affiliation with several companies so they can write business with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If premiums increase, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to switch agencies. If you are comparing rate quotes, we recommend you get quotes from multiple independent agents to get the most accurate price comparison.
The following is a list of independent insurance agents in San Diego that may be able to provide competitive price quotes.
Oversea Insurance Agency, Inc
1274 Scott St – San Diego, CA 92106 – (800) 266-2662 – View Map
Nationwide Insurance: Richard Turner Insurance Agency
3443 Camino del Rio S #221 – San Diego, CA 92108 – (619) 296-6222 – View Map
AG Insurance Agency
11440 W Bernardo Ct #161 – San Diego, CA 92127 – (858) 431-9880 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
These type of agents can only write with one company like Allstate, AAA, Farmers Insurance, and State Farm. These agents are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable on sales techniques which can be an advantage.
Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agencies in San Diego willing to provide rate quotes.
Allstate Insurance: Philip Mullane
3555 Rosecrans St Ste 202 – San Diego, CA 92110 – (619) 223-2191 – View Map
John Tran – State Farm Insurance Agent
2820 Camino del Rio S Ste 310 – San Diego, CA 92108 – (619) 291-1787 – View Map
Kristin Francy – State Farm Insurance Agent
9888 Carmel Mountain Rd Ste A – San Diego, CA 92129 – (858) 484-4141 – View Map
Finding the right car insurance agent is decision based upon more than just the premium amount. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Is auto insurance their primary focus in San Diego?
- Does the agency have a current Errors and Omissions policy?
- Can you choose the body shop in case repairs are needed?
Tailor your insurance coverage to you
When it comes to choosing your policy, there really isn’t a “perfect” insurance plan. Your financial needs are unique.
For instance, these questions could help you determine whether or not you may require specific advice.
- What are the best liability limits?
- Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
- What is the minimum liability in California?
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
- Is extra glass coverage worth it?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form.
Don’t give up on cheap coverage
Discount Hyundai Accent insurance in San Diego is possible online as well as from insurance agents, so get free San Diego car insurance quotes from both of them so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and most of the time these smaller providers only sell coverage through independent insurance agents.
When buying insurance coverage, do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later that it was a big error on their part. Your objective should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how to find cheaper Hyundai Accent insurance in San Diego. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get prices for, the better your chances of lowering your prices. Drivers may even discover the lowest premium rates are with a small mutual company.
To learn more, link through to these articles:
- Credit and Insurance Scores (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for Teenagers in San Diego? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Safe Drivers in San Diego? (FAQ)
- What does Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Cover? (Allstate)
- Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Does Hitting a Deer Impact Insurance Rates? (Allstate)