Want to learn how to buy the cheapest Mercury Montego insurance in San Diego? If price shopping San Diego auto insurance quotes online is new to you, it’s easy to be confused by the sheer number of local and online companies competing for your business.
Unbelievable but true according to a study a large majority of consumers kept their coverage with the same car insurance company for well over three years, and nearly the majority have never compared car insurance rates at all. American insurance shoppers could save 46.5% a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they think it’s difficult to compare rate quotes.
It’s important to get comparison quotes occasionally because car insurance rates trend upward over time. Even if you got the lowest rate on Mercury Montego insurance in San Diego a year ago you will most likely find a better price today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because you’re going to learn the tricks you need to know to lower your annual insurance bill.
If you are insured now, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your rates using the ideas presented in this article. This article will help educate you on how car insurance works. But California vehicle owners must comprehend the way companies sell online.
Just remember that comparing more quotes will enable you to find more affordable insurance. Not every company provides online price quotes, so it’s recommended that you also compare quotes on coverage from those companies, too.
The companies shown below can provide comparison quotes in California. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you click on several of them to find the most affordable auto insurance rates.
Insurance rates and discounts
Some insurers do not list all their discounts very well, so the list below contains some of the best known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to lower your premiums when you buy San Diego auto insurance online.
- Own a Home – Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- Distant Student – College-age children who live away from home at college and leave their car at home may be able to be covered for less.
- Early Payment Discounts – By making one initial payment rather than paying in monthly installments you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Military Deployment Discount – Being on active duty in the military could trigger a small discount.
- Claim-Free Discount – Claim-free drivers can save substantially in comparison to bad drivers.
- Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle up may be able to save a few bucks off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Discounts for Responsible Drivers – Insureds without accidents could pay up to 40% less compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Discounts for New Vehicles – Buying a new car model may earn a small discount because newer models keep occupants safer.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles can earn lower premium rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you can get a small decrease in premiums.
One last thing about discounts, many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Even though the math looks like you could get a free insurance policy, nobody gets a free ride.
A few popular companies and a selection of discounts include:
- State Farm offers premium reductions for multiple policy, Steer Clear safe driver discount, defensive driving training, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, good student, and anti-theft.
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including membership and employees, multi-vehicle, good student, seat belt use, and military active duty.
- Allstate has discounts for early signing, premier discount, economy car, teenSMART discount, EZ pay plan discount, and good student.
- SAFECO may include discounts for multi-car, accident prevention training, anti-theft, drive less, safe driver, and anti-lock brakes.
- Farm Bureau offers discounts for youthful driver, safe driver, multi-vehicle, 55 and retired, good student, and renewal discount.
- Progressive may have discounts that include multi-policy, continuous coverage, online signing, multi-vehicle, and good student.
- AAA may offer discounts for AAA membership discount, good student, pay-in-full, education and occupation, and good driver.
Check with all companies you are considering how many discounts you can get. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not be available in San Diego. If you would like to view companies that offer some of these discounts in California, follow this link.
Shop online but buy locally
Some consumers would rather go talk to an agent and we recommend doing that The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is that you can obtain cheap auto insurance quotes but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting local insurance agents is definitely important in San Diego.
To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to companies in San Diego that provide free San Diego auto insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to do any legwork because prices are sent to you. You can find lower rates without a big time investment. If you want to compare prices from a specific insurance company, you can always find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
Shown below is a short list of auto insurance companies in San Diego who can help you get price quote information for Mercury Montego insurance in San Diego.
- Kostyo Insurance Agency
4456 Vandever Ave #10 – San Diego, CA 92120 – (619) 325-3600 – View Map - Rick Wiese – State Farm Insurance Agent
2333 Camino del Rio S – San Diego, CA 92108 – (619) 293-7211 – View Map - Rubin Insurance
6363 Greenwich Dr #120 – San Diego, CA 92122 – (858) 457-5720 – View Map - Alcott Insurance
3945 Idaho St – San Diego, CA 92104 – (619) 293-3800 – View Map
Choosing an company should include more criteria than just a cheap price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Where are claims handled?
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Do they offer rental car reimbursement?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in California?
- Which family members are covered?
Once you have received good answers and an affordable coverage quote, you’ve probably found an provider that can provide auto insurance coverage.
There’s no such thing as the perfect insurance policy
Keep in mind that when it comes to choosing the best insurance coverage, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Your needs are unique to you and your insurance should unique, too.
Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining whether or not you might need professional guidance.
- Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
- What is UM/UIM insurance?
- Where can I get insurance after a DUI in California?
- Can my babysitter drive my car?
- Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
- What is an adequate liability insurance limit?
- Do I need rental car coverage?
- Is a fancy paint job covered?
- Does coverage extend to my business vehicle?
- What if I owe more than I can insure my car for?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
But they said I’d save $395 a year!
Big name companies like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm continually stream television, radio, and online ads. They all seem to advertise claims about how much you will save if you change your car insurance policy to them. Is it even possible that every company can sell you cheaper insurance coverage? It’s all in the words they use.
Car insurance companies have underwriting criteria for the driver that earns them the highest profit. For instance, a profitable customer might be over the age of 35, carries high limits, and does not commute to work. A customer getting a price quote who matches that profile will probably get cheap prices and have a good chance to save if they switch.
Drivers who do not fit the ideal profile must pay more expensive rates which results in the customer not buying. If you pay attention, the ads say “drivers who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much. That is how companies can make claims that they all have the best prices.
Each company has different criteria, so it’s extremely important to get price quotes at each policy renewal. It is impossible to guess which company will give you the biggest savings.
Auto insurance coverage breakdown
Learning about specific coverages of your policy helps when choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. These are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Mercury Montego.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law (15/30/5 in California), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Usually these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Coverage for collisions
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for claims such as rolling your car, sideswiping another vehicle, damaging your car on a curb and colliding with another moving vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also raise the deductible on your Montego in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive insurance
This pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things such as hitting a bird, falling objects, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from a tornado or hurricane and damage from flooding. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Coverage for liability
Liability coverage will cover damage that occurs to people or other property in an accident. It protects you against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see limits of 15/30/5 which means a $15,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and property damage coverage for $5,000. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability can pay for things such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering and funeral expenses. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but buy as much as you can afford. California state law requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for immediate expenses for EMT expenses, doctor visits and dental work. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers both the driver and occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
One last thing to lower rates
As you shop your coverage around, you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There have been many cases where an accident victim reduced full coverage and discovered at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The goal is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
In this article, we covered a lot of techniques to compare Mercury Montego insurance rates in San Diego. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get car insurance rates for, the better likelihood of getting the cheapest Mercury Montego rate quotes. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
More affordable insurance in San Diego can be bought online and with local San Diego insurance agents, so you need to shop San Diego auto insurance with both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who do not provide rates over the internet and many times these smaller providers only sell through local independent agents.
Even more information can be read at these sites:
- Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record in San Diego? (FAQ)
- What is Full Coverage? (Allstate)
- No-Fault Auto Insurance Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)