Save Money on Saturn VUE Insurance in San Diego

Do you need a better way to compare more affordable Saturn VUE insurance in San Diego? No sane person is fond of buying car insurance, especially when they know it costs too dang much.

Unimaginable but true, the majority of drivers renewed their policy with the same company for over three years, and almost half have never compared car insurance rates at all. With the average premium in the U.S. being $1,847, drivers could save approximately $859 a year by just comparing quotes, but they assume it’s a waste of time to compare rates and save money. Online insurance companies like Progressive, GEICO and Farmers Insurance all claim big savings with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to ignore the promise of big savings and find the best price available.

Which Saturn VUE insurance is cheapest in San Diego?

Finding a better price on car insurance is an easy way to save money. The only thing you need to do is take time to get quotes from different insurance companies.

Online shopping is fast and free, and it replaces the need to call or drive to each insurance agency near you. Quoting and buying Saturn VUE insurance online eliminates this option unless your situation requires the guidance that you can only get from talking to an agent. You can, however, get the lowest quotes online but have your policy serviced through an agent.

The companies shown below offer quotes in San Diego, CA. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get a more complete price comparison.

Prices above based on single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, homeowner, claim-free, and safe-driver. Table data does not factor in your specific San Diego location which can lower or raise premium rates significantly.

Insurance rate increases from tickets or accidents

The chart below shows how violations and at-fault accidents influence Saturn VUE car insurance costs for different ages of insureds. The rate quotes are based on a single male driver, full physical damage coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

Physical damage deductibles

The example below shows how choosing a deductible and can influence Saturn VUE insurance prices for different age groups of insureds. Data assumes a single female driver, comp and collision included, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Cost difference between full coverage and liability

The example below illustrates the comparison of Saturn VUE yearly insurance costs with full coverage and liability only. The price estimates are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, single female driver, and no discounts are applied.

When to drop comprehensive and collision

There is no definitive formula that is best for determining when to drop physical damage coverage, but there is a general guideline you can use. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then you might consider buying liability only.

For example, let’s assume your Saturn VUE replacement cost is $4,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most your company would pay you is $3,000 after paying your deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $300 annually for full coverage, then you might consider buying liability only.

There are a few situations where dropping physical damage coverage is not financially feasible. If you still have a loan on your vehicle, you have to maintain full coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not buy liability only.

Get cheap Saturn VUE insurance in San Diego with discounts

Not too many consumers would say insurance is affordable, but discounts can save money and there are some available that can drop the cost substantially. Some trigger automatically when you quote, but once in a while a discount must be specifically requested before you get the savings.

• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Driving fewer miles could be rewarded with better insurance rates on cars that stay parked.
• Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off the PIP or medical payment premium.
• ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS and/or traction control can stop better under adverse conditions and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Auto/Life Discount – Larger insurance companies have lower rates if you buy auto and life insurance together.
• San Diego Homeowners Discount – Just being a homeowner may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home means you have a higher level of financial diligence.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Despite the fact that it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

Larger insurance companies and the discounts they provide are detailed below.

• Progressive has discounts for continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, online signing, online quote discount, and homeowner.
• SAFECO includes discounts for multi-car, teen safety rewards, accident prevention training, teen safe driver, and anti-theft.
• American Family offers discounts including mySafetyValet, bundled insurance, good student, air bags, early bird, and multi-vehicle.
• MetLife policyholders can earn discounts including claim-free, accident-free, defensive driver, good student, good driver, multi-policy
• GEICO may include discounts for driver training, multi-policy, anti-lock brakes, seat belt use, multi-vehicle, and air bags.
• The Hartford discounts include good student, bundle, vehicle fuel type, anti-theft, defensive driver, driver training, and air bag.

Check with all the companies which discounts can lower your rates. All car insurance discounts may not apply to policies everywhere.

Insurance agent or online?

A lot of people would rather buy from a local agent and that is not a bad decision Professional agents can help determine the best coverages and help file insurance claims. A good thing about comparing insurance prices online is you can get cheap car insurance quotes and still have a local agent. Supporting local agents is especially important in San Diego.

For easy comparison, once you complete this quick form, your coverage information is emailed to insurance agents in San Diego that give free quotes for your coverage. You won’t need to find an agent on your own as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. If you have a need to get a rate quote for a specific company, don’t hesitate to go to their quote page and complete a quote there.

How to choose the best car insurance agent in San Diego

If you prefer to buy car insurance from a local insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the different agency structures and how they work. Car insurance agents in San Diego are classified as either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Either type can write car insurance policies, but it is important to understand how they are different because it may have an impact on the selection process.

Independent Car Insurance Agencies or Brokers

Independent agents do not sell for just one brand so they have the ability to put coverage with an assortment of companies and find you cheaper rates. If they quote lower rates, they simply move your policy to a different company and you won’t have to switch agencies. If you need lower rates, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.

Listed below is a partial list of independent insurance agencies in San Diego that may be able to give you price quotes.

View more agents

Exclusive Agents

Agents of this type write business for a single company and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agents are usually quite knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Shown below are exclusive insurance agents in San Diego that are able to give comparison quotes.

View more agents

Selecting an auto insurance agent should depend on more than just the price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Does the company use OEM repair parts?
• Is assistance available after office hours?
• Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents in San Diego?
• Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
• Is insurance their full-time profession?
• Are they actively involved in the community?
• Which company do they place the most coverage with?
• Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?

Situations that may require an agent’s advice

When quoting and comparing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really isn’t a single plan that fits everyone. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.

For example, these questions might help in determining whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.

• Who is covered when they drive my Saturn VUE?
• Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
• Will damage be repaired with OEM parts?
• Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
• Is my teenager covered with friends in the car?
• Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
• What is the premium to book value ratio for dropping full coverage?
• What is PIP insurance?

If you can’t answer these questions then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.

How to Lower Your Insurance Prices

Lots of things are used when pricing auto insurance. Some are obvious such as your driving history, but other criteria are less obvious such as your marital status or your vehicle rating.

• Rental and towing coverage may not be needed – There are a lot of extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you don’t pay attention. Insurance for things like roadside assistance, towing coverage, and motor club memberships are some examples. The coverages may be enticing at first, but your needs may have changed so remove them and pocket the money.
• Occupation impacts rates – Do you have a high-stress occupation? Careers like military generals, executives and stock brokers tend to have higher rates than average due to intense work-related stress and incredibly demanding work hours. On the other hand, careers like scientists, engineers and homemakers have lower than average premiums.
• Get better rates if married – Getting married may cut your premiums when buying auto insurance. Having a significant other means you’re more financially stable and insurance companies like that married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
• Vehicle options that lower auto insurance rates – Buying a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention devices such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all help stop car theft and help bring rates down.
• How credit history affects auto insurance costs – Credit score is a large factor in your rate calculation. Drivers who have good credit tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit scores. If your credit history can use some improvement, you could be paying less to insure your Saturn VUE if you clean up your credit.

Car insurance does more than just repair your car

Even though it can be expensive, maintaining insurance serves several important purposes.

• The majority of states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car legally. 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 vehicle has a lien holder, more than likely the lender will make it a condition of the loan that you have full coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If the policy lapses, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Saturn for a much higher rate and require you to reimburse them a much higher amount than you were paying before.
• Car insurance preserves both your vehicle and your personal assets. It will also cover hospital and medical expenses for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also covers legal expenses if you are sued as the result of your driving. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.

The benefits of insuring your VUE more than offset the price you pay, especially for larger claims. The average driver in America is currently overpaying as much as $830 a year so you should quote rates each time the policy renews to make sure the price is not too high.

The most affordable rates come from being thorough

Insureds switch companies for a variety of reasons including delays in responding to claim requests, high rates after DUI convictions, policy non-renewal and even lack of trust in their agent. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new company is not as difficult as it may seem.

As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s not a good idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to regret that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best possible price, not the least amount of coverage.

We just showed you a lot of techniques to compare Saturn VUE insurance car insurance rates in San Diego. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of getting low cost San Diego car insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the lowest car insurance rates come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at these sites:

• Electronic Stability Control FAQ (iihs.org)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for a Dodge Journey in San Diego? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap San Diego Auto Insurance for Uber Drivers? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap San Diego Car Insurance Rates for 16 Year Olds? (FAQ)
• Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
• Top Signs Your Brakes are Giving Out (State Farm)
• Bodily Injury Coverage (Liberty Mutual)