Nobody that owns a car fancies paying their premiums for auto insurance, in particular when they could lower their rates if they shopped around.
Astonishing but true, nearly 70% of California drivers have remained with the same auto insurance company for at least the last four years, and nearly half have never even compared rates from other companies. With the average premium in the U.S. being $1,847, drivers could save almost $860 every year by just shopping around, but most tend to underestimate how much money they would save if they replace their high priced policy.
Consumers have many insurers to pick from, and although it’s a good thing to be able to choose, having more insurers makes it harder to locate the cheapest rates for Mazda MPV insurance in San Diego.
Buying affordable insurance in San Diego is really not that difficult. Essentially every driver who needs cheaper insurance will find lower prices. But California consumers need to have an understanding of the way insurance companies market on the web because it varies considerably.
Most companies allow consumers to get coverage prices on the web. Doing online quotes for Mazda MPV insurance in San Diego is quite simple as all you need to do is type in the amount of coverage you want into a form. Once you submit the form, their system makes automated requests for reports for credit and driving violations and returns a price quote based on these and other factors. Using the web to get quotes for Mazda MPV insurance in San Diego makes it a lot easier to compare rates and it is important to get many rate quotes in order to find a better rate.
To fill out one form to compare multiple rates now, compare rate quotes from the providers shown below. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you copy your coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will be getting rate quotes using the exact same coverages.
The companies shown below have been selected to offer free quotes in California. If multiple companies are shown, we recommend you visit two to three different companies to get the cheapest price.
Lower rates by qualifying for discounts
Auto insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but you might be missing out on some discounts that can help lower your rates. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of quoting, but some must be asked for prior to getting the savings.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may get savings of 20% or more.
- Theft Deterrent – Cars equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems have a lower chance of being stolen and will qualify for a discount on a San Diego car insurance quote.
- Telematics Discount – People who choose to allow their insurance company to monitor driving patterns by using a telematics device like Drivewise from Allstate or In-Drive from State Farm might get better premium rates if they have good driving habits.
- Own a Home and Save – Owning a home in San Diego can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for more than one vehicle on a single policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Student Discounts – A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. Most companies allow this discount until age 25.
- Student Driver Training – Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully take a driver’s education course in school or through a local driver safety program.
- Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to fasten their seat belts can save 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars with ABS and/or traction control are much safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Discounts save money, but please remember that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any amount of discount will help reduce your auto insurance premiums.
If you would like to choose from a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in San Diego, follow this link.
San Diego Insurance Premiums are Influenced by These Factors
It’s important that you understand the factors that help calculate your auto insurance rates. If you have a feel for what determines premiums, this enables you to make decisions that may result in big savings. Many different elements are considered when you get a price on insurance. Some factors are common sense such as your driving history, but other factors are not quite as obvious like where you live or how financially stable you are.
Get hitched and get better costs – Having a wife or husband may earn you lower rates when shopping for auto insurance. Having a spouse means you’re less irresponsible and insurance companies reward insureds because drivers who are married file infrequent claims.
Multiple policies with one company – Most larger insurers give better rates to insureds who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. If you currently are using one company, it’s still a good idea to compare Mazda MPV rates in San Diego to verify if the discount is saving money. You may still save money even if you insure with multiple companies
Annual miles is a factor – The more miles you rack up on your Mazda each year the higher the price you pay to insure it. Most companies calculate prices based on their usage. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates than those used for commuting. Having an incorrect usage rating on your MPV can cost quite a bit. It’s always a good idea to double check that your declarations sheet is rated on the correct usage, because it can save money.
Your liability protection limits – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance provides coverage if ever a court rules you are at fault for causing personal injury or damage in an accident. Liability provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to comp and collision, so do not skimp.
Never let your auto insurance lapse – Allowing your auto insurance policy to lapse is a quick way to increase your rates. And not only will your rates increase, being ticketed for driving with no insurance can result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license. Then you may be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the California department of motor vehicles.
Vocation stress can make you pay more – Jobs like military personnel, architects and emergency personnel generally pay higher average rates attributed to stressful work requirements and incredibly demanding work hours. On the flip side, careers like actors, historians and retirees get better rates.
Teen drivers pay more – Mature drivers are proven to be safer behind the wheel, tend to file fewer claims, and get fewer tickets.Youthful drivers are statistically proven to be easily distracted when at the wheel of a vehicle and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
When to get advice from an insurance agent
Many people just want to visit with an insurance agent. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance online is that drivers can save money and get cheap insurance rates and still buy from a local agent.
By using this quick form, your insurance coverage information gets sent to insurance agents in San Diego who want to provide quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to search for an agent because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. It’s the lowest rates without a big time investment. If you wish to get a rate quote from a specific company, just find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
Picking an provider shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price quote. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Is insurance their full-time profession?
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage in San Diego?
- What is the financial rating for the quoted company?
- Does their agency support local causes in San Diego?
- Who are their largest clients?
Exclusive agents vs. Independent agents
If you’re trying to find a local San Diego insurance agent, it helps to know the two different agency structures and how they function. Insurance agents are categorized either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agencies can only quote rates from one company and examples are State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. They are unable to compare rates from other companies so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive agents are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.
Below is a list of exclusive agents in San Diego who can help you get comparison quotes.
Mike Foley – State Farm Insurance Agent
5210 Balboa Ave, Ste A1 – San Diego, CA 92117 – (858) 277-1400 – View Map
Kristin Francy – State Farm Insurance Agent
9888 Carmel Mountain Rd Ste A – San Diego, CA 92129 – (858) 484-4141 – View Map
Duane Werner – State Farm Insurance Agent
6663 El Cajon Blvd j – San Diego, CA 92115 – (619) 668-5414 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents of this type are appointed with more than one company so they have the ability to put coverage amongst many companies depending on which coverage is best. If they find a cheaper price, they can switch companies in-house which requires no work on your part. If you need lower rates, you definitely need to contact independent agents to have the most options to choose from.
Shown below are independent insurance agents in San Diego that can give you rate quotes.
Leavitt Group – Leavitt Insurance Agency of San Diego
3636 Nobel Dr #100 – San Diego, CA 92122 – (858) 436-2441 – View Map
San Diego Insurance
4411 Mercury St #105b – San Diego, CA 92111 – (858) 565-6695 – View Map
Kostyo Insurance Agency
4456 Vandever Ave #10 – San Diego, CA 92120 – (619) 325-3600 – View Map
Affordable insurance rates are out there
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s a bad idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
Cheap Mazda MPV insurance in San Diego can be purchased on the web and with local San Diego insurance agents, so you need to shop San Diego car insurance with both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies may not have the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these regional carriers provide coverage only through independent insurance agents.
Additional learning opportunities
- Protecting Teens from Drunk Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers Requiring a SR22 in San Diego? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for Drivers with Accidents in San Diego? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Teachers in San Diego? (FAQ)
- Child Safety FAQ (iihs.org)
- Steps to Take After an Auto Accident (Insurance Information Institute)