Affordable Toyota FJ Cruiser Insurance in San Diego

Vehicle owners not familiar with shopping for insurance online will discover locating the cheapest Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance in San Diego is harder than it needs to be.

Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that almost 70% of insureds have remained with the same insurance company for over three years, and nearly half have never quoted rates to find affordable coverage. Consumers in California can save hundreds of dollars each year just by shopping around, but they don’t believe the benefits if they moved their coverage to a different company.

Companies offering Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance in California

The companies in the list below can provide comparison quotes in California. If multiple companies are shown, we recommend you compare several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.

Above prices assume married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, and claim-free. Estimates do not factor in specific garaging location which can alter premium rates considerably.

Policy deductibles

One of the most common auto insurance questions is how high should your deductibles be. The figures shown below lay out the costs and benefits between low and high physical damage deductibles. The first rate quote example uses a $100 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second price table uses a $500 deductible.

Data based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and homeowner. Estimates do not factor in vehicle location which can modify premium rates noticeably.

Using the premium rates above, we can conclude that using a $100 deductible will cost you roughly $27 more each month or $324 annually than opting for the higher $500 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $400 more if you turn in a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to average at least 15 months between claims, you would probably come out ahead if you decide on a higher deductible. Below is a better example of how you can do this calculation yourself.

Bad driving habits will cost you more

The illustration below shows how traffic citations and at-fault claims can affect Toyota FJ Cruiser yearly insurance costs for each age group. The costs are based on a single male driver, comp and collision included, $250 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.

Difference between liability only and full coverage rates

The information below shows the difference between Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance costs when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The costs are based on no accidents, no driving violations, $500 deductibles, single female driver, and no discounts are factored in.

When to drop comp and collision

There is no set guideline of when to eliminate full coverage, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of having full coverage is about 10% or more of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

For example, let’s say your Toyota FJ Cruiser replacement value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, you would only receive $7,000 after paying your policy deductible. If you are paying over $700 a year for full coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.

There are some cases where buying only liability insurance is not recommended. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you have to carry full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should maintain full coverage.

Cheaper rates by taking advantage of these eight discounts

Some insurance providers don’t always list the entire discount list very well, so we break down both well-publicized and also the lesser-known discounts that you can inquire about if you buy San Diego auto insurance online.

• No Accidents – Insureds who avoid accidents and claims have much lower rates when compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Theft Deterrent System – Cars equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Accident Forgiveness – Not necessarily a discount, but some companies like Libery Mutual, GEICO and Allstate will forgive one accident without raising rates so long as you are claim-free for a specific time period.
• Safety Course Discount – Taking a driver safety course is a good idea and can lower rates depending on where you live.
• Low Mileage Discounts – Driving less can qualify you for slightly better rates than normal.
• Discounts for Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government could provide a small rate reduction with select insurance companies.
• Own a Home and Save – Being a homeowner can help you save on insurance because it requires a higher level of personal finance.
• Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies and insure them with the same company they may give you a discount of as much as 10 to 15 percent.

Don’t be surprised that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

A few popular companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are detailed below.

• Farm Bureau may offer discounts for renewal discount, 55 and retired, safe driver, driver training, and multi-policy.
• State Farm includes discounts for accident-free, good student, passive restraint, multiple policy, driver’s education, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and safe vehicle.
• Progressive may include discounts for online signing, multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and online quote discount.
• Allstate has savings for defensive driver, anti-theft, early signing, teenSMART discount, and good payer.
• Nationwide may have discounts that include anti-theft, defensive driving, business or organization, easy pay, accident-free, and multi-policy.
• MetLife offers premium reductions for defensive driver, accident-free, good driver, claim-free, multi-policy, good student

If you are trying to find cheaper San Diego auto insurance quotes, ask every insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered everywhere. For a list of insurers that provide some of the discounts listed above in California, click here to view.

Local San Diego auto insurance agents and auto insurance

Some consumers just want to buy from a licensed agent and that is a smart decision An additional benefit of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find cheap rate quotes but also keep your business local.

By using this simple form, your information is immediately sent to local insurance agents who will return price quotes to get your business. There is no need to search for any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent to your email. You can get cheaper auto insurance rates without a big time investment. In the event you want to get a rate quote from one company in particular, you just need to search and find their rate quote page and complete a quote there.

Finding the right company should include more criteria than just a cheap price quote. These are some questions your agent should answer.

• Do they prorate repair cost based on vehicle mileage?
• How would your car be valued if totalled?
• Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
• Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents in San Diego?
• Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
• Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?

If you are wanting to find an insurance agent, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents that you can select. Auto insurance agents are considered either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).

Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents

Agents of this type can only provide one company’s prices like American Family, State Farm, and Allstate. These agents are not able to provide rate quotes from other companies so you need to shop around if the rates are high. These agents are usually well trained on sales techniques which can be an advantage. Consumers frequently buy from exclusive agents primarily because of the brand name instead of buying on price only.

Shown below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in San Diego that are able to give price quote information.

• Rod Thelen – State Farm Insurance Agent
  110 W A St #775 – San Diego, CA 92101 – (619) 234-4882 – View Map
• Dave Murphy – State Farm Insurance Agent
  12121 Scripps Summit Dr Ste 100 – San Diego, CA 92131 – (858) 621-6681 – View Map
• Lazaro Neto – State Farm Insurance Agent
  4444 El Cajon Blvd #13 – San Diego, CA 92115 – (619) 229-6799 – View Map

More insurance agents

Independent Auto Insurance Agents

Agents that elect to be independent are appointed with more than one company and that is an advantage because they can write policies with many different companies and find the cheapest auto insurance rates. If you want to switch companies, they simply move the coverage in-house and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to get rate quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to maximize your price options. Most have the option of insuring with small regional insurance companies that may have much lower rates than larger companies.

The following are independent agents in San Diego that can give you comparison quotes.

• ARROWHEAD General Insurance Agency, Inc.
  701 B St #2100 – San Diego, CA 92101 – (619) 744-5000 – View Map
• Rubin Insurance
  6363 Greenwich Dr #120 – San Diego, CA 92122 – (858) 457-5720 – View Map
• B H Gold Insurance
  9699 Tierra Grande St # 100 – San Diego, CA 92126 – (800) 421-4653 – View Map

More insurance agents

Upon receiving good answers and locked in a price quote, chances are good that you have found an insurance agent that can be trusted to insure your vehicles. Keep in mind once you purchase a policy you can cancel a policy whenever you want so don’t think that you are permanently stuck with a specific agent for the full policy term.

The coverage is in the details

Understanding the coverages of car insurance aids in choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Coverage for collisions

Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with an object or car. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage pays for things like backing into a parked car, rolling your car and damaging your car on a curb. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible on your FJ Cruiser to bring the cost down.

Medical expense insurance

Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for immediate expenses such as surgery, doctor visits, hospital visits and X-ray expenses. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers both the driver and occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Toyota FJ Cruiser.

Due to the fact that many California drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (15/30/5 in California), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Auto liability insurance

Liability insurance will cover damage that occurs to other’s property or people that is your fault. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 15/30/5 that translate to a limit of $15,000 per injured person, $30,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability can pay for things such as emergency aid, funeral expenses, attorney fees, bail bonds and medical services. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as much as you can afford. California state minimum liability requirements are 15/30/5 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision)

Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as a broken windshield, damage from flooding, damage from getting keyed, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and vandalism. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.

A conclusion for your car insurance search

You just read a lot of techniques to lower your Toyota FJ Cruiser insurance prices in San Diego. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may even discover the lowest prices come from a lesser-known regional company.

While you’re price shopping online, you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are too many instances where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret they didn’t have enough coverage. The aim is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

People switch companies for many reasons like policy cancellation, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in responding to claim requests and high prices. Whatever your reason, choosing a new company is not as difficult as it may seem.

Helpful information

• Higher speed limits cause more fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for 18 Year Olds in San Diego? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for Police Officers in San Diego? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for a Learners Permit in San Diego? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap San Diego Car Insurance Rates for 16 Year Olds? (FAQ)
• Child Safety Seats (Insurance Information Institute)
• Uninsured Motorists: Threats on the Road (Insurance Information Institute)