Best Ways to Save on Chula Vista, CA Car Insurance

Smart shoppers know that insurance companies don’t want their customers to go rate shopping. Insureds who shop around for the cheapest rate are very likely to buy a different policy because the odds are good of finding lower prices. A study showed that consumers who routinely shopped around saved $70 a month compared to other drivers who didn’t regularly shop around.

If finding the best price on auto insurance in Chula Vista is the reason for your visit, understanding how to quote and compare insurance premiums can save money and time.

The best way to get budget auto insurance rates is to make a habit of comparing prices annually from providers that insure vehicles in Chula Vista.

First, it will benefit you to learn about what coverages are included in your policy and the factors you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating factors that result in higher prices such as tickets, at-fault accidents, and a not-so-good credit history can be rectified by making minor changes to your lifestyle. This article gives additional tips to get better rates and earn a bigger discount.

Second, request rate estimates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide prices from many different companies.

Third, compare the new rates to your existing rates to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find better rates and buy the policy, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.

Fourth, provide written notification to your current company of your decision to cancel your current coverage and submit payment and a signed application for your new coverage. Be sure to place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.

One important bit of advice is that you’ll want to compare similar limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to compare every insurance company. Doing this ensures the most accurate price comparison and the best price quote selection.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to save money using the tips covered below. The intent of this article is to introduce you to the best way to quote coverages and also save some money in the process Although California vehicle owners do need to learn how insurance companies calculate their prices and apply this information to your search.

Cheap car insurance in Chula Vista, CA

The providers in the list below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in California. If your goal is to find cheaper auto insurance in CA, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get the most affordable price.

Prices above based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, homeowner, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Price information does not factor in specific location which can modify rates substantially.

Check for these seven discounts

Companies don’t list all discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the next list breaks down both the well known and the more hidden discounts that may be available.

• Multiple Cars – Buying coverage for primary and secondary vehicles with one company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• New Car Discount – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save you some money since new model year vehicles are generally safer.
• Good Students Pay Less – Maintaining excellent grades may save as much as 25% on a Chula Vista auto insurance quote. Earning this discount can benefit you up to age 25.
• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle their seat belts can save a little off the PIP or medical payment premium.
• Early Payment Discounts – If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you could save 5% or more.
• College Student Discount – Older children who are attending college and do not take a car to college could qualify for this discount.
• Military Deployment Discount – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower prices.

It’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Despite the fact that it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, nobody gets a free ride.

A list of companies and their possible discounts are detailed below.

• Progressive discounts include continuous coverage, multi-policy, good student, online quote discount, homeowner, and online signing.
• MetLife offers discounts for good student, claim-free, multi-policy, defensive driver, good driver, accident-free
• Mercury Insurance may offer discounts for age of vehicle, anti-theft, low natural disaster claims, multi-policy, professional/association, location of vehicle, and type of vehicle.
• Nationwide policyholders can earn discounts including easy pay, Farm Bureau membership, business or organization, family plan, accident-free, and defensive driving.
• GEICO may include discounts for emergency military deployment, multi-policy, military active duty, defensive driver, anti-lock brakes, membership and employees, and five-year accident-free.
• AAA has discounts for anti-theft, education and occupation, good student, AAA membership discount, multi-car, good driver, and multi-policy.

It’s a good idea to ask each insurance company which discounts can lower your rates. Some discounts might not be offered on policies in Chula Vista. If you would like to view insurers that provide some of the discounts listed above in California, click this link.

Compare rate quotes but work with a neighborhood Chula Vista auto insurance agent

Certain consumers still prefer to go talk to an agent and there is nothing wrong with that. An additional benefit of comparing rates online is you may find lower car insurance rates and still buy from a local agent.

For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your insurance data is submitted to local insurance agents in Chula Vista that provide free Chula Vista auto insurance quotes for your insurance coverage. It’s much easier because you don’t need to contact any insurance agencies as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. You can find better rates and work with a local agent. If you want to get a rate quote from a specific insurance company, you just need to go to their quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.

Finding a good insurance company requires you to look at more than just the price. The questions below may impact your decision as well.

• Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
• Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
• Are they actively involved in the community?
• Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
• Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
• Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in California?
• Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
• Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating in Chula Vista?

Shown below is a short list of insurers in Chula Vista that may be willing to give price quotes.

• Penagos Insurance
  1680 Broadway – Chula Vista, CA 91911 – (619) 691-1071 – View Map
• Allstate Insurance: Donald Sewell
  355 3rd Ave B – Chula Vista, CA 91910 – (619) 425-5370 – View Map
• Robert Osorio Insurance
  513 Windy Way – Chula Vista, CA 91914 – (619) 216-0991 – View Map
• Allstate Insurance: Jorge Zayas
  1750 E Palomar St Ste 5 – Chula Vista, CA 91913 – (619) 656-8828 – View Map

More insurance agents

After receiving acceptable answers to these questions and a good coverage price, most likely you have located a company that will service your policy.

Educate yourself about auto insurance coverages

Having a good grasp of a auto insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Medical costs insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills like dental work, hospital visits, ambulance fees, doctor visits and pain medications. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – This covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive can pay for things like hail damage, rock chips in glass and falling objects. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Collision coverage – Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision insurance covers things like crashing into a building, hitting a mailbox, scraping a guard rail, rolling your car and colliding with a tree. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

UM/UIM Coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (15/30/5), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Auto liability – This coverage can cover damage that occurs to a person or their property by causing an accident. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see policy limits of 15/30/5 that means you have a $15,000 limit per person for injuries, $30,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $5,000.

Liability coverage pays for things like medical expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, funeral expenses, medical services and emergency aid. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. California state minimum liability requirements are 15/30/5 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.

The next chart shows why low liability limits may not be enough coverage.

Persistence is the key to cheap rates

Consumers leave their current company for a number of reasons such as policy cancellation, questionable increases in premium, high prices and delays in paying claims. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a great new company can be pretty painless.

As you restructure your insurance plan, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.

More affordable car insurance in Chula Vista is possible on the web and from local agencies, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies don’t offer online quoting and many times these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

Additional detailed information can be found at these sites:

• Understanding your Policy (NAIC.org)
• Who Has the Cheapest Chula Vista Car Insurance Rates for Low Income Drivers? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Postal Workers in Chula Vista? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Chula Vista Car Insurance for a School Permit? (FAQ)
• What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Rearview cameras reduce backing crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)