It’s easy to assume that car insurance companies want to keep your business as long as possible. Drivers who compare rates annually will most likely buy a new policy because the odds are good of getting low-cost coverage. A study showed that people who compared prices regularly saved as much as $865 annually as compared to drivers who don’t regularly compare prices.
If finding the cheapest rates on auto insurance in Irvine is your ultimate goal, then knowing how to compare insurance coverage can help you succeed in finding affordable rates.
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to get the cheapest car insurance rates is to begin comparing prices regularly from different companies that sell auto insurance in Irvine. Rate comparisons can be done by following these steps.
- Read about how insurance works and the steps you can take to keep rates in check. Many rating factors that drive up the price such as your driving record and a substandard credit score can be eliminated by making minor changes to your lifestyle. Later in this article we will cover additional ideas to prevent expensive rate increases and get discounts that may be overlooked.
- Get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only quote rates from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates from multiple insurance companies.
- Compare the new quotes to your current policy and determine if cheaper IS 200t coverage is available. If you find a lower rate and change companies, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
- Notify your company or agent of your intent to cancel your current car insurance policy. Submit a down payment and signed policy application to the new insurer. Once the paperwork is finalized, keep the new certificate of insurance along with your vehicle registration.
An important part of this process is that you use similar limits and deductibles on each quote and and to get quotes from every insurance company. This helps ensure a fair rate comparison and the best price selection.
If you are insured now or just want to reduce your rates, you can follow these tips to reduce premiums and possibly find even better coverage. Comparing quotes for the lowest-priced protection in Irvine is not as difficult as people think. You only need to know the most efficient way to compare rate quotes online.
First Step: Get free Lexus IS 200t insurance quotes
Lowering your Lexus IS 200t insurance rates is actually easier than you may think. All that’s required is to take a couple of minutes comparing free Irvine auto insurance quotes online from several insurance companies.
The following companies offer free rate quotes in California. To locate the best auto insurance in Irvine, it’s a good idea that you click on several of them in order to find the lowest rates.
Save money with these discounts
Insurance can be pricey, but there could be significant discounts that may help make it more affordable. A few discounts will be applied when you quote, but some must be asked about before you will receive the discount.
- Distant Student Discount – Kids who are attending college and leave their car at home can receive lower rates.
- 55 and Retired – Seniors may receive a discount up to 10%.
- E-sign – Some of the larger companies may give you up to $50 for completing your application on the internet.
- Discount for Swiching Early – A few insurance companies offer discounts for switching policies before your current expiration date. You could save around 10% when you buy Irvine auto insurance online.
- Anti-theft System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more on IS 200t insurance in Irvine.
- Accident Forgiveness – This isn’t a discount exactly, but certain companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
- Good Student Discount – Maintaining excellent grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. Many companies even apply the discount to college students well after school through age 25.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Keeping the miles down on your Lexus can earn lower insurance rates on the low mileage vehicles.
A quick disclaimer, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Despite the fact that it seems like you could get a free insurance policy, you aren’t that lucky.
A few of the larger companies and some of their more popular discounts can be read below.
- Farm Bureau has discounts for good student, 55 and retired, driver training, multi-vehicle, and safe driver.
- MetLife may have discounts that include multi-policy, defensive driver, claim-free, good student, good driver, accident-free
- Progressive may offer discounts for multi-vehicle, homeowner, online signing, continuous coverage, and good student.
- AAA may include discounts for pay-in-full, AAA membership discount, good driver, good student, and multi-policy.
- American Family includes discounts for good driver, early bird, defensive driver, mySafetyValet, Steer into Savings, and bundled insurance.
- GEICO discounts include seat belt use, five-year accident-free, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and membership and employees.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including student away at school, multiple autos, safe vehicle, driver’s education, multiple policy, good student, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
Before you buy a policy, ask every prospective company how many discounts you can get. Depending on the company, some discounts might not apply in Irvine. If you would like to choose from a list of providers with discount insurance rates in California, click this link.
Car insurance does more than just repair your car
Despite the potentially high cost of Lexus IS 200t insurance, car insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.
- The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry specific minimum amounts of liability if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 you bought your vehicle with a loan, almost all lenders will require that you buy insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you default on your policy, the lender may insure your Lexus at an extremely high rate and require you to fork over a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards your vehicle and your assets. Insurance will also pay for most medical and hospital costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, your car insurance policy will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having car insurance more than offset the price you pay, particularly when you have a large claim. The average driver in America is wasting up to $750 every year so compare rate quotes at every renewal to save money.
Local Irvine insurance agencies and insurance
Some people would prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and we recommend doing that Most agents are highly skilled in risk management and will help you if you have claims. An additional benefit of price shopping on the web is the fact that drivers can get lower prices and still choose a local agent. Buying from and supporting neighborhood agents is definitely important in Irvine.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, the coverage information is sent to companies in Irvine that give free quotes to get your business. There is no need to leave your computer as quotes are delivered straight to your inbox. In the event you want to compare prices from a particular provider, don’t hesitate to find their quoting web page to submit a rate quote request.
Selecting a insurer should include more criteria than just the premium amount. The following questions are important to ask.
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Are all drivers listed on the coverage quote?
- How would your car be valued if totaled?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Do you need full coverage on every vehicle?
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
- How much training do they have in personal risk management?