It’s shocking but most auto insurance policyholders have been with the same company for at least the last four years, and almost 40% of drivers have never even compared quotes to find cheaper rates. Most drivers in California can cut their rates by as much as 35% a year, but most just don’t grasp how much savings they would realize if they switched.
If you want to save the most money, the best way to get the cheapest Honda Pilot insurance is to regularly compare prices from different companies that sell auto insurance in Irvine.
- Spend some time learning about what is in your policy and the changes you can make to prevent rate increases. Many risk factors that drive up the price like traffic violations, accidents, and an imperfect credit score can be amended by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. This article provides more details to help reduce premium rates and get additional discounts that may have been overlooked.
- Request price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can only give prices from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while agents who are independent can provide prices from multiple companies. View prices
- Compare the price quotes to your existing coverage to see if cheaper Pilot coverage is available in Irvine. If you find a lower rate and buy the policy, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Provide adequate notice to your current company to cancel your existing policy. Submit the signed application along with the required initial payment for the new policy. Be sure to place the new certificate verifying coverage with the vehicle registration.
One important bit of advice is to make sure you enter similar deductibles and liability limits on each quote and and to get price estimates from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this enables an apples-to-apples comparison and the best price selection.
Finding quotes for the most affordable protection in Irvine is simple if you know the tricks. Just about every person who needs lower cost insurance will be able to lower their premiums. Nevertheless, California drivers can benefit from knowing how big insurance companies charge you for coverage because rates fluctuate considerably.
Just remember that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps increase your odds of locating a lower rate.
The companies in the list below can provide free rate quotes in California. To get the best car insurance in Irvine, we suggest you compare several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Three reasons car insurance is important
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Honda Pilot in Irvine, buying car insurance is required by state law in California and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
First, most states have mandatory insurance requirements which means state laws require a specific level of liability insurance in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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.
Second, if your Honda Pilot has a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will require that you have physical damage coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the bank may buy a policy for your Honda at an extremely high rate and force you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
Third, car insurance protects your car and your assets. It will also pay for medical expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, will also pay attorney fees if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of having car insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially with large liability claims. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying over $869 every year so you should quote your policy with other companies each time the policy renews to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Rates and other information
The coverage table displayed below highlights a range of insurance rates for Honda Pilot models. Having a good understanding how insurance prices are formulated can assist in making decisions on which coverage to buy.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pilot LX 2WD | $292 | $468 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,324 | $110 |
Pilot EX 2WD | $330 | $468 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,362 | $114 |
Pilot EX 4WD | $330 | $468 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,362 | $114 |
Pilot EX-L 2WD | $330 | $570 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,464 | $122 |
Pilot EX-L 4WD | $330 | $570 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,464 | $122 |
Pilot Touring 2WD | $330 | $570 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,464 | $122 |
Pilot Touring 4WD | $330 | $570 | $416 | $24 | $124 | $1,464 | $122 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Table data assumes married female driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, and safe-driver. Rates do not factor in specific location which can influence prices greatly.
Can higher deductibles save money?
When shopping for car insurance, a common question is where should you set your physical damage deductibles. The rates below may aid in understanding the rate difference between high and low physical damage coverage deductibles. The first rate comparisons uses a $250 comprehensive and collision deductible and the second price chart uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pilot LX 2WD | $342 | $472 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,439 | $120 |
Pilot EX 2WD | $386 | $472 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,483 | $124 |
Pilot EX 4WD | $386 | $472 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,483 | $124 |
Pilot EX-L 2WD | $386 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,587 | $132 |
Pilot EX-L 4WD | $386 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,587 | $132 |
Pilot Touring 2WD | $386 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,587 | $132 |
Pilot Touring 4WD | $386 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,587 | $132 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pilot LX 2WD | $210 | $298 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,108 | $92 |
Pilot EX 2WD | $238 | $298 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,136 | $95 |
Pilot EX 4WD | $238 | $298 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,136 | $95 |
Pilot EX-L 2WD | $238 | $362 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,200 | $100 |
Pilot EX-L 4WD | $238 | $362 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,200 | $100 |
Pilot Touring 2WD | $238 | $362 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,200 | $100 |
Pilot Touring 4WD | $238 | $362 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,200 | $100 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data variables include married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, safe-driver, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in your specific Irvine location which can change prices noticeably.
Based on this data, we can arrive at the conclusion that using a $250 deductible will cost in the ballpark of $31 more each month or $372 each year averaged for all Pilot models than selecting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $750 more to file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to have more than 24 months between claim filings, you would probably come out ahead by going with a higher deductible. The table below illustrates a better example of how you can do this calculation yourself.
Average monthly premium for $250 deductibles: | $128 |
Average monthly premium for $1,000 deductibles (subtract): | – $97 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $31 |
Difference between deductibles ($1,000 – $250): | $750 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $750 / $31 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 24 months |
One important caveat is that increasing deductibles to lower your rates results in having to pay to pay more out-of-pocket when you have a claim. You need to make sure you have enough money put aside in order to pay the higher deductible in order to repair your vehicle.
The chart below demonstrates how deductible levels and can impact Honda Pilot insurance costs for each different age group. Data assumes a married male driver, full coverage, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Bad driving habits will cost you more
The diagram below shows how violations and accidents can raise Honda Pilot premium costs for different age groups. The prices are based on a married female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Price comparison of only insuring for liability
The illustration below compares Honda Pilot auto insurance costs with and without full coverage. The premium estimates are based on a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are factored in.
Are you wasting money paying for full coverage?
There is no specific rule that is best for determining when to drop full coverage on your policy, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of having full coverage is more than about 10% of the replacement cost minus the deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Honda Pilot settlement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most you would get paid by your company is $5,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $500 annually to have full coverage, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
There are some scenarios where dropping full coverage is not in your best interest. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you must maintain physical damage coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should keep full coverage on your policy.
Do you qualify for discounts on Honda Pilot insurance in Irvine?
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you can get discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Certain reductions will be credited at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about before you get the savings. If you are not receiving all the discounts possible, you may be paying too high a price.
- Early Payment Discounts – If paying your policy premium upfront as opposed to paying monthly you can avoid monthly service charges.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give a small discount if you purchase life insurance.
- Driver Training Discounts – Successfully completing a defensive driving class can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
- Discount for New Cars – Buying a new car model may earn a small discount because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Policy Bundle Discount – If you can bundle your homeowners and auto insurance with one company they may give you a discount of up to 20% off your total Pilot insurance premium.
A little disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. If you do the math and it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, that’s just not realistic. But any discount will bring down the premium cost.
The chart below illustrates the comparison of Honda Pilot insurance premiums with and without some available policy discounts. The prices are based on a male driver, no accidents, no driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, marriage, and multi-policy discounts applied.
Large insurance companies and their possible discounts can be found below.
- GEICO discounts include driver training, daytime running lights, good student, membership and employees, federal employee, anti-theft, and emergency military deployment.
- MetLife offers premium reductions for defensive driver, good driver, multi-policy, good student, accident-free, and claim-free.
- State Farm may offer discounts for accident-free, Steer Clear safe driver discount, defensive driving training, student away at school, multiple autos, driver’s education, and Drive Safe & Save.
- Progressive has discounts for online signing, continuous coverage, homeowner, online quote discount, and multi-policy.
- Mercury Insurance policyholders can earn discounts including good driver, professional/association, good student, annual mileage, age of vehicle, multi-policy, and ease of repair.
- 21st Century offers discounts including homeowners, automatic seat belts, driver training, defensive driver, theft prevention, good student, and teen driver.
- Allstate may include discounts for multi-policy, new car, premier plus, passive restraint, safe driver, and anti-theft.
When getting free Irvine auto insurance quotes, it’s a good idea to each company what discounts are available to you. All car insurance discounts might not apply in Irvine.
Local insurance agents
Certain consumers would rather sit down with an agent and that can be a smart move A nice benefit of getting online price quotes is you may find cheap rate quotes but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from neighborhood agents is definitely important in Irvine.
After filling out this simple form, the quote information is sent to agents in your area who will give competitive quotes for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to contact any agents because prices are sent to the email address you provide. You can find lower rates without a big time investment. If you need to get a rate quote from one company in particular, you would need to find their quoting web page and complete a quote there.
Pick the best auto insurance agent in Irvine for you
If you are searching for local Irvine agents, there are two types of agencies and how they function. Agencies in Irvine are either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agencies are not restricted to one company so as a result can place your coverage with lots of companies and get you the best rates possible. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move your policy to a different company and you don’t have to do anything.
When searching for an agent, you need to contact a couple of independent agencies for the best price selection.
Shown below are Irvine independent agents that can possibly get you cheap rate quotes.
SureCo Insurance Agency
201 Sandpointe Ave Suite 600 – Santa Ana, CA 92707 – (866) 845-9815 – View Map
Ryan Hoherd, AFLAC Insurance Agent: Orange County, Long Beach, Riverside County
2770 S Harbor Blvd – Santa Ana, CA 92704 – (562) 212-3290 – View Map
Journey Insurance
9541 Irvine Center Dr – Irvine, CA 92618 – (888) 323-7480 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
These agents can only provide one company’s prices and some examples include Allstate and State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot compare other company’s rates so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Exclusive agencies are trained well on what they offer which can be an advantage.
Below is a list of exclusive agencies in Irvine that can give you comparison quotes.
Allstate Insurance: Kay Yang
4255 Campus Dr A270 – Irvine, CA 92612 – (949) 509-2888 – View Map
Mike McCain – State Farm Insurance Agent
1442 Irvine Blvd #204 – Tustin, CA 92780 – (714) 734-8300 – View Map
Farmers Insurance – Berdy Gonzalez-Lubnau
41 Corporate Park #240 – Irvine, CA 92606 – (714) 263-2623 – View Map
Choosing a insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price quote. These questions are important to ask:
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
- Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents in Irvine?
- Is the agent CPCU or CIC certified?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
After getting good answers to any questions you may have and a good coverage price, you may have found an auto insurance agent that is reliable enough to adequately provide insurance. It’s important to know that it’s your coverage and you can cancel your policy at any time so don’t assume you are locked into any specific agency with no way to switch.
How to find a good Irvine auto insurance company
Picking the best insurer can be difficult considering how many choices there are in Irvine. The ranking data in the lists below can help you select which companies you want to consider comparing rates with.
Top 10 Irvine Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Claims Service
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- Esurance
- AAA Insurance
- Progressive
- Liberty Mutual
- GEICO
- Allstate
- Titan Insurance
- The Hartford
Top 10 Irvine Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Value
- USAA
- American Family
- The Hartford
- AAA of Southern California
- Titan Insurance
- The General
- AAA Insurance
- State Farm
- Mercury Insurance
- Nationwide
Find cheap rates by being thorough
Some insurance companies do not offer rate quotes online and most of the time these smaller providers only sell coverage through independent agents. Affordable Honda Pilot insurance in Irvine can be bought online as well as from insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection.
We just covered many ways to compare Honda Pilot insurance rates in Irvine. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of getting affordable Honda Pilot insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the most savings is with a small mutual company. Some small companies may have significantly lower car insurance rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive or GEICO.
More detailed insurance information can be read in these articles:
- Rental Car Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Irvine Car Insurance for Young Drivers? (FAQ)
- How Much is Irvine Car Insurance for Teachers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for a Honda Pilot in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Parking Tips to Reduce Door Dings (State Farm)
- Liability Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
- Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driving Statistics (iihs.org)