The most effective way to find cheaper quotes for Toyota Prius Prime insurance in Irvine is to start comparing prices yearly from providers who sell insurance in California.
First, take a few minutes and learn about how companies set rates and the factors you can control to keep rates in check. Many policy risk factors that are responsible for high rates such as speeding tickets, careless driving and poor credit can be improved by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. Continue reading for more details to find cheap rates and find possible discounts that are available.
Second, compare price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can provide rates from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while agents who are independent can quote prices for many different companies.
Third, compare the price quotes to your current policy to determine if switching companies saves money. If you find a lower rate and make a switch, make sure coverage is continuous and does not lapse.
The critical component of shopping around is that you’ll want to make sure you compare similar coverage information on every price quote and and to get price quotes from as many companies as you can. Doing this provides the most accurate price comparison and a complete price analysis.
Unfortunately, almost 70% of drivers kept their coverage with the same insurance company for at least four years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never compared rates from other carriers. Irvine drivers could save about 35% each year by just comparing rate quotes, but they just assume it takes a lot of time to compare rates online.
Finding Toyota Prius Prime insurance in Irvine, CA
To find the best insurance quotes, there are several ways to compare prices from many insurance companies in California. By far the easiest way to find affordable insurance rates is to jump online and get quotes. When comparison shopping, comparing more quotes gives you a better chance of getting the best price.
The companies shown below have been selected to offer free quotes in Irvine, CA. If you want to find the best auto insurance in Irvine, CA, we suggest you visit several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Protect your Toyota Prius Prime and other assets
Despite the high cost, paying for insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
- Most states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to buy specific limits of liability 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.
- If your Toyota has a loan, almost every bank will stipulate that you buy insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Toyota at a much higher rate and require you to reimburse them a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards both your assets and your vehicle. It will also reimburse you for many types of medical costs that are the result of an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, also covers legal expenses if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of buying enough insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially if you ever need it. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver overpays more than $810 a year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison at every renewal to make sure the price is not too high.
Why You Might Pay Inflated Rates in Irvine
The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at some of the things that help calculate your auto insurance rates. If you understand what determines premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates. Lots of things are used in the calculation when you get your auto insurance bill. Some are pretty understandable like an MVR report, although others are less obvious like your continuous coverage or your financial responsibility.
Listed below are some of the factors companies use to determine your prices.
Cars with good safety ratings cost less to insure – Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safe vehicles have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity means your insurance company pays less which can result in lower premiums.
Rates increase with driving citations – Whether or not you get tickets influences premium rates substantially. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Getting just one citation can increase rates to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as DUI or willful reckless driving may face state-mandated requirements to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
Is your car, truck or SUV built for speed? – The type of vehicle you need insurance for makes a big difference in the rate you pay. Lower cost passenger vehicles receive the most favorable rates, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.
Demanding vocation may mean higher rates – Jobs like lawyers, architects, and miners tend to have higher rates than the rest of us because of job stress and long work days. Other careers such as scientists, students and homemakers receive lower rates.
Determine discounts on Irvine car insurance
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you might find some hidden discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time of quoting, but some discounts are required to be asked about prior to getting the savings.
- Defensive Driving Course – Passing a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Full Payment Discount – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of paying each month you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Cars equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems are stolen with less frequency and that can save you a little bit as well.
- Early Renewal Discounts – A few insurance companies offer discounts for switching policies before your current coverage expires. You may see this discount when you get Irvine auto insurance quotes online.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you can bundle your auto and homeowners insurance and insure them both with the same insurance company you could earn a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
Just know that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.
Some of the insurance companies that may offer these money-saving discounts are:
When quoting, ask each insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be offered in your state. To find insurers who offer cheap Toyota Prius Prime insurance quotes in California, click here.
How to know if you need help
When selecting insurance from an agent or online for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a “best” method to buy coverage. You are unique and your insurance should be unique as well.
Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
- Should I waive the damage coverage when renting a car?
- Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- I have a DUI can I still get coverage?
- When should I buy a commercial auto policy?
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my Toyota Prius Prime is totaled?
- Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Do I need an insurance agency?
Some consumers still prefer to sit down and talk to an agent and often times that is recommended A good thing about comparing insurance online is that drivers can save money and get cheaper rates and still choose a local agent. Putting coverage with local insurance agencies is important especially in Irvine.
Once you complete this short form, your coverage information is transmitted to insurance agents in Irvine that can give you free Irvine auto insurance quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You won’t even need to drive around because prices are sent to you instantly. Get lower rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If for some reason you want to get a comparison quote from one company in particular, don’t hesitate to visit that company’s website and fill out the quote form the provide.
If you are wanting to find a local Irvine insurance agent, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents and how they are distinctly different. Agencies in Irvine are categorized either exclusive agents or independent agents.
Independent Insurance Agencies
Independent agencies can quote rates with many companies and that enables them to quote your coverage with many different companies and find the cheapest insurance rates. If you want to switch companies, the business is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency.
When comparison shopping, it’s recommended you include independent agents in order to compare the most rates. They also have the ability to place coverage with small mutual carriers that many times have cheaper rates.
The following are independent agencies in Irvine that may be able to give you cheap rate quotes.
- Roger Stone Insurance Agency
5015 Birch St – Newport Beach, CA 92660 – (949) 757-0270 – View Map - Willis Insurance Services of CA Inc
18101 Von Karman Ave # 600 – Irvine, CA 92612 – (949) 885-1200 – View Map - California Agency Insurance
17632 Irvine Blvd # 235 – Tustin, CA 92780 – (714) 731-8300 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be exclusive generally can only insure with one company like AAA, Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers Insurance. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so always compare other rates. Exclusive insurance agents are usually well trained in insurance sales which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates. A lot of people purchase coverage from exclusives partially due to the brand and solid financial strength.
The following is a list of exclusive insurance agents in Irvine that can give you price quote information.
- Mike McCain – State Farm Insurance Agent
1442 Irvine Blvd #204 – Tustin, CA 92780 – (714) 734-8300 – View Map - Ray Vermeulen – State Farm Insurance Agent
2151 Michelson Dr #242 – Irvine, CA 92612 – (949) 752-6335 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Al Kash
17702 Mitchell N – Irvine, CA 92614 – (949) 216-3620 – View Map
Choosing the best auto insurance agent should include more criteria than just a cheap quote. These questions are important to ask:
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
- Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
- Who are their largest clients?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- When do they do policy reviews?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
California auto insurance company ratings
Selecting the best auto insurance company can be difficult considering how many different companies there are to choose from in Irvine. The rank data listed below could help you select which auto insurers to look at when shopping your coverage around.
Top 10 Irvine Car Insurance Companies Overall
- USAA
- American Family
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
In Summary
We just presented quite a bit of information on how to shop for Toyota Prius Prime insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better likelihood of getting affordable Toyota Prius Prime insurance quotes. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from a small mutual company. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate and Progressive.
As you quote Irvine auto insurance, never buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage and discovered at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford.
More resources
- Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)
- Who Has the Cheapest Irvine Auto Insurance for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record? (FAQ)
- Driving in Bad Weather (Insurance Information Institute)
- Bodily Injury Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Cellphones, Texting and Driving (iihs.org)
- Coverage Information (Progressive Insurance)