Smart shoppers know that auto insurance companies want to keep you from comparing rates. People who rate shop once a year will presumably switch to a new company because the odds are good of finding a lower rate. A recent study showed that consumers who compared rates once a year saved over $865 annually compared to drivers who never compared other company’s rates.
If finding the lowest rates on auto insurance is why you’re reading this, understanding how to quote prices and compare car insurance can help make the process easier and more efficient.
The best way we recommend to find low-cost prices for car insurance rates in Irvine is to start comparing prices yearly from insurers who sell auto insurance in California.
- Take a little time to learn about what coverages are included in your policy and the measures you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many things that result in higher rates such as your driving record and a less-than-favorable credit history can be eliminated by making minor changes to your lifestyle. This article provides tips to help prevent expensive coverage and get bigger discounts.
- Request rate estimates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agents can provide price quotes from multiple sources.
- Compare the price quotes to your existing coverage to see if a cheaper price is available in Irvine. If you find a lower rate, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Tell your current company of your decision to cancel the current policy and submit the signed application along with the required initial payment for your new coverage. Once the application is submitted, place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance along with the vehicle’s registration papers.
One key aspect of rate comparisons is to make sure you’re comparing identical coverages on every quote and and to compare as many different insurance providers as possible. Doing this ensures an accurate price comparison and and a good selection of different prices.
Ways to get Mazda MPV insurance price quotes in Irvine
Just keep in mind that comparing more rates from different companies gives you a better chance of getting better pricing.
The providers in the list below can provide quotes in California. In order to find the cheapest auto insurance in Irvine, CA, it’s a good idea that you visit as many as you can in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Save a ton on Mazda MPV insurance in Irvine with these car insurance discounts
Some companies don’t always publicize every discount available in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down a few of the more well known and the harder-to-find ways to save on car insurance.
- Discounts for New Vehicles – Putting car insurance coverage on a new MPV can save up to 30% since newer models have better safety ratings.
- Anti-theft System – Cars and trucks that have factory anti-theft systems are less likely to be stolen and that can save you a little bit as well.
- Discounts for Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could save 15% off the medical payments premium.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles could be rewarded with discounted car insurance rates on garaged vehicles.
As is typical with insurance, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most cut specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, you aren’t that lucky.
Larger car insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are:
- Farmers Insurance policyholders can earn discounts including good student, teen driver, alternative fuel, electronic funds transfer, and distant student.
- Esurance offers discounts including multi-policy, Pac-12 alumni, good driver, anti-theft, and Switch & Save.
- State Farm may include discounts for good student, driver’s education, Drive Safe & Save, good driver, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for driver training, seat belt use, military active duty, defensive driver, membership and employees, daytime running lights, and federal employee.
- Allstate may have discounts that include 55 and retired, eSmart discount, passive restraint, teenSMART discount, defensive driver, and senior citizen.
Before purchasing a policy, check with every insurance company how many discounts you can get. Some discounts listed above may not apply to policyholders in your state. To see insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts in Irvine, click this link.
Car insurance is available from local insurance agents
Many people still prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and that can be a great decision The biggest benefit of comparing car insurance online is the fact that you can find cheap rate quotes and still have an agent to talk to. Buying from local insurance agents is important especially in Irvine.
Once you complete this simple form, the coverage information is emailed to insurance agents in Irvine that give free quotes for your coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to search for any insurance agencies because prices are sent to the email address you provide. You can find better rates without requiring a lot of work. In the event you want to compare rates for a specific company, feel free to visit that company’s website to submit a rate quote request.
Exclusive and independent Irvine car insurance agents
If you want to buy car insurance from an insurance agent, you should know the types of insurance agents and how they can write your policy. Agents can be categorized as either independent or exclusive.
Independent Car Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Independent insurance agents do not sell for just one brand so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and get you the best rates possible. If they find a cheaper price, they simply move your policy to a different company which requires no work on your part. When comparing rate quotes, you will want to get quotes from a few independent agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.
Shown below is a small list of independent insurance agencies in Irvine that can possibly get you pricing information.
AIS | Auto Insurance Specialists | Irvine
16969 Von Karman Ave #100 – Irvine, CA 92606 – (949) 660-7061 – View Map
SureCo Insurance Agency
201 Sandpointe Ave Suite 600 – Santa Ana, CA 92707 – (866) 845-9815 – View Map
Hodge and Hodge Insurance Inc
10 Hughes # 205 – Irvine, CA 92618 – (949) 458-0442 – View Map
Exclusive Car Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies can only provide pricing for a single company and some examples include Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. Exclusive agents receive a lot of sales training on sales techniques which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Irvine willing to provide comparison quotes.
Sharon Leung – State Farm Insurance Agent
18004 Sky Park Cir #250 – Irvine, CA 92614 – (949) 252-0900 – View Map
State Farm: Jane Lee
30 Corporate Park – Irvine, CA 92606 – (949) 223-5020 – View Map
Rich Stevens – State Farm Insurance Agent
4482 Barranca Pkwy #224 – Irvine, CA 92604 – (949) 552-6601 – View Map
Deciding on an insurance agency requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
- What is their Better Business Bureau rating?
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
- Does the agency have a current Errors and Omissions policy?
- How long have they been in business?
Insurance can be complex
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there really is no one size fits all plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so your insurance should reflect that
For example, these questions can help discover whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.
- Why do I have to buy liability insurance?
- Am I covered if I have no license?
- Is coverage enough to protect my assets?
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
- When should I not file a claim?
- Are rock-chip repairs free?
- Do I need to call my car insurance company before buying a new car?
- Can my babysitter drive my car?
- Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Get More Affordable Auto Insurance with These Tips
Part of the auto insurance buying process is learning some of the things that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. If you have a feel for what determines base rates, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.
Never allow your auto insurance to lapse – Having an insurance coverage lapse will be a quick way to increase your rates. Not only will you pay more, not being able to provide proof of insurance can result in a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
How much liability protection – A critical coverage on your policy, liability insurance kicks in when you are determined to be liable for damages caused by your negligence. Your liability coverage provides you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability is cheap compared to comp and collision, so drivers should carry high limits.
Low stress occupation equals lower rates – Occupations like lawyers, social workers, and medical professionals usually pay higher premiums than the average policyholder because of job stress and lengthy work days. On the flip side, professions such as professors, athletes and the unemployed pay the least.
Insurance costs and vehicle performance – The performance of the car, truck or SUV you are trying to find cheaper insurance for makes a huge difference in determining your rates. Smaller low performance passenger cars generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but your final cost has many other factors.
How old are your drivers? – More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, file fewer claims, and receive fewer citations. Drivers with little experience have a tendency to be less responsible when at the wheel of a vehicle so auto insurance rates are higher.
Insurance is not optional in California
Even though it can be expensive, insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
- The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability in order to license the vehicle. 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, it’s guaranteed your bank will make it a condition of the loan that you carry insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you default on your policy, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Mazda at a significantly higher premium and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects your Mazda MPV and your assets. It will also provide coverage for medical bills for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability insurance also covers legal expenses in the event you are sued. If you have damage to your Mazda as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of having insurance are definitely more than the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. But the average driver in California is wasting up to $825 a year so shop around once a year at a minimum to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Which car insurance company is best in Irvine?
Insuring your vehicle with a good quality insurance company can be rather challenging considering how many different companies there are to choose from in California. The ranking information listed below can help you choose which car insurance providers you want to consider purchasing from.
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
Top 10 Irvine Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Service
- AAA of Southern California
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
Quote more and you will save more
Cheaper car insurance in Irvine can be bought both online and also from your neighborhood Irvine agents, so get free Irvine auto insurance quotes from both of them in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies do not offer rates over the internet and these regional carriers only sell coverage through independent agents.
We just showed you some good ideas how you can lower your Mazda MPV insurance auto insurance rates in Irvine. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the best auto insurance rates are with the smaller companies. These companies often have lower premium rates on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
Other learning opportunities
- Auto Crash Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Rates for a Company Car in Irvine? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Uber Drivers in Irvine? (FAQ)
- Protecting Teens from Drunk Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- Booster Seat Ratings (iihs.org)
- Think You’re a Safe Driver? (State Farm)
- Five Mistakes to Avoid (Insurance Information Institute)