Best Ways to Save on Irvine Saab 9-3 Insurance

If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to find low-cost Saab 9-3 insurance in Irvine is to compare prices at least once a year from different companies who provide car insurance in California.

• First, read about how auto insurance works and the measures you can control to keep rates low. Many policy risk factors that cause high rates such as speeding tickets, accidents and poor credit history can be rectified by being financially responsible and driving safely. Read the full article for instructions to help find cheaper rates and find overlooked discounts.
• Second, compare rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can only give rate quotes from one company like Progressive or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide prices from multiple companies.
• Third, compare the new rates to your existing rates and see if you can save money. If you find a lower rate quote and make a switch, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
• Fourth, tell your current agent or company to cancel your current policy and submit payment and a completed application to the new company. As soon as you can, place the new certificate of insurance in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.

An important bit of advice to remember is to try to use identical coverages on every price quote and and to compare as many car insurance companies as possible. Doing this helps ensure a fair price comparison and a thorough price selection.

A recent NerdWallet.com study revealed that the vast majority of drivers have bought auto insurance from the same company for at least the last four years, and 38% of drivers have never compared quotes from other companies. Irvine consumers can save hundreds of dollars each year just by comparing rates, but most tend to underestimate the actual amount they would save if they moved their coverage to a different company.

Locating the most cost-effective auto insurance policy in Irvine is really quite simple as long as you have a good starting point. If you are already insured or are looking for a new policy, use these tips to shop for the lowest rates without reducing coverage. Smart shoppers just have to understand how to get comparison quotes online.

Getting a low cost price on Saab 9-3 insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. All you need to do is take a few minutes comparing price quotes online with multiple companies.

The companies shown below have been selected to offer quotes in California. If multiple companies are listed, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get the most competitive price.

Why auto insurance is not optional

Even though it can be expensive, maintaining insurance is not optional due to several reasons.

First, most states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to buy a specific level of liability coverage in order to be legal. 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 you took out a loan on your car, it’s guaranteed your bank will require you to buy insurance to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Saab for a lot more money and force you to reimburse them a much higher amount than you were paying before.

Third, insurance safeguards both your Saab and your assets. It will also cover most medical and hospital costs incurred in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, will also pay attorney fees if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.

The benefits of insuring your car greatly outweigh the cost, especially for larger claims. Today the average American driver overpays more than $869 every year so it’s recommended you shop around every year to save money.

Premium rates and analysis

The premium table shown next highlights detailed analysis of coverage costs for Saab 9-3 models. Having a better idea how insurance policy rates are established helps drivers make smart choices when choosing a car insurance company.

Premium data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-vehicle. Premium costs do not factor in Irvine location which can increase or decrease coverage rates noticeably.

Can higher deductibles save money?

One of the more difficult decisions when buying car insurance is where should you set your physical damage deductibles. The following insurance rates can help show the cost difference between high and low deductibles. The first price estimate table uses a $100 deductible and the second pricing table uses a $1,000 deductible.

Cost estimates assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, safe-driver, multi-vehicle, and multi-policy. Prices do not factor in your specific Irvine location which can affect premium rates noticeably.

Based on the figures above, using a $100 deductible costs approximately $55 more each month or $660 for a full year than buying the higher $1,000 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $900 more out of your own pocket with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to average at a minimum 16 months between claim filings, you would save more money if you opt for a higher deductible.

Saab 9-3 insurance rates: Men versus women

The example below shows the comparison of Saab 9-3 yearly insurance costs for male and female drivers. The premium estimates are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Saab 9-3 liability-only versus full coverage

The chart below illustrates the difference between Saab 9-3 car insurance costs with full physical damage coverage compared to only buying liability only. The price estimates are based on no violations or accidents, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are factored in.

When to drop comprehensive and collision

There is no exact rule to eliminate comp and collision coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the yearly cost of comp and collision coverage is more than 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.

For example, let’s say your Saab 9-3 settlement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, you would only receive $6,000 after paying your policy deductible. If you are paying more than $600 a year for your policy with full coverage, then you may need to consider dropping full coverage.

There are some scenarios where dropping full coverage is not a good plan. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to keep the loan. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should keep full coverage on your policy.

Lower rates by qualifying for discounts

Not many people think insurance is cheap, but you might already qualify for some discounts that may help make it more affordable. Certain discounts will be applied when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be specifically requested before you get the savings.

• Discount for Home Ownership – Owning a house in Irvine can save you money because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
• Driver’s Ed – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers successfully complete driver’s ed class if offered at their school.
• Discounts for Good Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
• Savings for New Vehicles – Buying a new car instead of a used 9-3 can save you some money since newer vehicles are generally safer.
• Organization Discounts – Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization in Irvine can get you a small discount when shopping for insurance.
• Defensive Driving Course – Taking a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill and make you a better driver.

Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Despite the appearance that you could get a free insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way.

The illustration below illustrates the difference between Saab 9-3 insurance prices with and without discounts applied to the rates. The costs are based on a female driver, a clean driving record, no claims, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with claim-free, safe-driver, multi-policy, marriage, homeowner, and multi-car discounts applied.

Large insurance companies and some of the discounts include:

• Progressive may have discounts that include online quote discount, online signing, continuous coverage, good student, and homeowner.
• MetLife has savings for claim-free, good student, defensive driver, accident-free, good driver, and multi-policy.
• Mercury Insurance offers discounts for anti-theft, accident-free, age of vehicle, ease of repair, good driver, and location of vehicle.
• Nationwide has discounts for anti-theft, accident-free, good student, Farm Bureau membership, easy pay, and defensive driving.
• GEICO offers discounts including emergency military deployment, good student, driver training, multi-policy, membership and employees, anti-lock brakes, and federal employee.
• AAA may include discounts for good student, multi-policy, anti-theft, good driver, pay-in-full, multi-car, and AAA membership discount.

It’s a good idea to ask every insurance company which discounts they offer. Discounts might not be offered in your area.

Your car insurance coverage should be tailored to you

When it comes to buying a policy for your vehicles, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Your financial needs are unique.

Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if your insurance needs could use an agent’s help.

• Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
• Does car insurance cover theft of personal property?
• How much liability insurance is required?
• Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
• Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
• Am I covered if I break a side mirror?
• Do I need higher collision deductibles?
• Should I bundle my homeowners policy with my auto?
• If my car is totaled with they pay enough to replace it?
• Am I insured when driving a different vehicle?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.