A recent NerdWallet.com study revealed that the majority of drivers have stayed with the same insurance company for at least four years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never compared rate quotes at all. U.S. drivers could pocket $859 a year by just comparing quotes, but they mistakenly think it’s difficult to find cheap insurance by shopping around.
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to quote cheaper car insurance rates in Irvine is to start doing a yearly price comparison from insurers in California.
Step 1: Gain an understanding of how companies set rates and the changes you can make to keep rates low. Many rating criteria that increase rates like accidents, traffic violations, and poor credit history can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
Step 2: Compare prices from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can only give prices from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while agents who are independent can quote prices from multiple sources.
Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find better rates, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
One key aspect of rate comparisons is to use identical coverage information on every price quote and and to get rate quotes from as many companies as possible. Doing this guarantees an apples-to-apples comparison and the best rate selection.
If you have coverage now, you will surely be able to shop for the lowest rates using the ideas presented in this article. Quoting and buying the lowest cost auto insurance in Irvine is easy if you know what you’re doing. Nevertheless, California consumers do need to learn how big insurance companies determine premium rates and use this information to your advantage.
Cheap Irvine car insurance quotes with discounts
Car insurance is not cheap nor is it fun to buy but you may find discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Many discounts should be triggered when you get a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically prior to getting the savings.
- Student Driver Training – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education in high school.
- Low Miles Discount – Driving less can qualify you for substantially lower car insurance rates.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars equipped with ABS or steering control are much safer to drive and the ABS can save up to 10%.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on one policy qualifies for this discount.
- Discount for Multiple Policies – If you can bundle your homeowners and auto insurance with the same company you will save over 10 percent off each policy depending on the company.
- E-sign Discounts – Some larger companies provide a small discount for buying your policy online.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
- Passenger Safety Discount – Cars that have air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts as much as 30%.
- Defensive Driver – Passing a class that teaches defensive driving techniques is a good idea and can lower rates and make you a better driver.
- Early Renewal Discounts – A few insurance companies allow discounts for buying a new policy early. The savings is around 10%.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Despite the fact that it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way.
The chart below illustrates the difference between Mazda 5 car insurance costs with and without discounts applied. The premium estimates are based on a male driver, no accidents, no driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, comp and collision included, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, claim-free, marriage, safe-driver, homeowner, and multi-policy discounts applied.
The best car insurance companies and some of the discounts are included below.
- Farmers Insurance has savings for switch companies, multi-car, distant student, pay in full, and early shopping.
- State Farm may offer discounts for Drive Safe & Save, passive restraint, safe vehicle, anti-theft, good student, good driver, and driver’s education.
- Liberty Mutual includes discounts for newly retired, preferred payment discount, multi-policy, newly married, multi-car, new move discount, and teen driver discount.
- MetLife discounts include multi-policy, good driver, accident-free, good student, claim-free, defensive driver
- Progressive may have discounts that include continuous coverage, good student, multi-vehicle, online signing, multi-policy, and online quote discount.
Before buying, ask all the companies what discounts are available to you. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not apply to policies in every state. If you would like to see a list of providers with discount rates in California, click here.
Just remember that having more price comparisons helps increase your odds of locating the best offered rates. Not every company provides Irvine 5 insurance quotes online, so it’s important to also get price quotes from them as well.
The providers in the list below provide free rate quotes in Irvine, CA. To find cheap auto insurance in Irvine, CA, it’s a good idea that you click on several of them in order to find the cheapest rates.
Rate information and statistics
The table below covers estimates of insurance costs for Mazda 5 models. Having a good grasp of how policy premiums are formulated is important for drivers to make informed decisions when comparing rate quotes.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sport Station Wagon | $332 | $564 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,406 | $117 |
| 5 Touring Station Wagon | $380 | $686 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,576 | $131 |
| 5 Grand Touring Station Wagon | $380 | $686 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,576 | $131 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Premium data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-policy. Rates do not factor in your specific Irvine location which can influence premium rates considerably.
The diagram below illustrates how choosing a deductible and can impact Mazda 5 yearly insurance costs for different age groups of insureds. The costs are based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Yearly auto insurance costs for men versus women
The diagram below compares Mazda 5 insurance costs for male and female drivers. The rate quotes are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, full coverage, $100 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are taken into consideration.
Mazda 5 liability-only versus full coverage
The illustration below shows the difference between Mazda 5 yearly insurance costs with full coverage compared to only the California minimum liability coverage. The prices are based on no claims or driving citations, $250 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are factored in.
When to drop comp and collision
There is no definitive formula that works best for making the decision to drop physical damage coverage, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the annual cost of coverage is more than around 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, the it may be a good time to stop paying for full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Mazda 5 claim settlement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is totaled, the most your company will settle for is $5,000 after paying your deductible. If you are paying in excess of $500 a year to have full coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.
There are some circumstances where removing full coverage is not a good idea. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to maintain full coverage as part of the loan conditions. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in case of an accident, you should keep full coverage in place.
What Impacts Mazda 5 Insurance Prices?
Many different elements are taken into consideration when quoting car insurance. A few of the factors are predictable like your driving record, but other factors are not quite as obvious like where you live or how financially stable you are. When buying auto insurance it’s important to understand the rating factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. If you have some idea of what influences your rates, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you lower rates.
Shown below are some of the major factors that factor into rates.
Discounts for married drivers – Your spouse may cut your premiums when shopping for auto insurance. Marriage may mean you are more mature than a single person and it’s statistically proven that married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
Rates and occupation – Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Jobs like lawyers, air traffic controllers, and stock brokers usually pay the highest rates because of high stress levels and lengthy work days. On the other hand, careers like farmers, students and performers generally pay rates lower than average.
Liability protection claims can be big – Liability coverage is the coverage that protects you in the event that you are responsible for physical damage or personal injury to other. Your liability coverage provides legal defense to attempt to prove you were not liable. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so insureds should have plenty of protection for their assets.
Alarm systems systems cut rates – Purchasing a vehicle that has a built-in theft deterrent system can help lower your rates. Systems that thwart thieves such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all help stop car theft.
Loss statistics for a Mazda 5 – Auto insurance companies analyze historical claim data when they set coverage costs for each model. Vehicles that statistically have a higher amount or frequency of claims will cost more to insure.
The table below shows the insurance loss data used by companies for Mazda 5 vehicles. For each insurance policy coverage type, the statistical loss for all vehicles, regardless of make or model, is set at 100. Values that are 100 or less indicate better than average losses, while values that are above 100 point to more losses or statistically larger claims.
| Vehicle Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda 5 | 86 | 86 | 73 | 103 | 95 | 91 |
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
There’s no such thing as the perfect car insurance policy
When buying the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
- Why am I required to buy liability insurance?
- Will filing a claim cost me more?
- Are my company tools covered if they get stolen?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Do I need replacement cost coverage?
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my Mazda 5 is totaled?
- Am I covered if I hit a deer?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.
Shop online but buy locally
A lot of people just want to buy from a licensed agent and often times that is recommended One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is you can get cheap rate quotes and still choose a local agent. Buying from local insurance agencies is especially important in Irvine.
After completing this quick form, your information is transmitted to insurance agents in Irvine who will give you bids for your coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to find an agent on your own because quoted prices will be sent to you directly. You can find the lowest rates and work with a local agent. If you wish to get a comparison quote from a particular provider, you just need to navigate to their website and fill out their quote form.
If you want local Irvine agents, there are a couple of types of insurance agents and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Irvine agents can be categorized as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Independent Car Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that elect to be independent do not have single company limitations so they can quote policies through lots of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply switch companies in-house and you don’t have to switch agencies. When comparing rate quotes, we recommend you get quotes from a couple of independent agencies for maximum quote selection. Many write coverage with smaller companies which may have better rates.
Featured below is a small list of independent agents in Irvine that may be able to give comparison quotes.
- Morning Star Agency Insurance Services Incorporated
1340 Reynolds Ave #103 – Irvine, CA 92614 – (949) 833-2030 – View Map - Hodge and Hodge Insurance Inc
10 Hughes # 205 – Irvine, CA 92618 – (949) 458-0442 – View Map - Blackwell Insurance
23002 Lake Center Dr – Lake Forest, CA 92630 – (949) 421-0222 – View Map
Exclusive Car Insurance Agencies
These type of agents can only write with one company like AAA, Allstate, State Farm, or Farmers Insurance. They usually cannot compare other company’s rates so always compare other rates. Exclusive agents are usually well trained in insurance sales which helps them sell on service rather than price. Some people will only buy from the same agent for years primarily because of the brand rather than having low rates.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Irvine that are able to give price quotes.
- Farmers Insurance – Charmaine Lim
20 Pacifica #1450 – Irvine, CA 92618 – (949) 387-9999 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Kay Yang
4255 Campus Dr A270 – Irvine, CA 92612 – (949) 509-2888 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Al Kash
17702 Mitchell N – Irvine, CA 92614 – (949) 216-3620 – View Map
Choosing an insurance agency is decision based upon more than just the premium amount. Agents should be asked these questions:
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- How long has their agency been in business in Irvine?
- How would your car be valued if totaled?
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- Are there any discounts for paying up front?
Insurance protects more than just your car
Despite the high insurance cost for a Mazda 5 in Irvine, insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.
First, just about all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires a minimum amount of liability protection 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 you bought your car with a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will have a requirement that you have full coverage to guarantee payment of the loan. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender will be forced to insure your Mazda at a more expensive rate and require you to reimburse them for it.
Third, insurance safeguards not only your Mazda but also your assets. It will also pay for medical bills incurred in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay for a defense attorney in the event you are sued. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, your policy will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of buying insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially with large liability claims. According to a recent study, the average American driver overpays more than $810 a year so compare quotes from several companies every year to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Do the work, save more money
Cheaper Mazda 5 insurance in Irvine can be bought on the web and with local Irvine insurance agents, so get free Irvine auto insurance quotes from both of them to have the best selection. Some insurance providers may not have online quoting and most of the time these small insurance companies prefer to sell through independent insurance agencies.
As you shop your coverage around, it’s very important that you do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, an insured dropped collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
Drivers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including questionable increases in premium, delays in responding to claim requests, delays in paying claims or not issuing a premium refund. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is easier than you think.
For more information, feel free to visit the articles below:
- Avoiding Deer Collisions (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much are Irvine Car Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Tacoma? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for Low Credit Scores in Irvine? (FAQ)
- How Much are Irvine Car Insurance Rates for a Ford Escape? (FAQ)
- Parking Tips to Reduce Door Dings (State Farm)
- What is a Telematics Device? (Allstate)
- New Honda safety features benefit drivers of all ages (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Understanding Car Crashes Video (iihs.org)