Consumer Tested Strategies for Finding Cheap Santa Ana Car Insurance

No one looks forward to buying car insurance, particularly when their premiums are too high.

There are many auto insurance companies to buy insurance from, and although it’s a good thing to have a selection, it makes it harder to find the lowest rates.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Santa Ana is quite easy. Just about everyone who shops for car insurance will most likely be able to lower their premiums. Nevertheless, California consumers do need to understand the way insurance companies sell online and use this information to your advantage.

Cheap Santa Ana Car Insurance Comparisons

The are a couple different ways of comparing rates and find the best price. The simplest method to find the lowest rates consists of shopping online. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

The fastest way to compare a lot of rates at once is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This type of form prevents you from having to do repetitive form entry to each individual car insurance company. One quote request compares rates instantly.

A different way to analyze rates is spending the time to visit each company’s website to complete a price quote. For instance, let’s say you want to compare Nationwide, Esurance and GEICO. To get each rate you have to visit each site and enter your information, which is why the first method is more popular.

For a list of links to insurance companies in Santa Ana, click here.

The least efficient way to compare rates is driving to insurance agents’ offices. The internet has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the professional guidance of a licensed agent. Drivers can obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles with each company. If you have different deductibles you will not be able to decipher which rate is best in Santa Ana. Just a small difference in insurance coverages may result in large price differences. And when comparison shopping, quoting more will enable you to find better pricing.

Misconceptions in car insurance advertisements

State Farm, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. All the companies make the same claim about savings if you switch your policy. How do they all say the same thing? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a preferred risk might be profiled as between 30 and 50, owns a home, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will be charged a higher premium and this can result in business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s why companies can advertise the way they do. That is why drivers should quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Santa Ana

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that help determine your car insurance rates. Understanding what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

Having a spouse can save you money – Being married helps lower the price on car insurance. Marriage means you’re more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.
Multi-policy discounts can save money – The majority of insurance companies give discounts to people who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to 10 percent or more. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s in your best interest to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
The type of vehicle makes a difference – The type of vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a huge difference in the rate you pay. The lowest rates are for economy passenger cars, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
Rural vs Urban Areas – Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas has it’s advantages when buying car insurance. Fewer people translates into fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. Drivers in populated California areas tend to have congested traffic and longer commute times. Longer commute distances translates into higher accident risk.
Never let your coverage lapse – Driving with no insurance is against the law and car insurance companies will penalize you for letting your coverage lapse. Not only will you pay more, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a steep fine or even jail time.

Discounts can save BIG

Car insurance companies don’t always list every discount very well, so the following is a list of some of the best known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

Payment Method – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
Life Insurance Discount – Some companies give better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you will save approximately 10% to 15%.
Multiple Cars – Insuring all your vehicles on the same car insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
Paperless Signup – A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing online.
Discount for Good Grades – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
Student in College – Children who live away from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.

It’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.

To see a list of insurers who offer car insurance discounts in Santa Ana, click this link.

Can’t I compare rates from local Santa Ana agents?

Some people just want to buy from a local agent. The best thing about getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find lower rates and still choose a local agent.

For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your information is transmitted to local insurance agents who will give you bids for your insurance coverage. You never need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent to your email. How cool is that?! You’ll get the best rates and work with a local agent.

Deciding on an insurer shouldn’t rely on just the price. Some important questions to ask are:

How long has their agency been open in Santa Ana?
Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in California?
Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
If you have an accident, will your rates go up?

What type of Santa Ana car insurance agent is right for you?

When researching local Santa Ana agents, you must know there are a couple types of agencies that you can select. Agencies in Santa Ana are classified as either independent or captive.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agents write business for a single company like Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. They receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.

Below is a short list of captive insurance agencies in Santa Ana who can help you get comparison quotes.

Allstate Insurance – 828 N Bristol St # 201 – Santa Ana, CA 92703 – (714) 542-3585
Farmers Insurance Group – 2134 N Tustin Ave – Santa Ana, CA 92705 – (714) 285-1234

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency. When searching for an agent, it’s recommended you get quotes from several independent insurance agents for the best price selection.

The following are independent agencies in Santa Ana willing to provide price quote information.

Felix Insurance – 1333 E 1st St – Santa Ana, CA 92701 – (714) 285-9990
Chriside Insurance and Travel – 940 N Harbor Blvd – Santa Ana, CA 92703 – (714) 210-1900

To view a full list of insurance agents in Santa Ana, visit this site.

After receiving answers to your satisfaction to your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, chances are good that you have found an insurance agency that can service your policy.

Better coverage you can count on

In this article, we presented many tips how you can lower your car insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies. These companies often have lower prices on specific markets than their larger competitors like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.

While you’re price shopping online, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped full coverage and found out when filing a claim that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

More detailed California car insurance information can be found at the California Department of Insurance website. California drivers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, download brochures, and read industry bulletins.

Other useful links include this online resource for free quotes in California and this link which helps you find a Santa Ana agent.