We don’t have to point out that fact that insurance companies want to keep you from shopping around. Consumers who shop for lower prices are highly likely to switch to a new company because of the good chance of finding better rates. A survey found that people who faithfully checked for cheaper rates saved approximately $865 a year compared to drivers who never compared rates.
If finding the best rates on Hyundai Sonata insurance is your intention, learning how to quote and compare car insurance can make the process less intimidating.
It takes a few minutes, but the best way to get budget Hyundai Sonata insurance in Stockton is to compare prices annually from insurers that insure vehicles in California. You can compare rates by completing these steps.
- First, learn about how insurance works and the measures you can take to prevent expensive coverage. Many rating factors that cause high rates like accidents, traffic tickets, and a negative credit score can be controlled by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. Continue reading for tips to help prevent expensive coverage and find more discounts that you may not know about.
- Second, compare price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while independent agents can provide price quotes from multiple sources.
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available in Stockton. If you can save some money, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
An important note is that you use the same liability limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get rates from as many different companies as possible. This provides a fair rate comparison and plenty of rates choose from.
Finding affordable coverage in Stockton is easy if you know what you’re doing. In a nutshell, every person who is required by state law to have insurance most likely will find a lower-cost company. Nevertheless, California consumers must comprehend the way insurance companies price online insurance because it varies considerably.
To find low cost prices, there are a couple of ways to compare prices from many available insurance companies in California. One of the best ways to find affordable Hyundai Sonata insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates.
When price shopping your coverage, comparing a wide range of rates increases the chance that you will find the best price. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide rate quotes online, so you also need to get prices from them as well.
The following companies are ready to provide free quotes in California. If multiple companies are shown, we suggest you visit several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Protect more than your Sonata
Despite the high insurance cost for a Hyundai Sonata in Stockton, insurance is mandatory in California but it also protects more than you think.
- The majority of states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to buy specific minimum amounts of liability insurance 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 took out a loan on your Hyundai, almost all lenders will make it a condition of the loan that you buy insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you let the policy lapse, the lender will be forced to insure your Hyundai at a much higher premium rate and force you to reimburse them a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects your Hyundai and your assets. It will also provide coverage for hospital and medical expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you cause an accident and are sued. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, especially with large liability claims. On average, a vehicle owner in Stockton is wasting up to $850 per year so smart consumers compare quotes each time the policy renews to save money.
Coverage analysis
The coverage table shown below highlights a range of insurance premium costs for Hyundai Sonata models. Understanding more about how insurance policy rates are established can be of help when making decisions when shopping around.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $210 | $362 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,252 | $104 |
| Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $210 | $362 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,252 | $104 |
| Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $210 | $362 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,252 | $104 |
| Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $210 | $426 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,316 | $110 |
| Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $210 | $426 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,316 | $110 |
| Sonata Limited 4-Dr Sedan | $238 | $426 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,344 | $112 |
| Sonata Limited 4-Dr Sedan | $238 | $426 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,344 | $112 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices above based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-policy. Information does not factor in your specific Stockton location which can lower or raise premiums considerably.
Car insurance deductibles
One of the more difficult decisions when buying car insurance is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The premium rates below may help you to understand the costs and benefits of buying low and high physical damage deductibles. The first data table uses a $100 physical damage coverage deductible and the second price table uses a $500 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $380 | $686 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,771 | $148 |
| Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $380 | $686 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,771 | $148 |
| Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $380 | $686 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,771 | $148 |
| Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $380 | $810 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,895 | $158 |
| Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $380 | $810 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,895 | $158 |
| Sonata Limited 4-Dr Sedan | $430 | $810 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,945 | $162 |
| Sonata Limited 4-Dr Sedan | $430 | $810 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,945 | $162 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $278 | $464 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,422 | $119 |
| Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $278 | $464 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,422 | $119 |
| Sonata GLS 4-Dr Sedan | $278 | $464 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,422 | $119 |
| Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $278 | $546 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,504 | $125 |
| Sonata SE 4-Dr Sedan | $278 | $546 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,504 | $125 |
| Sonata Limited 4-Dr Sedan | $314 | $546 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,540 | $128 |
| Sonata Limited 4-Dr Sedan | $314 | $546 | $500 | $30 | $150 | $1,540 | $128 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, and homeowner. Premium costs do not factor in vehicle location which can alter prices greatly.
We can derive from the above data that using a $100 deductible costs roughly $32 more each month or $384 every year than buying the higher $500 deductible. Since you would have to pay $400 more to settle a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you have at least 13 months between claim filings, you would most likely save money if you opt for a higher deductible.
How to determine if a higher deductible is a good idea
| Average monthly premium for $100 deductibles: | $155 |
| Average monthly premium for $500 deductibles (subtract): | – $123 |
| Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $32 |
| Difference between deductibles ($500 – $100): | $400 |
| Divide difference by monthly savings: | $400 / $32 |
| Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 13 months |
One important caveat is that increasing deductibles to lower your rates means you will have to cover more of the damage yourself if you have a claim. It will be required that you have some non-essential savings in the event you need to pay more for the deductible.
The chart below illustrates how your choice of deductibles and can influence Hyundai Sonata yearly insurance costs for different categories of driver ages. The rates are based on a married male driver, full coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
Hyundai Sonata annual premiums for males versus females
The example below compares Hyundai Sonata auto insurance rates for male and female drivers. The prices are based on no claims, a clean driving record, full coverage, $250 deductibles, drivers are single, and no discounts are applied.
Should you buy full coverage?
The information below shows the comparison of Hyundai Sonata car insurance costs with and without full coverage. The prices are based on no violations or claims, $1,000 deductibles, single marital status, and no discounts are applied.
When to stop buying full coverage
There is no clear-cut rule to exclude comp and collision coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than around 10% of the replacement cost of your vehicle minus the policy deductible, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
For example, let’s assume your Hyundai Sonata claim settlement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most your company will settle for is $5,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If it’s costing you more than $500 a year for physical damage coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
There are some scenarios where dropping physical damage coverage is not recommended. If you haven’t paid off your loan, you have to keep full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is in an accident, you should maintain full coverage.
Get affordable Hyundai Sonata insurance in Stockton with discounts
Some insurers don’t necessarily list every policy discount in an easy-to-find place, so we researched both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits that may apply to you.
- Active Service Discounts – Being deployed in the military could be rewarded with lower rates.
- Discount for Good Grades – Performing well in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. Most companies allow this discount until age 25.
- Bundle and Save – If you can combine your homeowners and auto policy and insure them with the same company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Senior Citizen Discount – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get lower premium rates.
- Multiple Vehicles – Purchasing coverage when you have multiple cars or trucks with the same car insurance company can get a discount for every vehicle.
You should keep in mind that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Despite the fact that it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way.
The diagram below illustrates the difference between Hyundai Sonata insurance premiums with and without discounts being applied to the rates. Data assumes a female driver, no claims or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, multi-policy, safe-driver, marriage, claim-free, and homeowner discounts applied.
A list of companies and a partial list of their discounts are:
- Mercury Insurance offers discounts for multi-car, multi-policy, good driver, anti-theft, and annual mileage.
- Farmers Insurance may include discounts for early shopping, homeowner, youthful driver, mature driver, and pay in full.
- Farm Bureau includes discounts for youthful driver, renewal discount, safe driver, 55 and retired, and multi-policy.
- State Farm may offer discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, good student, student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, and multiple autos.
- Allstate may have discounts that include multi-policy, FullPay discount, anti-theft, passive restraint, and good student.
- GEICO has discounts for military active duty, five-year accident-free, driver training, federal employee, good student, membership and employees, and multi-policy.
If you want affordable Stockton auto insurance quotes, ask each company the best way to save money. Discounts might not apply in Stockton. If you would like to view providers with the best discounts in Stockton, click here to view.
Get rate quotes but still have a local Stockton insurance agent
Certain consumers prefer to buy from a local agent and doing so can bring peace of mind A good thing about price shopping on the web is that drivers can save money and get the lowest rates but also keep your business local. Supporting local agents is especially important in Stockton.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is sent to local insurance agents who want to provide quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. There is no need to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. Get lower rates and a licensed agent to work with. If you want to quote rates from a specific auto insurance provider, you just need to find their quoting web page and complete a quote there.
Pick the best auto insurance agent in Stockton for you
When narrowing the list to find a reliable insurance agent, you should know the different types of agencies and how they are slightly different. Auto insurance agents are categorized either independent agents or exclusive agents.
Independent Auto Insurance Agencies or Brokers
Agents of this type often have many company appointments and that is an advantage because they can write policies through lots of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, they can switch companies in-house and the insured can keep the same agent.
If you are comparing auto insurance prices, it’s recommended you compare prices from a couple of independent agencies for the best price selection. Most also have access to small regional insurance companies which can save you money.
Shown below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Stockton who may be able to give you free auto insurance rate quotes.
- Insurance Services of Stockton
1150 W Robinhood Dr # 1A – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 474-6174 – View Map - Sanguinetti and Co Insurance Brokers
7337 Pacific Ave – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 322-4048 – View Map - Lucchesi Jr Dan A
2522 Grand Canal Blvd # 9 – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 957-6515 – View Map
Exclusive Agencies
Agents in the exclusive channel write business for a single company and some examples include State Farm, Allstate and AAA. Exclusive agents cannot place coverage with different providers so they have no alternatives for high prices. They are well trained on sales techniques which helps them sell on service rather than price. Consumers sometimes buy from exclusive agents primarily because of loyalty to the company and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive agencies in Stockton that can give you comparison quotes.
- Allstate Insurance Agent: Myles B. Harris Jr.
8807 Thornton Rd, # D1 – Stockton, CA 95209 – (209) 472-8585 – View Map - Farmers Insurance: W. Faye Giovenetti
1833 W March Ln #2 – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 472-7704 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Russell Steele
829 Rosemarie Ln i – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 956-8561 – View Map
Deciding on an insurance agent should include more criteria than just a cheap price. The following questions are important to ask.
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Who are their largest clients?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- Are they primarily personal or commercial lines agents in Stockton?
- Does the agent have a valid license to sell insurance in California?
In conclusion
We just showed you some good ideas how to compare Hyundai Sonata insurance rates in Stockton. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from the least-expected company.
Cheaper car insurance in Stockton can be found online and also from your neighborhood Stockton agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who may not offer online rate quotes and these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agencies.
Consumers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, poor customer service, policy cancellation or even extreme rates for teen drivers. It doesn’t matter what your reason, switching car insurance companies is less work than it seems.
More tips and info about car insurance is located in the articles below:
- Understanding Limits and Deductibles (Allstate)
- How Much are Stockton Car Insurance Rates for Drivers Over Age 50? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Lyft Drivers in Stockton? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Teenage Males in Stockton? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance for Uber Drivers in Stockton? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Stockton Car Insurance Rates for a Ford Escape? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Stockton Car Insurance Quotes for a Nissan Altima? (FAQ)
- Where can I buy Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Learn About Car Insurance (GEICO)
- Insurance Losses by Make and Model (iihs.org)
- Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)