It’s safe to assume that insurance companies want to keep your business as long as possible. Consumers who get price comparisons are very likely to buy a different policy because there is a good chance of finding more affordable rates. Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that drivers who did price comparisons regularly saved $850 each year compared to people who didn’t regularly shop around.
If finding budget-friendly rates on insurance is the reason you’re here, then having a good understanding how to get rate quotes and compare insurance can make it easier for you to save money.
Really, the only way to find the cheapest price for Pontiac Solstice insurance is to regularly compare prices from providers in Stockton.
- Read and learn about how companies set rates and the modifications you can make to prevent expensive coverage. Many factors that cause high rates such as traffic violations and a low credit rating can be eliminated by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
- Request rate estimates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can provide rates from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide prices from multiple sources. Click to view companies
- Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy to determine if you can save on Solstice insurance. If you can save some money and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
- Provide proper notification to your current company to cancel your current coverage and submit a completed policy application and payment to the new insurer. Make sure you safely store the proof of insurance certificate along with your vehicle registration.
An important note is to use similar deductibles and liability limits on each price quote and and to look at as many companies as you can. This ensures a fair rate comparison and a better comparison of the market.
How to Lower Your Insurance Costs
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the factors that play a part in calculating your policy premiums. When consumers understand what determines base rates, this enables you to make decisions that could help you find lower rates.
Use credit responsibly and save – Your credit rating factor in calculating your premium rate. If your credit rating is low, you may save money insuring your Pontiac Solstice if you clean up your credit. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be less risk to insure as compared to drivers with poor credit scores.
Insurance is expensive for teen drivers – Drivers with little experience are known to be less responsible when behind the wheel so insurance rates are higher. Older drivers are more responsible, are lower risk to insure, and are generally more financially stable.
Urban residents pay more – Residing in less populated areas of the country may provide you with better prices when trying to find low car insurance rates. Residents of big cities have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Less people translates into fewer accident claims and a lower car theft rate.
Coverage lapses raise premiums – Allowing your insurance policy to lapse is a fast way to increase your rates. Not only will rates go up, being ticketed for driving with no insurance could result in a license revocation or jail time. You may need to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the California motor vehicle department.
The companies shown below offer free quotes in California. If more than one company is shown, we recommend you visit several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Auto insurance is an important decision
Even though it can be expensive, insuring your vehicle is required by state law in California and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
First, almost all states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to buy a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car legally. 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 your car has a loan, most banks will require that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the lender may insure your Pontiac for a lot more money and require you to reimburse them much more than you were paying before.
Third, insurance safeguards both your Pontiac and your personal assets. It will also provide coverage for hospital and medical expenses that are the result of an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also covers legal expenses if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your Pontiac gets damaged, your policy will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of buying enough insurance are definitely more than the cost, especially if you ever need it. But the average American driver overpays as much as $700 annually so shop around at every policy renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Do you qualify for discounts on Pontiac Solstice insurance in Stockton?
Auto insurance can be pricey, but there could be available discounts to help offset the cost. Some discounts will apply at the time you complete a quote, but less common discounts must be specifically requested prior to receiving the credit.
- Use Seat Belts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save 10% or more off the PIP or medical payment premium.
- Good Students Pay Less – Maintaining excellent grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. Many companies even apply the discount to college students until age 25.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time as opposed to paying monthly you may have a lower total premium amount.
- Responsible Driver Discount – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more compared to accident prone drivers.
- Active Military Service – Being deployed with a military unit could trigger a small discount.
- New Car Discount – Buying a new car instead of a used Solstice can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new model year vehicles.
- Low Mileage – Driving less could earn lower auto insurance rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less when compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Just being a homeowner can save you money since home ownership shows financial diligence.
- Senior Citizen Rates – Drivers that qualify as senior citizens can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
Don’t be surprised that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Despite the appearance that you would end up receiving a 100% discount, that’s just not realistic.
A few of the larger companies and the discounts they provide are outlined below.
- Farmers Insurance includes discounts for mature driver, business and professional, electronic funds transfer, good student, youthful driver, teen driver, and alternative fuel.
- State Farm may have discounts that include Drive Safe & Save, multiple autos, multiple policy, good student, passive restraint, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and accident-free.
- Liberty Mutual discounts include newly married, teen driver discount, newly retired, multi-car, good student, hybrid vehicle, and exclusive group savings.
- MetLife policyholders can earn discounts including good student, defensive driver, accident-free, multi-policy, good driver, claim-free
- Progressive offers discounts including online signing, multi-policy, continuous coverage, good student, and online quote discount.
Double check with all companies you are considering the best way to save money. Some credits might not be available to policyholders in Stockton. To choose insurers who offer discounts in Stockton, click this link.
Car insurance quotes from local neighborhood Stockton car insurance agents
A small number of people would prefer to talk to an insurance agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Professional insurance agents can make sure you are properly covered and help in the event of a claim. A good thing about price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find cheap car insurance quotes but also keep your business local. Buying from and supporting local insurance agents is important especially in Stockton.
Once you complete this quick form, your information gets sent to local insurance agents that give free quotes for your business. You won’t need to find an agent since rate quotes are delivered to you. If for some reason you want to compare prices from a particular provider, just navigate to their website and submit a quote form there.
If you prefer to buy car insurance from a local Stockton insurance agency, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents that you can select. Car insurance agents in Stockton can either be exclusive agents or independent agents. Both types can handle car insurance, but it’s a good idea to understand the difference between them because it may have an impact on the selection process.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies or Brokers
These agents are normally appointed by many insurers so as a result can place your coverage through lots of different companies and find the cheapest car insurance rates. If they find a lower price, the business is moved internally and you can keep the same agent. If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you need to get insurance quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to get the best comparison.
Featured below is a list of independent insurance agencies in Stockton who may be able to give you rate quotes.
Travaille Insurance: Travaille Amy
6735 Herndon Pl # A – Stockton, CA 95219 – (209) 473-1777 – View Map
Banuelos Insurance Agency
2300 Waterloo Rd – Stockton, CA 95205 – (209) 513-3248 – View Map
Mark Berbower Insurance Agency
2 W Swain Rd – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 405-1088 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Agents in the exclusive channel can only provide pricing for a single company such as AAA, Allstate, and State Farm. Exclusive agents are unable to provide rate quotes from other companies so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are well trained on their products and sales techniques which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
Below are Stockton exclusive agents that can give you comparison quotes.
Ramon Fernandez – State Farm Insurance Agent
3443 Deer Park Dr D – Stockton, CA 95219 – (209) 461-0170 – View Map
Farmers Insurance: Evelyn Morales
1348 N Center St – Stockton, CA 95202 – (209) 465-7446 – View Map
Farmers Insurance – Manuel Luna
445 W Weber Ave #225 – Stockton, CA 95203 – (209) 957-8675 – View Map
Finding the right car insurance agent should depend on more than just the price. Any good agent in Stockton should know the answers to these questions.
- When do they do policy reviews?
- Does the agency have a positive business rating?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- If your car is totaled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- How long has their agency been in business in Stockton?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
Compare but don’t skimp
As you quote Stockton auto insurance, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that the savings was not a smart move. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate and still be able to protect your assets.
We just presented a lot of ways to shop for Pontiac Solstice insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the best price on car insurance is with a small mutual company. Some small companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as Progressive or GEICO.
For more information, feel free to visit the following helpful articles:
- Safety Belts FAQ (iihs.org)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for Homeowners in Stockton? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Nurses in Stockton? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Stockton Car Insurance Rates for a Toyota Tacoma? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Stockton Auto Insurance for a Ford Fusion? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for a Learners Permit in Stockton? (FAQ)
- What is a Telematics Device? (Allstate)
- Side airbags reduce rollover fatalities (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Understanding Your Insurance Deductible (Insurance Information Institute)
- Avoiding Deer Collisions (Insurance Information Institute)