Amazingly, the vast majority of insurance customers kept buying from the same company for well over three years, and nearly 40% of drivers have never compared rates with other companies. Drivers in Stockton could save an average of 35% each year just by shopping around, but they don’t believe the actual amount they would save if they changed companies.
If saving the most money is your goal, then the best way to find low-cost prices for auto insurance rates in Stockton is to compare prices once a year from insurance carriers who provide auto insurance in California.
- First, spend a few minutes and learn about the coverage provided by your policy and the steps you can take to prevent high rates. Many factors that cause high rates such as at-fault accidents, careless driving, and an unacceptable credit rating can be rectified by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes. This article provides tips to help reduce prices and get bigger discounts that may have been overlooked.
- Second, get rate quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can give quotes from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can quote rates for a wide range of companies.
- Third, compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available. If you can save money and switch companies, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Fourth, give proper notification to your current agent or company of your decision to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application to the new insurer. Once the application is submitted, put the new certificate verifying proof of insurance along with your vehicle registration.
One bit of advice is that you use identical limits and deductibles on every quote and to quote with as many car insurance companies as possible. This ensures an accurate price comparison and and a good selection of different prices.
Compare Stockton Acura RL insurance quotes
Cutting your Stockton car insurance rates is a great way to save money. Drivers just need to take time comparing price quotes online from several insurance companies.
It’s so easy to compare rate quotes online that it takes the place of having to spend time driving to insurance agencies in your area. Comparing online rate quotes can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you’re the type of person who wants the trained advice that only an agent can give. Although you can comparison shop your insurance online but still have the advice of a local agent.
The companies shown below are ready to provide quotes in Stockton, CA. If several companies are displayed, it’s a good idea that you get rates from several of them to get the best price comparison.
Analysis of coverages
The data table below covers a range of insurance premium costs for Acura RL models. Understanding more about how rates are calculated is important for drivers to make smart choices when comparing insurance quotes.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RL 3.7 | $454 | $998 | $574 | $34 | $172 | $2,232 | $186 |
RL 3.7 with Tech Package | $454 | $998 | $574 | $34 | $172 | $2,232 | $186 |
RL 3.7 with Tech/CMBS Package | $454 | $998 | $574 | $34 | $172 | $2,232 | $186 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Data variables include single female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, claim-free, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, and homeowner. Rates do not factor in the specific area where the vehicle is garaged which can alter prices substantially.
Physical damage deductibles
One frequently asked question is how high should the physical damage coverage deductibles be. The following tables show the difference in cost between high and low deductibles. The first rate table uses a $250 deductible for comp and collision and the second price table uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RL 3.7 | $474 | $882 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,981 | $165 |
RL 3.7 with Tech Package | $474 | $882 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,981 | $165 |
RL 3.7 with Tech/CMBS Package | $474 | $882 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,981 | $165 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RL 3.7 | $292 | $556 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,448 | $121 |
RL 3.7 with Tech Package | $292 | $556 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,448 | $121 |
RL 3.7 with Tech/CMBS Package | $292 | $556 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,448 | $121 |
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, homeowner, multi-vehicle, multi-policy, and safe-driver. Price estimates do not factor in your specific Stockton location which can influence coverage rates noticeably.
Using the premium rates above, we can conclude that using a $250 deductible costs roughly $44 more each month or $528 each year than selecting the higher $1,000 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $750 more to settle a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you usually have more than 17 months between claims, you would save money if you choose the higher deductible. The table below shows how this determination is made.
Average monthly premium for $250 deductibles: | $165 |
Average monthly premium for $1,000 deductibles (subtract): | – $121 |
Monthly savings from raising deductible: | $44 |
Difference between deductibles ($1,000 – $250): | $750 |
Divide difference by monthly savings: | $750 / $44 |
Number of months required between physical damage coverage claims in order to save money by choosing the higher deductible | 17 months |
One important caveat is that raising deductibles results in having to pay to pay more out-of-pocket when you have to file a claim. You need access to more funds in the event you need to pay the higher deductible in order to repair your vehicle.
Rate comparison of full coverage and liability-only
The chart below visualizes the comparison of Acura RL car insurance costs when comparing full coverage to liability only. The prices are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no other discounts are factored in.
Should you pay for full coverage or liability only?
There is no definitive guideline to exclude physical damage coverage, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the yearly cost for physical damage coverage is about 10% or more 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 assume your Acura RL replacement value is $6,000 and you have $1,000 physical damage deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would receive is $5,000 after the policy deductible has been paid. If it’s costing in excess of $500 annually for physical damage coverage, then you might want to think about dropping full coverage.
There are some conditions where buying only liability insurance is not a good plan. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to carry full coverage to protect the lienholder’s interest. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not consider dropping full coverage.
Don’t overlook these Acura RL insurance discounts
Some insurance providers don’t list every discount very well, so we took the time to find both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits that you can use to lower your rates.
- Use Seat Belts – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to use their safety belts may be able to save a few bucks off the medical payments premium.
- Bundled Policy Discount – If you combine your auto and homeowners policies and insure them both with the same insurance company they may give you a discount of at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts up to 30%.
- Multiple Cars – Insuring all your vehicles on one policy can reduce rates for all insured vehicles.
- Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
- Driver Safety – Completing a course teaching safe driver skills can save you 5% or more and easily pay for the cost of the class.
As is typical with insurance, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like you could get a free insurance policy, nobody gets a free ride.
The chart below illustrates the difference between Acura RL premium costs with and without discounts. The price estimates are based on a female driver, no claims or violations, California state minimum liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, marriage, claim-free, multi-car, multi-policy, and homeowner discounts applied.
Large insurance companies and their possible discounts are shown below.
- Progressive may offer discounts for continuous coverage, online quote discount, homeowner, good student, and multi-vehicle.
- MetLife policyholders can earn discounts including good student, defensive driver, claim-free, good driver, and accident-free.
- Mercury Insurance may include discounts for location of vehicle, ease of repair, good student, age of vehicle, good driver, professional/association, and multi-policy.
- Nationwide offers discounts including anti-theft, defensive driving, accident-free, good student, and Farm Bureau membership.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for emergency military deployment, good student, multi-vehicle, membership and employees, military active duty, anti-theft, and five-year accident-free.
- AAA includes discounts for multi-policy, good driver, multi-car, AAA membership discount, education and occupation, good student, and anti-theft.
When getting a coverage quote, ask all companies you are considering which discounts you qualify for. Some discounts may not be available in every state. If you would like to view insurance companies who offer discounts in California, click this link.
Why you need insurance for your Acura RL
Even though Stockton RL insurance rates can get expensive, buying insurance is a good idea for several reasons.
- Most states have minimum liability requirements which means state laws require a specific level of liability insurance if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 bought your RL with a loan, almost all lenders will stipulate that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Acura at a much higher rate and make you pay for the much more expensive policy.
- Insurance safeguards your Acura RL and your assets. Insurance will pay for all forms of medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability insurance will also pay to defend you if you cause an accident and are sued. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of buying insurance definitely exceed the cost, especially if you ever need it. According to a 2015 survey, the average American driver overpays more than $810 a year so shop around every year to ensure rates are competitive.
How to find a good Stockton car insurance company
Choosing the highest-rated insurance company is hard considering how many companies sell coverage in Stockton. The company ratings shown next could help you choose which car insurance companies to look at when comparing rate quotes.
Top 10 Stockton Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction
- Titan Insurance – 95%
- USAA – 94%
- AAA of Southern California – 92%
- AAA Insurance – 91%
- Nationwide – 90%
- State Farm – 90%
- The Hartford – 89%
- GEICO – 89%
- The General – 88%
- 21st Century – 88%
Top 10 Stockton Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Esurance – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
Buying car insurance from Stockton insurance agencies
A lot of people prefer to sit down with an agent. Good insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and will help you if you have claims. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you can get lower rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for local agents is important especially in Stockton.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your coverage information is sent to insurance agents in Stockton who will give competitive quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to contact an agency because prices are sent to you. If you need to get a rate quote for a specific company, feel free to find their quoting web page and submit a quote form there.
If you’re trying to find a local agent, it helps to know the two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Stockton agents are either exclusive or independent. Either can handle car insurance, but it’s important to point out how they differ since it can impact buying decisions.
Independent Car Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that elect to be independent do not work for one specific company and that allows them to write policies amongst many companies and get the cheapest rates. If prices rise, they simply move your policy to a different company and the insured can keep the same agent.
If you need lower rates, it’s a good idea to get insurance quotes from a few independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
Featured below is a partial list of independent insurance agencies in Stockton that may be able to provide price quote information.
Quality General Insurance Services
3008 E Hammer Ln # 109 – Stockton, CA 95212 – (209) 952-5139 – View Map
Raj Insurance Services
1743 Grand Canal Blvd #12 – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 472-2060 – View Map
Sanguinetti and Co Insurance Brokers
7337 Pacific Ave – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 322-4048 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive agents can usually just insure with one company and some examples include Allstate, State Farm and Farm Bureau. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide rate quotes from other companies so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive insurance agents receive a lot of sales training on their products and sales techniques and that allows them to sell at a higher price point.
Below are Stockton exclusive insurance agents that are able to give comparison quotes.
Farmers Insurance: Paula Ortiz
4550 N Pershing Ave #3 – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 956-3988 – View Map
Farmers Insurance: Olivia Lara
4110 N El Dorado St – Stockton, CA 95204 – (209) 518-9465 – View Map
Ramon Fernandez – State Farm Insurance Agent
3443 Deer Park Dr D – Stockton, CA 95219 – (209) 461-0170 – View Map
Choosing a auto insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the quoted price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Are all drivers listed on the coverage quote?
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
- Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
- What discounts might you be missing?
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
Upon getting satisfactory answers for all questions you ask and cheaper RL insurance quotes, you’ve probably found an insurance agent that can be trusted to insure your vehicles. Just be aware that you can cancel your coverage any time you want so don’t think that you’re stuck with any specific company with no way to switch.