It’s shocking but 70% of consumers have purchased from the same company for at least the last four years, and nearly half have never compared rate quotes at all. Many drivers in the U.S. could save an average of nearly $850 each year, but they underestimate the rate savings if they changed companies.
It takes a little time, but the best way to find the cheapest price for Kia Spectra insurance is to start comparing prices regularly from insurance carriers in Stockton. You can compare rates by completing these steps.
- Take a few minutes and learn about individual coverages and the changes you can make to drop your rates. Many rating criteria that result in higher rates like high-risk driving behaviors and a negative credit history can be remedied by being financially responsible and driving safely.
- Compare price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to determine if you can save on Spectra insurance. If you find better rates and switch companies, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
- Notify your agent or company of your decision to cancel your current coverage. Submit a signed application and payment to the new insurer. As soon as you can, store the proof of insurance paperwork along with the vehicle’s registration papers.
One important bit of advice is to make sure you enter the same liability limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to look at every insurance company. This guarantees the most accurate price comparison and a thorough price selection.
The purpose of this post is to introduce you to how to get online quotes and some tips to save money. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to find the best rates using these methods. But California drivers do need to learn the way companies charge you for coverage and use this information to your advantage.
When quoting auto insurance, remember that comparing more rates from different companies gives you a better chance of getting lower pricing. Not every company allows you to get online rate quotes, so you should also compare rates on coverage from those companies, too.
The providers in the list below provide comparison quotes in Stockton, CA. If multiple companies are shown, it’s highly recommended you click on several of them in order to find the cheapest rates.
Three reasons to not skimp on insurance
Despite the fact that insurance is not cheap in Stockton, insuring your vehicle serves several important purposes.
First, almost all states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to buy specific minimum amounts of liability protection in order to drive the car. 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 have a loan on your vehicle, most banks will force you to carry insurance to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender will be forced to insure your Kia for a lot more money and require you to pay the higher premium.
Third, insurance safeguards both your Kia Spectra and your personal assets. It will also provide coverage for medical bills for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of buying enough insurance are definitely more than the cost, particularly when you have a large claim. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is overpaying over $700 annually so it’s important to compare rates at every policy renewal to save money.
Affordable rates on Kia Spectra insurance in Stockton with these auto insurance discounts
Some insurers do not list every available discount very well, so the following is a list of some of the more common as well as some of the hidden credits that may apply to you.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Employees or retirees of the government may qualify for a discount when you quote Stockton auto insurance but check with your company.
- Military Discounts – Having an actively deployed family member could qualify you for better rates.
- Low Mileage – Keeping the miles down on your Kia can qualify you for slightly better premium rates than normal.
- Use Seat Belts – Forcing all vehicle occupants to fasten their seat belts can save 10% or more off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Payment Method – If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Cars equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Early Signing – Some larger companies give discounts for signing up before your current coverage expires. You can save around 10% with this discount.
- One Accident Forgiven – Not a discount per se, but companies like Progressive, Allstate, and Liberty Mutual permit an accident without getting socked with a rate hike so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to being involved in the accident.
- Telematics Data – Policyholders that allow their insurance company to look at driving manner by installing a telematics device like Allstate’s Drivewise may get a rate reduction as long as they are good drivers.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it appears having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way. But any discount will definitely lower the amount you pay for coverage.
To choose providers with significant discounts in California, click this link.
Buying from insurance agents
Many people just want to buy from a licensed agent and doing that can be a smart decision A good thing about comparing rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get cheap rate quotes but also keep your business local. And providing support for local agencies is definitely important in Stockton.
Once you complete this quick form, your insurance data is immediately sent to local insurance agents who will give competitive quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to search for any insurance agencies due to the fact that quote results will go instantly to you. You can most likely find cheaper rates without a big time investment. If you want to quote rates from a specific insurance company, just go to their quote page and give them your coverage information.
The different types of auto insurance agents
If you need to find a local agent, it helps to know the two different agency structures that you can select. Car insurance policy providers are categorized either independent agents or exclusive agents.
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents that elect to be independent do not have single company limitations so they can quote policies with many different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If premiums increase, your agent can just switch to a different company and you don’t have to switch agencies. When searching for an agent, we recommend you check rates from several independent agencies in order to compare the most rates. Most have the option of insuring with companies you’ve never heard of which could offer lower prices.
Listed below is a small list of independent insurance agents in Stockton that can possibly get you competitive price quotes.
- Big Savings Insurance Agency, Inc
7153 Pacific Ave – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 956-2000 – View Map - Stockton Insurance Services
1407 E Miner Ave – Stockton, CA 95205 – (209) 941-4444 – View Map - Brown and Brown Ins. Svcs. of CA Inc. DBA Debock and Muth Insurance Agency
1330 W Fremont St – Stockton, CA 95203 – (209) 465-5671 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Exclusive agents have only one company to place business with and some examples include State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They are unable to shop your coverage around so always compare other rates. They are very knowledgeable on what they offer and that allows them to sell at a higher price point. Some people will only buy insurance from these agents mostly because of high brand loyalty and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Below is a list of exclusive agencies in Stockton willing to provide price quote information.
- Farmers Insurance: Olivia Lara
4110 N El Dorado St – Stockton, CA 95204 – (209) 518-9465 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Jason Ramey
5250 Claremont Ave #138 – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 472-6080 – View Map - Farmers Insurance: Edward Barney
1350 W Robinhood Dr #3 – Stockton, CA 95207 – (209) 477-6215 – View Map
Picking an car insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- Who are their largest clients?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in California?
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
- How many years have they been established?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- Will they take your side in the event of a claim?
- Do they get paid more for recommending certain coverages?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
After talking to the agent and getting reasonable responses to any questions you have and a good coverage price, it’s possible that you found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to provide car insurance coverage.
Find cheaper auto insurance rates by comparing often
There are still a few companies who may not provide online rate quotes and many times these regional insurance providers sell through independent agencies. The cheapest Kia Spectra insurance in Stockton is definitely available both online and also from your neighborhood Stockton agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates.
You just read some good ideas how to lower your Kia Spectra insurance rates in Stockton. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.
Insureds who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as being labeled a high risk driver, unfair underwriting practices, lack of trust in their agent or even not issuing a premium refund. Regardless of your reason, finding a great new company can be easier than you think.
Additional information can be read below:
- Determining Auto Insurance Rates (GEICO)
- Safety Belts FAQ (iihs.org)
- Teen Driving Statistics (iihs.org)
- Understanding Your Insurance Deductible (Insurance Information Institute)
- Vehicle Insurance in the U.S. (Wikipedia)