A recent study showed that most auto insurance customers have purchased from the same company for at least four years, and practically 40% of auto insurance customers have never even shopped around for lower-cost coverage. Fresno drivers could save up to $470 every year just by shopping around, but they underestimate how much money they would save if they switched to a more affordable policy.
It takes a few minutes, but the best way to get cheaper Buick Century insurance in Fresno is to start comparing prices regularly from insurance carriers who sell auto insurance in California.
- Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of auto insurance and the steps you can take to prevent expensive coverage. Many policy risk factors that cause rate increases like accidents, careless driving, and poor credit history can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Step 2: Obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can provide rates from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agencies can quote rates for a wide range of companies. Compare rates now
- Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your existing policy to see if cheaper Century coverage is available. If you find better rates and buy the policy, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Tell your current company to cancel your current coverage and submit the signed application along with the required initial payment to the new insurer. Make sure you keep your new proof of insurance certificate somewhere easily accessible.
One thing to point out is that you use identical deductibles and limits on every quote and and to get quotes from as many carriers as you can. Doing this provides an accurate price comparison and the best price selection.
Finding the cheapest insurance coverage in Fresno is not that difficult. If you are already insured, you stand a good chance to be able to get lower rates using the concepts covered in this article. Drivers just need to use the least time-consuming way to find the lowest price online from multiple companies.
Why Informed Drivers Pay Less for Buick Century Insurance
Many different elements are considered when you get your auto insurance bill. Some of the criteria are obvious like a motor vehicle report, but others are more transparent such as your credit history or your commute time. An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the factors that help calculate the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get lower car insurance prices.
- Lower rates for married couples – Having a wife or husband may earn you lower rates on your car insurance policy. Marriage generally demonstrates drivers are less irresponsible it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.
- Tickets are costly – Only having one citation can boost insurance rates to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers who don’t get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. People who have multiple tickets such as DUI or willful reckless driving may find they need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
- Stay claim-free and save – If you file a lot of claims you should expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance companies in California give better rates to people who do not file claims often. Auto insurance is designed for claims that pose a financial burden.
- Type of vehicle determines base rates – The performance level of the car you are buying insurance for makes a huge difference in your rates. The cheapest rates are for low performance passenger models, but your final cost has many other factors.
- Vehicles with better crash test results means cheaper prices – Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. Highly rated vehicles reduce the chance of injuries and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
- Liability coverage – The liability coverage on your policy kicks in if a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. Your policy’s liability insurance provides legal defense to defend your case. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so insureds should have plenty of protection for their assets.
- Lower car insurance rates with continuous coverage – Letting your insurance expire is a sure-fire way to increase your car insurance rates. In addition to paying higher rates, the inability to provide proof of insurance may result in a revoked license or a big fine. You may then be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the California motor vehicle department.
The majority of larger companies such as State Farm and Allstate give prices for coverage on their websites. Getting quotes for Buick Century insurance in Fresno is pretty painless as you just type in your required coverages into a form. After you submit the form their quoting system will order your driving record and credit report and provides a quote based on the data you entered. This helps simplify price comparisons, and it’s necessary to do this if you want to find a better rate.
To save time and find out if lower rates are available, consider comparing rates from the companies shown below. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend that you enter the insurance coverages identical to your current policy. Doing this guarantees you will be getting rate comparison quotes for similar coverage.
The following companies have been selected to offer comparison quotes in California. In order to find cheap auto insurance in Fresno, CA, it’s highly recommended you visit several of them to get the best price comparison.
Protect more than your Buick Century
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Buick in Fresno, maintaining insurance serves an important purpose.
- The majority of states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific limits 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 have a lien on your Century, most lenders will require that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the bank will be required to insure your Buick for a lot more money and require you to fork over the higher premium.
- Car insurance preserves not only your Buick Century but also your financial assets. It will also cover many types of medical costs for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, will also pay attorney fees if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of insuring your Century more than cancel out the cost, especially for larger claims. But the average driver in California is currently overpaying as much as $865 each year so compare rate quotes at least once a year to make sure the price is not too high.
Fresno insurance discounts for a Buick Century
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list every possible discount in an easy-to-find place, so we researched a few of the more well known and also the more inconspicuous credits available to bring down your rates.
- Defensive Driver Discount – Taking part in a course teaching driver safety skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily pay for the cost of the class.
- Student Discount for Driver Training – Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver’s ed class as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
- Seat Belt Usage – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to fasten their seat belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the PIP or medical payment premium.
- Student Discounts – Excelling in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount up to age 25.
- Early Switch Discount – Some insurance companies give discounts for signing up prior to the expiration date on your current Century insurance policy. It could save around 10% when you buy Fresno car insurance online.
Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But all discounts will cut the amount you have to pay.
To find providers offering auto insurance discounts in Fresno, click here.
Do I need an insurance agent?
Many people would rather sit down with an agent and that can be a smart move Professional agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. One of the best bonuses of comparing car insurance online is that you can obtain cheap car insurance rates and still buy from a local agent.
For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), your information is transmitted to participating agents in Fresno who can give free rate quotes for your car insurance coverage. You won’t even need to contact an agency since price quotes are sent directly to you. In the event you want to compare rates from a specific company, feel free to navigate to their website and complete a quote there.
Choosing the best company requires you to look at more than just a cheap price quote. The answers to these questions are important, too.
- Are they involved in claim handling?
- Does the company have a local claim office in Fresno?
- Who are their largest clients?
- Where would glass claims be handled in Fresno?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage in Fresno?
When looking for a good insurance agency, there are two types of agencies and how they can write your policy. Fresno agents are categorized either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive. Both types of agents can insure your vehicles properly, but it’s important to know how they are different since it could factor into your agent selection.
Exclusive Car Insurance Agents
Exclusive agencies write business for a single company and some examples include Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot shop your coverage around so always compare other rates. Exclusive agents receive a lot of sales training on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.
The following is a list of exclusive agents in Fresno that can give you price quote information.
Allstate Insurance: Roger Noguera
3032 W Bullard Ave – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 435-2246 – View Map
Lynn Hamilton – State Farm Insurance Agent
6716 N Cedar Ave #210 – Fresno, CA 93710 – (559) 323-9800 – View Map
Farmers Insurance: Israel Cortes
5446 N Palm Ave #105 – Fresno, CA 93704 – (559) 230-1300 – View Map
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company and that is an advantage because they can write policies through lots of different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If they quote lower rates, your agent can just switch to a different company and that require little work on your part.
If you are comparing car insurance prices, you absolutely need to compare quotes from at a minimum one independent agency so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare.
Shown below are independent agencies in Fresno that can give you rate quotes.
United Valley Insurance Services
3245 W Figarden Dr – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 256-2500 – View Map
Central Auto Insurance
3668 W Shaw Ave – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 275-9911 – View Map
Covered California Fresno
4005 N Blackstone Ave #101 – Fresno, CA 93726 – (559) 222-4140 – View Map
After getting good responses for all questions you ask and affordable Buick Century insurance rates in Fresno quotes, chances are good that you have found a car insurance agent that will properly insure your vehicles.
How to know if you need help
Always keep in mind that when comparing your policy, there really isn’t a cookie cutter policy. Your needs are unique to you.
Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if your situation will benefit from professional help.
- Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Fresno?
- Will my insurance pay for OEM parts?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required California minimum liability coverage?
- How many claims can I have before being canceled?
- Do I need to call my car insurance company before buying a new car?
- Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
- How much coverage applies to personal belongings?
- How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in California?
- Does coverage follow the driver or the vehicle?
- What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
If you can’t answer these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.
Be persistent and save
When you buy Fresno car insurance online, it’s a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the best possible price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
Drivers change insurance companies for many reasons like questionable increases in premium, not issuing a premium refund, lack of trust in their agent or even policy cancellation. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new insurance company is easier than you think.
We just covered quite a bit of information on how to reduce Buick Century insurance rates online in Fresno. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest priced insurance comes from a lesser-known regional company.
Much more information about insurance in California is available at the links below
- Property Damage Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- How Much are Fresno Auto Insurance Quotes for Welfare Recipients? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Jeep Wrangler in Fresno? (FAQ)
- Which Company has the Cheapest Auto Insurance in Fresno, California? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Felons in Fresno? (FAQ)
- Determining Your Vehicle’s Value and Repair Cost (Insurance Information Institute)
- Vehicle Safety Ratings (iihs.org)
- How to Avoid Buying a Flooded Car (Insurance Information Institute)
- Front crash protection reduces rear-end crashes (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)