Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that nearly 70% of customers kept their coverage with the same car insurance company for at least four years, and just under half have never even compared rates from other companies. With the average premium in California being $1,390, drivers can save hundreds of dollars each year by just comparing rate quotes, but they just assume it’s a time-consuming process to do a rate comparison.
Really, the only way to find affordable quotes for auto insurance rates is to compare quotes annually from providers who provide car insurance in Fresno. This can be done by following these steps.
- Step 1: Read and learn about how companies set rates and the factors you can control to keep rates in check. Many risk factors that are responsible for high rates such as accidents, traffic violations, and an unacceptable credit rating can be rectified by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. Read the full article for additional tips to help prevent expensive coverage and find discounts that you may qualify for.
- Step 2: Get rate quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agencies can give you price quotes for many different companies. Start a quote
- Step 3: Compare the quotes to your existing policy to determine if you can save on TLX insurance. If you find a better price, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Give proper notification to your current agent or company to cancel your current coverage. Submit a down payment and signed policy application for your new policy. As soon as you have the new policy, keep your new certificate verifying proof of insurance with your vehicle’s registration.
A crucial key to this process is to compare the same deductibles and limits on every price quote and and to get rates from every company you can. This ensures a fair rate comparison and a thorough price selection.
When shopping for the cheapest Acura TLX rate quotes, there are a couple of ways of comparing price quotes from all the different companies. The easiest way to find affordable Acura TLX insurance rates consists of shopping online. When comparison shopping, having more price comparisons increases the chance that you will find a lower rate.
The companies shown below are our best choices to provide price quotes in California. To locate cheap auto insurance in California, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get the most competitive price.
Three good reasons to insure your Acura TLX
Despite the high insurance cost for a Acura TLX in Fresno, maintaining insurance may be required for several reasons.
First, almost all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means state laws require specific limits of liability insurance in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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 vehicle has a loan, almost all lenders will require that you have physical damage 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 insure your Acura at a much higher premium rate and force you to pay the higher price.
Third, insurance safeguards not only your Acura but also your assets. It will also reimburse you for hospital and medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance will also pay attorney fees if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, your policy will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of buying car insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially with large liability claims. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is overpaying more than $700 annually so you should quote your policy with other companies each time the policy renews to ensure rates are competitive.
Learn How to Lower Your Insurance Costs
It’s important that you understand some of the elements that play a part in calculating your insurance rates. When you understand what determines premiums, this allows you to make good choices that could help you find big savings. Many things are taken into consideration when you get a price on insurance. Some of the criteria are obvious such as your driving record, although others are not as apparent like your vehicle usage or your vehicle rating.
The following are some of the things used by insurance companies to determine your prices.
The more you drive the more you pay – The more miles you rack up on your Acura in a year’s time the more you’ll pay to insure it. Most companies calculate rates determined by how the vehicle is used. Autos that sit idle most of the time receive better premium rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Ask your agent if your insurance policy properly reflects the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money. Having an incorrect usage rating on your TLX is just wasting money.
Poor driving habits means higher rates – Having a single speeding ticket or other violation can increase rates to the point where it’s not affordable. Careful drivers pay less for auto insurance as compared to careless drivers. Drivers who have severe violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find that they have to to maintain a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
Your gender affects premiums – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. Females and males are responsible for accidents in similar percentages, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. In addition to higher claims, males also get cited for more serious violations such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly.
The type of car you drive affects your premiums – The performance level of the car, truck or SUV you are trying to find cheaper insurance for makes a significant difference in your rates. The lowest rates will generally be found on the lowest performance passenger cars, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
Teenage drivers pay higher prices – More mature drivers are shown to be more cautious, are lower risk to insure, and are generally more financially stable. Beginning drivers have a tendency to be inattentive and easily distracted when driving so they pay higher insurance rates.
Acura TLX insurance loss probability – Auto insurance companies use claims history as a tool for profitable underwriting. Models that the statistics show to have higher claim frequency or loss amount will cost more for coverage. The next table shows the historical loss data for Acura TLX vehicles.
For each policy coverage, the loss probability for all vehicles, regardless of make, model or trim level, is considered to be 100. Percentage values below 100 suggest a better than average loss history, while percentage values above 100 point to more losses or statistically larger losses.
| Specific Acura Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acura TLX 4dr 2WD | 90 | 75 | 97 | 93 | 74 | 77 |
| Acura TLX 4dr 4WD | 120 | 75 |
Empty fields indicate not enough data collected
Data Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for 2013-2015 Model Years
Get discounts to get affordable Fresno car insurance quotes
Car insurance is not cheap, but you might be missing out on some discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain credits will be shown when you quote, but a few must be specially asked for before you get the savings.
- Driver Safety – Taking a course teaching defensive driving skills could earn you a small percentage discount and also improve your driving technique.
- Data Collection Discounts – People who choose to allow their insurance company to track their driving habits by using a telematics device in their vehicle such as Progressive’s Snapshot might see lower rates if they have good driving habits.
- Sign Online – Many larger companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing on the internet.
- Waiver for an Accident – This one is not really a discount per se, but companies like State Farm and Allstate will forgive one accident before raising your premiums with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Multiple Cars – Drivers who insure more than one vehicle with the same company can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Drivers Education – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
- Sign Early and Save – A few insurance companies give discounts for signing up early. Ten percent is about the average savings.
- Bundled Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same company you could save up to 20% and get you cheap TLX insurance.
A little disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think you can get free auto insurance, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business. Any qualifying discounts should help lower your policy premium.
A few companies that may offer policyholders these benefits may include but are not limited to:
Check with every prospective company which discounts you qualify for. Discounts may not apply in your state. To see car insurance companies with the best discounts in California, click here to view.
Car insurance agents can find coverage gaps
Many people still prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. A nice benefit of comparing rates online is that drivers can save money and get the lowest rates and also buy local. Buying from and supporting local agencies is important especially in Fresno.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, the quote information is transmitted to agents in your area who will give you quotes for your coverage. You won’t need to search for any insurance agencies as quotes are delivered instantly to you. You can find better rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If you wish to get a comparison quote from a specific insurance company, you just need to visit that company’s website and give them your coverage information.
If you need to find a good Fresno insurance agent, there are two different types of agencies and how they can service your needs differently. Insurance agencies in Fresno can be classified as either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Independent Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
These agents are not locked into one company and that gives them the ability to insure with many different companies and find the cheapest rate. If you are not satisfied with one company, your policy is moved internally and that require little work on your part. When searching for an agent, you will definitely want to compare prices from at least one independent agent for maximum quote selection. A lot of them also have access to smaller companies that can offer cheaper rates than bigger companies.
Listed below are independent insurance agents in Fresno that can give you rate quotes.
- Bulldog Insurance Agency
7975 N Cedar Ave – Fresno, CA 93720 – (559) 447-5000 – View Map - United Valley Insurance – Easton
5722 S Elm Ave – Fresno, CA 93706 – (559) 268-8813 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Maffei Ins and Fin Services
5633 W Figarden Dr Ste 104 – Fresno, CA 93722 – (559) 322-3355 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Exclusive agents can only provide pricing for a single company and some examples include Farmers Insurance and State Farm. Exclusive agents cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. These agents are well schooled on what they offer which helps overcome the inability to quote other rates. Some consumers prefer to use the same exclusive agent primarily because of high brand loyalty rather than having low rates.
Below are Fresno exclusive insurance agencies that can give you price quote information.
- Allstate Insurance: Patricia Pearson
5755 E Kings Canyon Rd Ste 106 – Fresno, CA 93727 – (559) 255-1861 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Belen Sanchez-Ceja
2155 N Fresno St #A – Fresno, CA 93703 – (559) 252-2345 – View Map - Farmers Insurance: Stephen Leonard
1390 N Wishon Ave – Fresno, CA 93728 – (559) 485-0413 – View Map
Choosing the best auto insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just the premium amount. Here are some questions you might want to ask.
- When do they do policy reviews?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in California?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Do they offer claims assistance after hours?
California car insurance company ratings
Insuring your vehicle with a highly-rated insurance company is difficult considering how many choices you have in Fresno. The company ratings displayed below could help you select which auto insurers you want to consider purchasing coverage from.
Top 10 Fresno Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Service
- AAA of Southern California
- GEICO
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- Mercury Insurance
- The General
- Progressive
- Allstate
- AAA Insurance
- American Family
Top 10 Fresno 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+
In conclusion
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, don’t be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where someone dropped collision coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at the best cost.
Drivers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including policy cancellation, delays in paying claims, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and high prices. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching companies is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
Affordable Acura TLX insurance in Fresno can be bought online as well as from independent agents in Fresno, so you need to shop Fresno auto insurance with both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who do not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these smaller providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.
To learn more, feel free to visit the articles below:
- Protecting Teens from Drunk Driving (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance with Multiple Speeding Tickets in Fresno? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Toyota Highlander in Fresno? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Fresno Auto Insurance Rates for High School Students? (FAQ)
- Auto Insurance Learning Center (State Farm)
- Parking Tips to Reduce Door Dings (State Farm)
- Frontal Crash Tests (iihs.org)