We don’t have to tell you that auto insurance companies don’t want you to look for a cheaper policy. Drivers who shop for lower prices will probably switch to a new company because there are good odds of finding a more affordable policy premium. A recent auto insurance study revealed that people who routinely shopped around saved an average of $3,500 over four years compared to people who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If finding the cheapest rates on Lexus ES 350 insurance in Fresno is the reason you’re reading this, then learning about how to find and compare car insurance can save time, money, and frustration.
Really, the only way to get the cheapest Lexus ES 350 insurance in Fresno is to compare prices annually from insurance carriers in California.
- Gain an understanding of how companies set rates and the factors you can control to keep rates in check. Many rating criteria that cause rate increases like careless driving and a low credit rating can be eliminated by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
- Get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can only quote rates from one company like Progressive or State Farm, while agents who are independent can give you price quotes for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing coverage and see if there is a cheaper rate in Fresno. If you can save money, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
- Notify your agent or company of your intention to cancel the current policy. Submit the completed application along with a down payment to the new company. Immediately upon receiving it, put the certificate of insurance in an accessible location in your vehicle.
A good tip to remember is to compare identical coverage information on each quote and and to get rate quotes from as many different companies as possible. This helps ensure a fair rate comparison and a complete rate analysis.
Finding affordable insurance coverage in Fresno seems hard but is not really that difficult. If you have a policy now or just want cheaper rates, you can use these tips to lower your rates while maintaining coverages. Drivers just have to understand the quickest way to compare rate quotes from many different companies online.
Best companies for Lexus ES 350 insurance
The companies shown below have been selected to offer comparison quotes in California. To find cheap auto insurance in California, we suggest you compare several of them to get the most competitive price.
Rate information and statistics
The price information below covers a range of insurance policy prices for Lexus ES 350 models. Being more informed about how insurance quotes are calculated is important for you to make smart choices when purchasing an insurance policy.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ES 350 | $348 | $630 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,488 | $124 |
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Table data represents married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-policy. Table data does not factor in specific zip code location which can change insurance rates noticeably.
The diagram below illustrates how your deductible choice and can impact Lexus ES 350 insurance premiums for each age group. The information is based on a single male driver, full coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.
Safe drivers Fresno pay cheaper rates
The example below demonstrates how speeding tickets and at-fault fender-benders can affect Lexus ES 350 auto insurance rates for different age groups. The rates are based on a married male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, and no discounts are applied to the premium.
Should you buy full coverage?
The chart below shows the comparison of Lexus ES 350 auto insurance costs with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The price estimates are based on no claims or violations, $1,000 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are factored in.
When to drop full coverage
There is no clear-cut rule of when to exclude physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a guideline you can consider. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than about 10% of replacement cost minus your deductible, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
For example, let’s assume your Lexus ES 350 claim settlement value is $8,000 and you have $1,000 deductibles. If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the most you would receive is $7,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $700 a year for your policy with full coverage, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.
There are some circumstances where removing full coverage is not advised. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is totaled, you should not consider dropping full coverage.
Don’t neglect these five rate reducing discounts
Some companies don’t always list the complete list of policy discounts very well, so the below list has some of the best known and the harder-to-find discounts that may be available.
- Online Discount – A handful of larger companies give back up to $50 shop Fresno auto insurance online.
- Payment Method – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
- Air Bag Discount – Factory air bags or automatic seat belts could see savings of 20% or more.
- Memberships – Belonging to a professional or civic organization can get you a small discount when shopping for auto insurance.
- Senior Citizen Discount – Seniors are able to get a discount up to 10%.
It’s important to note that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn’t work that way.
The illustration below shows the comparison of Lexus ES 350 auto insurance costs with and without discounts being applied to the rates. The premiums are based on a female driver, no claims or driving citations, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with homeowner, marriage, multi-car, multi-policy, claim-free, and safe-driver discounts applied.
A partial list of companies that may have some of the discounts shown above include:
- GEICO
- Mercury Insurance
- Farmers Insurance
- Auto-Owners Insurance
- Liberty Mutual
- SAFECO
- Progressive
- USAA
Check with every company which discounts can lower your rates. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply to policyholders in your area.
Shop online but buy locally
Some consumers would rather buy from a licensed agent and that can be a great decision Insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and help you file claims. A nice benefit of comparing rate quotes online is that you can find cheap rate quotes and still buy from a local agent.
After completing this simple form, the quote information is submitted to agents in your area who will give competitive quotes to get your business. You won’t need to find an agent on your own because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. If you have a need to get a price quote from a specific insurance company, you can always jump over to their website and submit a quote form there.
Finding a good provider is decision based upon more than just a low price. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- What insurance companies do they work with in Fresno?
- Where are claims handled?
- Is there a Errors and Omissions policy in force?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
If you are wanting to purchase insurance from a local insurance agency, there are a couple of different agency structures and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents in Fresno can be classified as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive. Both do a good job, but it’s important to know how they differ because it can impact your agent selection.
Exclusive Agents
Agents that choose to be exclusive normally can only provide a single company’s rates such as State Farm, Allstate, or Farmers Insurance. Exclusive agents cannot compare rates from other companies so always compare other rates. These agents are well trained on what they offer which helps them compete with independent agents.
Shown below is a short list of exclusive agents in Fresno who can help you get price quote information.
Allstate Insurance: Patricia Pearson
5755 E Kings Canyon Rd Ste 106 – Fresno, CA 93727 – (559) 255-1861 – View Map
Karen Barry-Ennis – State Farm Insurance Agent
1205 E Olive Ave – Fresno, CA 93728 – (559) 268-7431 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Gary Gonzales
191 W Shaw Ave Ste 109 – Fresno, CA 93704 – (559) 243-2020 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
These type of agents do not have single company limitations and that is an advantage because they can write policies through many different insurance companies and find you cheaper rates. If premiums increase, an independent agent can move your coverage which requires no work on your part. When comparing rate quotes, you should always contact at a minimum one independent agency to get the most accurate price comparison.
Below is a short list of independent insurance agents in Fresno who can help you get comparison quotes.
Walter L. Clark and Associates, Inc.
7673 N Ingram Ave #103 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 222-0300 – View Map
California A1 Stars Insurance Solutions
1589 W Shaw Ave #13 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 412-2957 – View Map
Van Beurden Insurance Services, Inc.
7676 N Palm Ave #106 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 436-6655 – View Map
California auto insurance companies
Buying coverage from the right company can be rather challenging considering how many choices there are in California. The company rank data below may help you choose which car insurance companies you want to consider when shopping your coverage around.
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 Ranked by Value
- USAA
- American Family
- The Hartford
- AAA of Southern California
- Titan Insurance
- The General
- AAA Insurance
- State Farm
- Mercury Insurance
- Nationwide
There’s no such thing as the perfect car insurance policy
When it comes to buying insurance from an agent or online, there is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
For example, these questions might help in determining whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required California minimum liability coverage?
- What discounts do I qualify for?
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Can I afford low physical damage deductibles?
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.
Insurance specifics
Knowing the specifics of your policy can be of help when determining the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like hitting a bird, vandalism, rock chips in glass, damage from getting keyed and damage from flooding. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Collision protection
This will pay to fix damage to your ES 350 resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as damaging your car on a curb, driving through your garage door, crashing into a building, sideswiping another vehicle and crashing into a ditch. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to increase the deductible on your ES 350 in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Liability auto insurance
This can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 15/30/5 that translate to $15,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers things like funeral expenses, medical expenses, attorney fees, loss of income and pain and suffering. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but buy as much as you can afford. California state minimum liability requirements are 15/30/5 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
The chart below demonstrates why buying the state minimum limits may not be high enough to adequately cover claims.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Lexus ES 350.
Since many California drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (15/30/5), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea.
Medical expense insurance
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for bills like dental work, surgery, prosthetic devices, pain medications and chiropractic care. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover both the driver and occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
In the end, you can save money
In this article, we presented a lot of ways to reduce Lexus ES 350 insurance prices online in Fresno. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may even discover the lowest prices come from a small local company.
As you prepare to switch companies, don’t be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where someone dropped full coverage only to regret that they should have had better coverage. Your objective should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate, but do not skimp to save money.
Consumers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including denial of a claim, being labeled a high risk driver, not issuing a premium refund or even poor customer service. Regardless of your reason, finding a new auto insurance company can be pretty painless.
More learning opportunities
- Automakers compete to add autobraking (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for Inexperienced Drivers in Fresno? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for Seniors in Fresno? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance for Unemployed Drivers in Fresno? (FAQ)
- Child Safety FAQ (iihs.org)
- What is Full Coverage? (Allstate)
- Understanding Your Insurance Deductible (Insurance Information Institute)
- Steps to Take After an Auto Accident (Insurance Information Institute)