We don’t have to tell you that auto insurance companies don’t want you comparing rates. Insureds who shop for lower prices will probably buy a different policy because there are good odds of finding good coverage at a lower price. A recent study showed that drivers who compared rates once a year saved $3,400 over four years compared to other drivers who never compared rates.
If finding budget-friendly Suzuki XL-7 insurance is the reason for your visit, then knowing how to find companies and compare coverage rates can save money and time.
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to get the cheapest Suzuki XL-7 insurance is to annually compare prices from insurers that insure vehicles in Fresno. Rates can be compared by completing these steps.
- Learn about individual coverages and the measures you can take to keep rates low. Many policy risk factors that cause high rates like at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and a negative credit score can be remedied by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Request rate estimates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from one company like GEICO or Allstate, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes from multiple companies.
- Compare the new rates to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper rate is available in Fresno. If you find a lower rate quote and decide to switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
A good tip to remember is to compare the same liability limits and deductibles on each price quote and and to get prices from as many companies as possible. This ensures the most accurate price comparison and the best price quote selection.
How You Can Control Suzuki XL-7 Insurance Costs
Many factors are used when you quote your car insurance policy. A few of the factors are predictable like your driving record, although others are more transparent such as whether you are married or your commute time. The best way to find cheaper insurance is to take a look at the different types of things that help determine your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what influences your rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.
Performance influences rates – The make and model of the vehicle you need insurance for makes a huge difference in your rates. Lower cost passenger cars usually have the lowest premiums, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.
You might want pay the small insurance claims yourself – If you are a frequent claim filer, you shouldn’t be surprised to get either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in California award discounts to drivers who do not file claims often. Insurance coverage is designed for more catastrophic claims.
Policy add-ons may not be needed – There are a lot of extra coverages that may not really be needed on your insurance policy. Coverages for replacement cost coverage, towing coverage, and membership fees may be costing you every month. You may think they are a good idea when buying your policy, but if you have no use for them think about removing them and cutting costs.
Good credit equals lower costs – Having a bad credit score is a big factor in calculating your insurance rates. People with high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims than those with bad credit. Therefore, if your credit score leaves room for improvement, you could pay less to insure your Suzuki XL-7 by repairing your credit.
City traffic equals higher rates – Being located in small towns and rural areas is a good thing when talking about insurance. Fewer people translates into fewer accident claims and lower theft and vandalism rates. Drivers who live in large California cities have more traffic problems and higher rates of accident claims. More time on the road translates into higher accident risk.
Just keep in mind that more quotes helps improve the odds of finding the best price. Some regional insurers cannot provide Fresno XL-7 insurance quotes over the internet, so you should also compare price quotes on coverage from those companies, too.
The companies in the list below offer price comparisons in California. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get a more complete price comparison.
Why car insurance is not optional
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Suzuki XL-7 in Fresno, maintaining insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- Almost all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to buy 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 loan on your Suzuki, most banks will make it a condition of the loan that you have full coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the bank may buy a policy for your Suzuki for a lot more money and force you to reimburse them for it.
- Car insurance protects not only your Suzuki but also your financial assets. It will also pay for all forms of medical expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of insuring your XL-7 more than offset the price you pay, especially when you need to use it. According to a recent study, the average American driver overpays more than $750 every year so compare quotes from several companies at every renewal to ensure rates are inline.
Lower-cost Fresno auto insurance quotes with discounts
Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize every possible discount very clearly, so we researched both the well known and also the more inconspicuous discounts you could be receiving when you buy Fresno auto insurance online.
- Anti-theft System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs optioned with advanced anti-theft systems help deter theft and will qualify for a discount on a Fresno auto insurance quote.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Not every insurance company offers life insurance, but if they do you may earn a small discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
- Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government could cut as much as 10% off depending on your auto insurance provider.
- Membership in Organizations – Belonging to a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break on your next auto insurance statement.
- ABS and Traction Control Discounts – Vehicles that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can stop better under adverse conditions so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- Early Switch Discount – Some companies provide a discount for switching companies before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
- Online Discount – A handful of companies will give you a small discount just for signing your application digitally online.
- Student in College – Kids living away from Fresno attending college and do not take a car to college could qualify for this discount.
- Passive Restraints – Vehicles with factory air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings of up to 25% or more.
As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.
A list of companies and a partial list of their discounts can be found below.
- Farm Bureau may include discounts for good student, multi-vehicle, 55 and retired, multi-policy, and driver training.
- MetLife offers premium reductions for multi-policy, defensive driver, good student, good driver, claim-free, and accident-free.
- Progressive includes discounts for multi-vehicle, online signing, continuous coverage, good student, and multi-policy.
- AAA discounts include multi-car, multi-policy, good driver, pay-in-full, anti-theft, and education and occupation.
- American Family has savings for good student, multi-vehicle, air bags, TimeAway discount, and bundled insurance.
- GEICO policyholders can earn discounts including membership and employees, five-year accident-free, anti-lock brakes, defensive driver, driver training, and good student.
- State Farm offers discounts including good student, safe vehicle, anti-theft, passive restraint, student away at school, multiple policy, and driver’s education.
When getting a coverage quote, ask each company or agent which discounts can lower your rates. Some discounts may not be available in your area. If you would like to choose from a list of auto insurance companies that offer the discounts shown above in California, click here to view.
When should I have guidance from an agent?
A lot of people would rather go talk to an agent. One of the great benefits of comparing rate quotes online is the fact that you can find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting local agencies is still important in Fresno.
After filling out this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is emailed to companies in Fresno who can give free rate quotes for your insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to contact any insurance agencies because prices are sent to you directly. You’ll get the best rates AND a local agent. In the event you want to get a price quote for a specific company, feel free to find their quoting web page and submit a quote form there.
Pick the best car insurance agent in Fresno for you
If you want a reliable insurance agency, it’s important to understand the types of insurance agents and how they can write your policy. Auto insurance policy providers may be either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).
Independent Agents
Agents in the independent channel are not restricted to one company so they can quote policies with lots of companies and find you the best rates. If prices rise, your policy is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency. If you are trying to find cheaper rates, you absolutely need to check rates from several independent agencies so that you can do a thorough price comparison.
Below is a list of independent agencies in Fresno who can help you get price quotes.
United Valley Insurance Services
3245 W Figarden Dr – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 256-2500 – View Map
Pan American Insurance Agency
7673 N Ingram Ave # 103 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (800) 303-8272 – View Map
McCarty Insurance
7078 N Maple Ave # 106 – Fresno, CA 93720 – (559) 324-1421 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive insurance agents can only quote rates from one company and some examples include Allstate and State Farm. They usually cannot compare rates from other companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. Exclusive agents are well schooled on sales techniques which can be an advantage.
The following is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Fresno that can give you rate quotes.
Farmers Insurance
7161 N Millbrook Ave # 103 – Fresno, CA 93720 – (559) 447-9838 – View Map
Greg Caves – State Farm Insurance Agent
7740 N Fresno St #103 – Fresno, CA 93720 – (559) 435-7500 – View Map
Bob Perry – State Farm Insurance Agent
3210 E Shields Ave #6 – Fresno, CA 93726 – (559) 224-4546 – View Map
Picking an auto insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. Agents should be asked these questions:
- Is the agency covered by Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
- Is every driver in your family covered?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- Do they have cheaper tiers of coverage?
- Do you need full coverage on every vehicle?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- Can you get a list of referrals?
Once you have received answers to your satisfaction to any questions you have and cheap XL-7 insurance quotes, it’s possible that you found an insurance agent that can be trusted to properly insure your vehicles. It’s important to know that it’s your policy and you can terminate coverage at any time so don’t assume that you are obligated to a specific agent for any length of time.
Special considerations
When it comes to your policy for your vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Your financial needs are unique.
These are some specific questions may help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Can I afford to pay high deductible claims out of pocket?
- What are the financial responsibility laws in my state?
- Can I make deliveries for my home business?
- Does insurance cover tools stolen from my truck?
- How can I get my company to pay me more for my totaled car?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Do I need to call my car insurance company before buying a new car?
- Does my policy cover me if I wreck while driving under the influence?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Do the work, save more money
Cost effective Suzuki XL-7 insurance can be purchased from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Fresno, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. Some companies may not offer online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies sell through independent insurance agents.
Throughout this article, we presented a lot of information how to save on Suzuki XL-7 insurance in Fresno. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the best premium rates are with a smaller regional carrier.
When trying to cut insurance costs, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at the best possible price, not the least amount of coverage.
Much more information about auto insurance in California can be read at these links:
- Warning systems don’t curb driver distraction (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has Affordable Fresno Auto Insurance Rates for Postal Workers? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Fresno? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance for Used Cars in Fresno? (FAQ)
- Vehicle Insurance (Wikipedia)
- State Car Insurance Guides (GEICO)