The most effective way to get the cheapest auto insurance rates in Fresno is to annually compare prices from different companies who provide auto insurance in California.
First, it will benefit you to learn about how car insurance works and the changes you can make to prevent high rates. Many rating criteria that cause rate increases such as your driving record and your credit history can be improved by making minor changes to your lifestyle. This article provides additional ideas to help keep rates affordable and get discounts that may be overlooked.
Second, request rate estimates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only give prices from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can provide rate quotes for many different companies.
Third, compare the new rate quotes to your existing rates to see if a cheaper price is available. If you find a lower rate and switch companies, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.
Fourth, provide notification to your current agent or company to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to the new insurer. Once received, keep your new proof of insurance paperwork along with the vehicle’s registration papers.
A good piece of advice is to try to use similar coverage information on every price quote and and to get price quotes from as many carriers as you can. Doing this helps ensure a fair rate comparison and a thorough selection of prices.
A recent insurance study revealed that almost 70% of insureds have remained with the same insurance company for over three years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never even compared rates from other companies. Drivers in California can save 35% each year, but most undervalue the actual amount they would save if they moved their coverage to a different company.
Most larger insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive provide coverage price quotes from their websites. The process is pretty easy because you just enter your required coverages into a form. Once entered, their system pulls your driving and credit reports and generates a price based on the data you entered.
This simplifies rate comparisons, and it’s necessary to have as many quotes as possible if you are searching for the cheapest auto insurance rates.
In order to compare rates using this form now, compare rate quotes from the providers shown below. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you replicate the limits and deductibles as close as possible to your current policy. Doing this assures you will have comparison quotes based on similar coverages.
The following companies have been selected to offer quotes in California. If your goal is to find cheaper car insurance in CA, we recommend you get price quotes from several of them to get the best price comparison.
Local Fresno insurance agents
A small number of people still like to go talk to an agent and that is a personal choice. Good agents will help you protect your assets and help file insurance claims. The biggest benefit of comparing insurance online is you may find cheaper car insurance rates and still have a local agent. Putting coverage with local agencies is still important in Fresno.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents that give free quotes for your coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to do any legwork due to the fact that quote results will go to you directly. If you want to get a price quote for a specific company, just navigate to their website and submit a quote form there.
When narrowing the list to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, it can be helpful to understand the types of agencies and how they can service your needs differently. Insurance agencies are classified as either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer. Both write policy coverage, but it is a good idea to know why they differ since it could factor into which type of agent you select.
Independent Insurance Agents
These type of agents do not write with just one company so they can write business amongst many companies and find the cheapest rate. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply switch companies in-house without you having to go to a different agency.
If you need lower rates, you absolutely need to check rates from several independent agencies so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare. Many independent agencies also insure through companies that do not advertise much that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
Shown below are independent agents in Fresno that may be able to give free rate quotes.
- DLL Insurance Agency
5088 N Fruit Ave Suite 101 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 451-3411 – View Map - DiBuduo and DeFendis Insurance Brokers LLC
6873 N West Ave – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 432-0222 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Maffei Ins and Fin Services
5633 W Figarden Dr Ste 104 – Fresno, CA 93722 – (559) 322-3355 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents of this type normally can only provide a single company’s rates and some examples include Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. Exclusive agents are unable to provide other company’s prices so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive agents receive extensive training on what they offer which helps them sell on service rather than price. Consumers frequently buy from the same agent for years primarily because of the prominent brand name rather than low rates.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive agents in Fresno willing to provide price quote information.
- Bob Perry – State Farm Insurance Agent
3210 E Shields Ave #6 – Fresno, CA 93726 – (559) 224-4546 – View Map - Farmers Insurance: Israel Cortes
5446 N Palm Ave #105 – Fresno, CA 93704 – (559) 230-1300 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Roger Noguera
3032 W Bullard Ave – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 435-2246 – View Map
Choosing a auto insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap quote. These questions are important to ask:
- Are they able to provide referrals?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Will the agent help in case of a claim?
- Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
- Does the company have a local claim office in Fresno?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- When do they do policy reviews?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?