It’s amazing but most insurance customers have bought insurance from the same company for a minimum of four years, and practically 40% of insurance customers have never shopped around. The average driver in Fresno can cut their rates by about 35% a year just by comparing rates, but they feel it’s too difficult to find cheap insurance by shopping around.
The recommended way to get low-cost auto insurance rates in Fresno is to compare prices regularly from companies who sell auto insurance in California.
Step 1: Try to comprehend how companies set rates and the changes you can make to lower rates. Many rating factors that are responsible for high rates like traffic tickets, fender benders, and poor credit rating can be rectified by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. This article gives instructions to help reduce premium rates and earn a bigger discount.
Step 2: Obtain price quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Exclusive and direct companies can provide rates from a single company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agents can provide price quotes from many different companies.
Step 3: Compare the price quotes to your current policy and see if there is a cheaper rate in Fresno. If you can save money, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
Step 4: Notify your agent or company of your intention to cancel your current policy. Submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to your new insurance company. Immediately upon receiving it, put the new proof of insurance certificate along with your vehicle registration.
A good tip to remember is to make sure you’re comparing similar limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to look at all possible companies. This guarantees a fair price comparison and the best rate selection.
The easiest way to compare policy rates for Pontiac G5 insurance in Fresno takes advantage of the fact almost all companies pay for the opportunity to provide you with free rate quotes. To start a quote, the only thing you need to do is give them some information including what you do for a living, if the vehicle is leased, how many miles driven, and if a SR-22 is needed. That rating data gets transmitted to multiple auto insurance providers and they return quotes almost instantly.
If you wish to get multiple quotes for your Pontiac G5 now, click here and see if a lower rate is available in Fresno.
The companies shown below offer price comparisons in Fresno, CA. To get cheaper auto insurance in CA, we suggest you visit as many as you can in order to find the most competitive rates.
Get cheaper Pontiac G5 insurance rates in Fresno
Some insurance providers don’t list every policy discount in an easy-to-find place, so the below list has both well-publicized as well as the least known credits available to lower your premiums when you buy Fresno car insurance online.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being deployed in the military could trigger a small discount.
- Fresno Homeowners Pay Less – Just being a homeowner may trigger a policy discount on car insurance because maintaining a house is proof of financial responsibility.
- Senior Discount – Seniors can possibly qualify for a slight reduction on a Fresno car insurance quote.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Options like air bags or motorized seat belts may get savings of more than 20%.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars and trucks with anti-lock braking systems can avoid accidents so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you combine your auto and home policies with the same company they may give you a discount of as much as 10 to 15 percent.
- No Accidents – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less in comparison to accident-prone drivers.
- Early Signing – A few insurance companies give discounts for renewing your policy early. This can save 10% or more.
- Multiple Vehicles – Purchasing coverage when you have multiple cars or trucks on a single policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can save as much as half off their rates than their less cautious counterparts.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Even though the math looks like it’s possible to get free car insurance, you’re out of luck. But any discount will cut your car insurance premiums.
Popular car insurance companies and the discounts they provide include:
- State Farm offers discounts including student away at school, good student, safe vehicle, multiple autos, driver’s education, accident-free, and multiple policy.
- Esurance may offer discounts for online quote, homeowner, online shopper, claim free, good driver, defensive driver, and renters.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including online signing, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, homeowner, good student, multi-policy, and continuous coverage.
- Liberty Mutual has savings for preferred payment discount, new graduate, good student, multi-policy, new vehicle discount, exclusive group savings, and new move discount.
- Auto-Owners Insurance offers discounts for anti-lock brakes, good student, teen driver, paid in full, multiple vehicles, and paperless.
- GEICO includes discounts for multi-policy, air bags, five-year accident-free, multi-vehicle, anti-theft, and emergency military deployment.
Before purchasing a policy, check with each company to give you their best rates. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not apply in Fresno. To see car insurance companies that offer many of these discounts in Fresno, click here to view.
Protect more than your vehicle
Despite the fact that auto insurance is not cheap in Fresno, insurance is required for several reasons.
- The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means you are required to buy specific limits of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car legally. 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 your Pontiac G5 has a loan, most lenders will require that you buy full coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If the policy lapses, the bank may buy a policy for your Pontiac at a much higher rate and make you pay much more than you were paying before.
- Auto insurance preserves both your Pontiac G5 and your assets. It also can pay for medical transport and hospital expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays for attorney fees and expenses if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your policy will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of buying auto insurance more than offset the price you pay, especially for larger claims. But the average driver in California is wasting up to $810 a year so compare quotes from several companies at every renewal to be sure current rates are still competitive.
When in doubt talk to an agent
When it comes to choosing coverage, there really isn’t a best way to insure your cars. Your needs are unique to you.
These are some specific questions can aid in determining if you may require specific advice.
- Am I covered if I break a side mirror?
- Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Fresno?
- What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
- How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
- When should I drop full coverage on my Pontiac G5?
- Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Local Fresno insurance agents
Some people just want to sit down and talk to an agent and that is not a bad decision The best thing about comparing auto insurance online is the fact that drivers can get cheap auto insurance rates and still buy from a local agent.
By using this quick form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to local insurance agents who will give you quotes for your business. You won’t even need to do any legwork due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. You’ll get the best rates without having to waste a lot of time. If you have a need to get a comparison quote from a particular provider, you can always go to their quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Selecting an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a low price. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- Are aftermarket or OEM parts used to repair vehicles?
- Do they see any coverage gaps in your plan?
- Is there a local claims center in Fresno?
- Where would glass claims be handled in Fresno?
- Is there any savings for paying the full premium?
- Will one accident increase rates?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
If you prefer to buy auto insurance from a local Fresno insurance agency, it can be helpful to understand the types of agencies and how they operate. Auto insurance agents are considered either independent agents or exclusive agents.
Exclusive Agents
Agents of this type can only quote rates from one company such as State Farm, Allstate and AAA. Exclusive agencies are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. These agents are trained well in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents.
The following is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Fresno that can give you price quote information.
Allstate Insurance: Gary Gonzales
191 W Shaw Ave Ste 109 – Fresno, CA 93704 – (559) 243-2020 – View Map
Progressive Insurance
7020 N Marks Ave #107 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 353-3500 – View Map
Steve Bezzerides – State Farm Insurance Agent
4270 N Blackstone Ave #201 – Fresno, CA 93726 – (559) 222-5278 – View Map
Independent Agents
Agents that elect to be independent do not have single company limitations so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies and get you the best rates possible. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When searching for an agent, you will definitely want to compare quotes from a couple of independent agencies to get the best comparison.
The following is a list of independent agents in Fresno willing to provide comparison quotes.
California A1 Stars Insurance Solutions
1589 W Shaw Ave #13 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 412-2957 – View Map
Reza Sarkhosh Insurance Agency, Inc.
2491 W Shaw Ave #124 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 243-9000 – View Map
M D Manouel Insurance Inc
7447 N First St – Fresno, CA 93720 – (559) 446-0588 – View Map
The coverage is in the details
Understanding the coverages of a insurance policy helps when choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision
This coverage pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, vandalism and hitting a bird. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Liability insurance
Liability coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people in an accident. Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show liability limits of 15/30/5 which means a limit of $15,000 per injured person, $30,000 for the entire accident, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property.
Liability can pay for claims like funeral expenses, loss of income and medical expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford. California state minimum liability requirements are 15/30/5 but you should consider buying more liability than the minimum.
The chart below shows why buying minimum limits may not be enough.
Medical costs insurance
Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for bills for rehabilitation expenses, hospital visits and X-ray expenses. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
UM/UIM Coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 15/30/5), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Collision insurance
This will pay to fix damage to your G5 caused by collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against claims like driving through your garage door, scraping a guard rail, hitting a mailbox and colliding with another moving vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible on your G5 to bring the cost down.