The preferred way to find affordable quotes for car insurance rates in Fresno is to compare quotes annually from companies that sell auto insurance in California. Rate comparisons can be done by following these guidelines.
- First, get an understanding of coverages and the measures you can control to prevent rate increases. Many things that are responsible for high rates like distracted driving and a poor credit score can be controlled by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility.
- Second, compare rates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while independent agencies can provide prices from multiple insurance companies.
- Third, compare the new quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you can save some money and change companies, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Fourth, give notification to your current company of your intent to cancel your current policy. Submit payment along with a signed and completed policy application for the new policy. As soon as coverage is bound, put the certificate verifying coverage along with the vehicle’s registration papers.
A good tip to remember is that you’ll want to compare identical coverage information on every quote and and to get prices from as many companies as possible. Doing this guarantees a level playing field and a good representation of prices.
Shockingly, almost 70% of drivers in California kept their policy with the same company for four years or more, and just short of a majority have never compared rates to find cheap insurance. American consumers can save about $860 each year, but they think it’s difficult to shop around.
If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to shop for the lowest rates using the concepts covered in this article. The purpose of this article is to help educate you on how to get online quotes and how to save the most money. Although California vehicle owners need to learn the methods companies use to price insurance differently and use this information to your advantage.
To find the best auto insurance quotes, there are several ways of comparing price quotes from different companies. The easiest way by far to find the lowest Toyota Venza rates is to jump online and get quotes. Just keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes increases the chance that you will find more affordable rates. Some smaller insurers do not give online Fresno Venza insurance quotes, so it’s recommended that you also compare rates from the smaller companies as well.
The companies in the list below provide price quotes in California. To get cheap auto insurance in Fresno, we suggest you get rate quotes from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Buying the right Toyota vehicle insurance in California is an important decision
Despite the high insurance cost for a Toyota Venza in Fresno, car insurance is required for several reasons.
- Almost all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means state laws require specific minimum amounts of liability insurance coverage in order to drive the car. 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 bought your Venza with a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will stipulate that you carry insurance to guarantee payment of the loan. If you let the policy lapse, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Toyota for a much higher rate and require you to reimburse them the higher premium.
- Insurance protects both your vehicle and your assets. Insurance will also pay for medical transport and hospital expenses for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, will also pay for a defense attorney if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, your policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of carrying adequate insurance definitely exceed the price paid, particularly if you ever have a claim. Today the average American driver is currently overpaying as much as $855 a year so compare rates every year to save money.
Toyota Venza insurance rate analysis
The premium table displayed below outlines different insurance policy prices for Toyota Venza models. Learning a little about how auto insurance prices are calculated can be valuable when making informed decisions.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venza 2WD 4-Dr | $420 | $930 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $2,076 | $173 |
| Venza AWD 4-Dr | $420 | $930 | $534 | $32 | $160 | $2,076 | $173 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data variables include single male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, claim-free, and safe-driver. Premium costs do not factor in Fresno location which can affect prices substantially.
Can higher deductibles save money?
One of the more difficult decisions when buying car insurance is where should you set your physical damage deductibles. The tables below can help you understand the rate differences when you choose different physical damage deductibles. The first rate table uses a $250 physical damage deductible and the second set of rates uses a $1,000 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venza 2WD 4-Dr | $386 | $678 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,689 | $141 |
| Venza AWD 4-Dr | $386 | $678 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,689 | $141 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venza 2WD 4-Dr | $238 | $426 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,264 | $105 |
| Venza AWD 4-Dr | $238 | $426 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,264 | $105 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, safe-driver, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in garaging location in Fresno which can impact price quotes substantially.
We can estimate from the data above that using a $250 deductible could cost the average driver approximately $36 more each month or $432 a year than selecting the higher $1,000 deductible. Because you would pay $750 more to settle a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to have more than 21 months between claim filings, you would save more money by going with a higher deductible.
The example below illustrates how your deductible choice and can raise or lower Toyota Venza insurance premiums for different insured age categories. The costs are based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
Rate comparison of male drivers versus female drivers
The information below illustrates the difference between Toyota Venza insurance prices for male and female drivers. The data assumes no claims or violations, comprehensive and collision coverage, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are factored in.
Should you buy full coverage?
The chart below shows the comparison of Toyota Venza insurance costs when comparing full coverage to state minimum liability only. The rates are based on no claims or driving citations, $250 deductibles, drivers are single, and no additional discounts are factored in.
When to buy liability coverage only
There is no definitive rule for dropping physical damage coverage, but there is a general convention. If the annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage is more than about 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then it might be time to consider dropping full coverage.
For example, let’s say your Toyota Venza replacement cost is $6,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, you would only receive $5,000 after you pay the deductible. If you are paying more than $500 annually for your policy with full coverage, then it might be time to buy liability only.
There are a few cases where only buying liability is not advised. If you haven’t satisfied your loan, you have to keep full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if you can’t afford to buy a different vehicle in the event your current vehicle is totaled, you should not drop full coverage.
Companies offer money-saving discounts on Toyota Venza insurance in Fresno
Auto insurance is not cheap nor is it fun to buy but you can get discounts that may help make it more affordable. Many discounts should be triggered at the time you complete a quote, but some must be manually applied before they will apply.
- Paperwork-free – A few larger online companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy on the web.
- Air Bag Discount – Factory air bags may qualify for discounts as much as 30%.
- Driver Education Discount – Require your teen driver to successfully take a driver’s education course as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
- ABS Brakes – Cars equipped with ABS or steering control have fewer accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Senior Citizen Discount – Seniors may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
- First Accident Forgiveness – Not a discount per se, but certain companies will turn a blind eye to one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims for a certain period of time.
- Professional Memberships – Being a member of qualifying clubs or civic groups could qualify you for a break on your bill.
- Pay Early and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than spreading payments over time you may reduce your total bill.
- Accident-Free Discounts – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts as opposed to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
- Discounts for Federal Employees – Active or former government employment could provide a small rate reduction with select insurance companies.
A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, you aren’t that lucky.
The example below shows the difference between Toyota Venza premium costs with and without discounts applied. The data is based on a male driver, no accidents or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $1,000 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, claim-free, multi-car, multi-policy, homeowner, and marriage discounts applied.
Companies that may have these benefits include:
Before purchasing a policy, check with every insurance company which discounts you may be entitled to. A few discounts may not apply to policyholders in Fresno. If you would like to view insurers with discount rates in California, click this link.
Local agents and car insurance
Some people would rather talk to an insurance agent and often times that is recommended One of the benefits of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find cheap rate quotes and still buy from a local agent. Buying insurance from small agencies is important especially in Fresno.
Once you complete this quick form, your information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Fresno who want to provide quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to search for an agent because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. You can find the lowest rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If you have a need to compare rates from a specific company, you would need to find their quoting web page and fill out their quote form.
Types of auto insurance agents
If you prefer to buy car insurance from a reliable insurance agency, you should know the types of insurance agents and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Car insurance agencies are classified as either exclusive agents or independent agents.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company and that allows them to write policies through many different car insurance companies and get the cheapest rates. If they find a cheaper price, they simply switch companies in-house and you don’t have to switch agencies.
When comparing rates, we recommend you compare prices from multiple independent agents so that you can do a thorough price comparison. Most have the option of insuring with additional companies that you may not be familiar with that many times have cheaper rates.
Shown below is a small list of independent agents in Fresno that may be able to give you free car insurance rate quotes.
- New Horizon Insurance Services- Fresno
7543 N Ingram Ave #105 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 244-6644 – View Map - Agri-Center Insurance Inc
2650 W Shaw Ln – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 233-0123 – View Map - DLL Insurance Agency
5088 N Fruit Ave Suite 101 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 451-3411 – View Map
Exclusive Agents
Agents that elect to be exclusive are contracted to one company and some examples include AAA, Allstate, and State Farm. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they really need to provide good service. Exclusive agents are usually well trained on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Consumers often choose to use an exclusive agent partially due to the prominent brand name and solid financial strength.
The following is a list of exclusive agencies in Fresno that can give you price quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: Ron Meadows
1750 E Bullard Ave Ste 101 – Fresno, CA 93710 – (559) 432-0656 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: David Frisby
1625 E Shaw Ave #148 – Fresno, CA 93710 – (559) 224-2100 – View Map - Rufino Paguio – State Farm Insurance Agent
5637 W Figarden Dr #108 – Fresno, CA 93722 – (559) 277-1903 – View Map
Finding the right car insurance agent requires more thought than just the quoted price. These are valid questions to ask:
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- Does the company have a solid financial rating?
- Does the agent help file claims?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
Do I need special coverages?
Always remember that when buying proper insurance coverage, there really isn’t a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is unique.
For instance, these questions may help you determine if your situation might need professional guidance.
- When can I cancel my policy?
- What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
- When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
- Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
- What discounts do I qualify for?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.
Car insurance coverages for a Toyota Venza
Knowing the specifics of a insurance policy can help you determine which coverages you need for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Collision coverage – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against things such as colliding with another moving vehicle, crashing into a ditch, crashing into a building, sideswiping another vehicle and hitting a mailbox. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to increase the deductible on your Venza to get cheaper collision coverage.
Medical expense insurance – Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for bills such as chiropractic care, EMT expenses and surgery. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Liability – This coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property in an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see liability limits of 15/30/5 which stand for $15,000 bodily injury coverage, $30,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $5,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is a combined limit which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability insurance covers things such as attorney fees, legal defense fees and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but you should buy as much as you can afford. California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.
The chart below demonstrates why buying minimum limits may not be high enough to cover claims.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family and damage to your Toyota Venza.
Due to the fact that many California drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (15/30/5), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like hail damage, damage from getting keyed, fire damage, hitting a deer and a broken windshield. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Get the best coverage at the lowest price
More affordable car insurance in Fresno can be bought online and also from your neighborhood Fresno agents, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies may not have rates over the internet and usually these small insurance companies prefer to sell through local independent agents.
Insureds change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, not issuing a premium refund, policy cancellation and even delays in responding to claim requests. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a new car insurance company can be easier than you think.
When trying to cut insurance costs, never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where an insured cut liability coverage limits only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.
Additional information
- Collision Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for Real Estate Agents in Fresno? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for Electric Cars in Fresno? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for a Dodge Grand Caravan in Fresno? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Fresno Car Insurance Quotes for a 20 Year Old Male? (FAQ)
- Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)
- Collision Insurance Coverage (Nationwide)
- New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)