If you want to save the most money, the best way to get the cheapest Toyota Prius Prime insurance is to compare prices at least once a year from insurance carriers who sell insurance in Santa Ana.
- Step 1: Take a little time to learn about car insurance and the measures you can take to keep rates in check. Many risk factors that result in higher rates such as careless driving and poor credit can be rectified by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
- Step 2: Request price quotes from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only quote rates from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide rate quotes from many different companies. View prices
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper price is available in Santa Ana. If you can save money and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
The most important part of shopping around is to make sure you enter the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote and and to get price estimates from as many different insurance providers as possible. This ensures an accurate price comparison and a complete selection of prices.
Unbelievably, nearly 70% of drivers have been with the same company for well over three years, and roughly 40% of drivers have never compared car insurance rates at all. California consumers can cut their rates by 35% a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they assume it's a waste of time to save money by comparing rate quotes.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will definitely be able to find the best rates using this strategy. This information will instruct you on the most effective way to quote insurance and some tricks to saving. Nevertheless, California consumers do need to know how big insurance companies compete online and use it to find better rates.
The quickest way to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to know the fact most insurance companies have advanced systems to quote your coverage. To get started, all you need to do is provide information like if the vehicle is leased, if you have an active license, distance driven, and what you do for a living. The rating information is sent automatically to multiple top-rated companies and you will get price comparisons almost instantly.
If you wish to get multiple quotes for your Toyota Prius Prime now, click here and complete the form.
The companies shown below provide price comparisons in California. If several companies are displayed, we suggest you visit as many as you can to get the best price comparison.
Why you need to buy insurance
Despite the high cost, insurance is required by state law in California and it also provides benefits you may not be aware of.
- Almost all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific minimum amounts of liability protection if you want to drive 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 Prius Prime has a lienholder, almost every bank will make it mandatory that you have full coverage to guarantee their interest in the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the lender may insure your Toyota at an extremely high rate and force you to reimburse them for the expensive policy.
- Insurance preserves both your Toyota and your personal assets. It will also pay for many types of medical costs for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. As part of your policy, liability insurance will also pay to defend you if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you have damage to your Toyota as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of insuring your car greatly outweigh the cost, especially if you ever need it. But the average driver in California is wasting up to $855 a year so shop around every year to make sure the price is not too high.
Buy Toyota Prius Prime Insurance for Less
Lots of factors are part of the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some of the criteria are obvious like a motor vehicle report, but some are more transparent like your continuous coverage and annual miles driven.
The items below are most of the major factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set your premiums.
- Where you call home factors in - Being located in less populated areas can save you money when it comes to car insurance. Residents of big cities have to deal with congested traffic and higher rates of accident claims. Fewer drivers on the road translates into fewer accident claims in addition to lower liability claims.
- Low comp and collision deductibles mean high rates - Physical damage insurance, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, protects your Toyota from damage. Some examples of covered claims are a broken windshield, flood damage, and damage caused by flying debris. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are required to pay in the event of a claim. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive.
- Qualify for multi-policy discounts - Most major insurers will give better rates for people that purchase more than one policy such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even if you already get this discount, it's always a smart idea to compare other Santa Ana Prius Prime insurance rates to guarantee you are still saving the most. You may still be able to find better rates by buying car insurance from a different company.
- Rates impacted by vehicle usage - The more you drive your Toyota annually the more it will cost to insure it. Almost all companies charge rates based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Autos that are left in the garage qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Having an incorrect usage rating on your Prius Prime can cost quite a bit. It's a good idea to make sure your declarations sheet properly reflects the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- When should you file car insurance claims? - Insurance companies in California give lower rates to policyholders who are claim-free. If you are the type of insured that files lots of claims you can expect much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Your insurance policy is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.
- Do you know you're credit rating? - Your credit score will be a significant factor in determining premium rates. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to be more responsible than those with poor credit. So if your credit can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your Toyota Prius Prime if you improve your credit rating.
These discounts can lower your insurance quotes
Insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but there may be some discounts to cut the cost considerably. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically at the time you complete a quote, but occasionally some discounts must be specially asked for prior to getting the savings. If you're not getting every credit you qualify for, you may be paying too high a price.
- Low Mileage Discounts - Driving less could qualify for better insurance rates on cars that stay parked.
- Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
- Bundled Policy Discount - If you combine your homeowners and auto policies and insure them with the same company you will save up to 20% off your total Prius Prime insurance premium.
- Professional Memberships - Participating in specific professional or occupational memberships or organizations could earn you a nice discount on your policy.
- Responsible Driver Discount - Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
- Safety Course Discount - Taking a driver safety class may get you a small discount and also improve your driving technique.
- Discount for Good Grades - Getting good grades could provide a savings of up to 20% or more. This discount can apply until age 25.
- E-sign - A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing digitally online.
- Discount for Home Ownership - Being a homeowner can save a few bucks because of the fact that having a home requires a higher level of personal finance.
As a footnote on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. If you do the math and it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, insurance companies wouldn't stay in business.
Auto insurance companies that may offer policyholders these benefits include:
If you need lower rates, check with every insurance company the best way to save money. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not be available in your state.
Getting quotes from local Santa Ana insurance agencies
A lot of people prefer to have an agent's advice and that is a personal choice. The biggest benefit of comparing rate quotes online is you may find cheaper rates and still buy from a local agent. Putting coverage with local agencies is especially important in Santa Ana.
By using this short form, your insurance data gets sent to companies in Santa Ana that can give you free Santa Ana car insurance quotes for your coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won't have to do any legwork because prices are sent to your email. You can find the lowest rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If for some reason you want to compare prices for a specific company, just find their quoting web page to submit a rate quote request.
Independent or Exclusive: It's your choice
When looking for a local Santa Ana insurance agent, there are a couple of types of agencies and how they can write your policy. Agents in Santa Ana are classified as either exclusive agents or independent agents.
Independent Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be independent are not limited to a single company and that allows them to write policies amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If prices rise, your policy is moved internally which requires no work on your part.
When comparison shopping, we recommend you check rates from at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices. Most can insure with companies you've never heard of which can be an advantage.
The following is a list of independent insurance agents in Santa Ana that can give you rate quotes.
- Leavitt Group - Leavitt Insurance Services of Southern California
1820 E First St #500 - Santa Ana, CA 92705 - (714) 569-2700 - View Map - Mary Juarez Insurance
1227 W 1st St c - Santa Ana, CA 92703 - (714) 542-5914 - View Map - Insurance Partners Inc
2107 N Broadway #108 - Santa Ana, CA 92706 - (714) 285-4800 - View Map
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents can only provide one company's prices and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm, and AAA. These agents are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they have no alternatives for high prices. They are highly trained in insurance sales which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers sometimes use the same agent primarily because of loyalty to the company and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Below is a list of exclusive insurance agencies in Santa Ana that can give you price quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: Sonia Carolina Franco
2017 N Main St - Santa Ana, CA 92706 - (714) 515-8062 - View Map - Allstate Insurance: Pacheco and Solorzano Insurance Agency
1525 17th St d - Santa Ana, CA 92705 - (714) 542-3585 - View Map - Farmers Insurance - Rosa Evaristo
2901 W Warner Ave - Santa Ana, CA 92704 - (714) 966-1461 - View Map
Finding the right insurance agency shouldn't rely on just the premium amount. Get answers to these questions too.
- What companies can they write with?
- If your car is totaled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Does the quote include credit and driving reports?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
Don't give up on affordable premiums
In this article, we presented a lot of information how to compare Toyota Prius Prime insurance car insurance rates in Santa Ana. It's most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your premium rates. Drivers may even discover the most savings is with a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising.
While you're price shopping online, never buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice full coverage only to discover later they didn't have enough coverage. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price and still be able to protect your assets.
Budget-conscious Toyota Prius Prime insurance can be sourced from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Santa Ana agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies don't offer online rate quotes and many times these small insurance companies only sell through local independent agents.
For more information, feel free to browse the articles below:
- Car Insurance for Teen Drivers with Divorced Parents (Allstate)
- Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance Quotes for a Toyota Highlander in Santa Ana? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Santa Ana Auto Insurance Quotes for a Nissan Versa? (FAQ)
- Safe Vehicles for Teens (iihs.org)
- Reducing Your Risks in a Car Crash Video (iihs.org)