Car Insurance Quotes for a Nissan Sentra in Santa Ana

If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to find discount Nissan Sentra insurance in Santa Ana is to do a yearly price comparison from providers who sell insurance in California.

Step 1: Gain an understanding of how insurance companies determine prices and the things you can change to keep rates in check. Many factors that are responsible for high rates such as distracted driving and a poor credit score can be improved by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Later in this article we will cover additional ideas to help reduce prices and find overlooked discounts.

Step 2: Get rate quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while independent agents can provide rate quotes from multiple insurance companies.

Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you can save some money and make a switch, make sure there is no coverage gap between policies.

Step 4: Provide written notification to your current company to cancel the current policy. Submit a signed application and payment to your new agent or company. Once received, store the proof of insurance certificate somewhere easily accessible.

One key aspect when comparing rates is that you'll want to compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every quote request and and to get rate quotes from as many companies as you can. This helps ensure an apples-to-apples comparison and the best rate selection.

Everyone knows that car insurance companies want to keep you from comparing rates. Drivers who do rate comparisons are very likely to switch to a new company because they stand a good chance of finding discount prices. Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that drivers who compared prices once a year saved approximately $72 a month compared to drivers who don't make a habit of comparing rates.

If finding the cheapest price for car insurance in Santa Ana is your goal, then knowing the best way to shop and compare insurance rates can make shopping around easier.

Reducing your Nissan Sentra insurance rates doesn't have to be difficult. You just have to take the time to get quotes from different insurance companies.

The companies in the list below offer price quotes in Santa Ana, CA. If multiple providers are shown, we recommend you visit as many as you can to get the best price comparison.

Why you need Nissan Sentra insurance in California

Despite the potentially high cost of Nissan Sentra insurance, car insurance is required in California but also provides important benefits.

• Most states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability insurance in order to be legal. 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 Nissan Sentra, it's guaranteed your bank will force you to have comprehensive coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you let the policy lapse, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Nissan at a more expensive rate and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
• Car insurance preserves not only your Nissan Sentra but also your assets. It will also cover many types of medical costs for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also pays for attorney fees and expenses in the event you are sued. If your Nissan gets damaged, your car insurance policy will pay to have it repaired.

The benefits of insuring your car definitely exceed the cost, especially when you need to use it. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver overpays more than $750 every year so shop around every year to ensure rates are competitive.

Auto insurance data for a Nissan Sentra

The rate table below highlights estimates of rate quotes for Nissan Sentra models. Having a good grasp of how rates are formulated can be useful when making decisions on the best policy coverages.

Table data assumes married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $100 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, homeowner, and claim-free. Estimates do not factor in vehicle location which can change prices noticeably.

Policy deductibles

One of the hardest decisions when shopping for auto insurance is how high should the physical damage coverage deductibles be. The tables below determine how much more you'll pay when you select higher and lower physical damage deductibles. The first rate estimation uses a $100 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second price grid uses a $500 deductible.

Data assumes married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, safe-driver, homeowner, and claim-free. Rates do not factor in specific location information which can raise or lower coverage prices noticeably.

Using the premium rates above, we can conclude that using a $100 deductible will cost you approximately $31 more each month or $372 every year than buying the higher $500 deductible. Since the policyholder would be required to pay $400 more out-of-pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to average at least 13 months between claims, you would probably save some money going with the higher deductible.

Safe drivers Santa Ana pay cheaper rates

The information below demonstrates how traffic citations and accident claims increase Nissan Sentra auto insurance rates for different categories of driver ages. The premiums are based on a single female driver, comp and collision included, $500 deductibles, and no policy discounts are applied.

Auto insurance rates based on gender

The information below shows the comparison of Nissan Sentra insurance rates for male and female drivers. The data is based on no claims or driving citations, full physical damage coverage, $100 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.

Price comparison of only insuring for liability

The illustration below illustrates the comparison of Nissan Sentra car insurance rates with full coverage compared to only the California minimum liability coverage. Data assumes a clean driving record, no claims, $250 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no additional discounts are factored in.

When to drop full coverage

There isn't a steadfast formula of when to phase out physical damage coverage on your policy, but there is a general guideline. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than 10% of any settlement you would receive from your insurance company, then you might want to consider buying only liability coverage.

For example, let's assume your Nissan Sentra claim settlement value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, the most you would get paid by your company is $6,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If premiums are more than $600 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.

There are a few situations where dropping full coverage is not recommended. If you have an outstanding loan on your vehicle, you have to keep full coverage as part of the loan requirements. Also, if you cannot afford to purchase a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should keep full coverage in place.

Get cheaper rates by earning discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there could be significant discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Most are applied at the time of quoting, but some discounts are required to be manually applied before you will receive the discount.

• Drivers Ed for Students - Require your teen driver to take driver's ed class as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
• Payment Method - By making one initial payment rather than spreading payments over time you could save up to 5%.
• Use Seat Belts - Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle up before driving could cut 10% or more off PIP or medical payments premium.
• Life Insurance - If the company offers life insurance, you could get a small discount if you purchase a life policy as well.
• Telematics Data Discounts - People who choose to allow their company to spy on driving patterns by using a telematic data system such as Progressive's Snapshot and State Farm's In-Drive could possibly reduce rates if they exhibit good driving behavior.
• ABS Braking Discount - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes have fewer accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
• Air Bags and Passive Restraints - Options like air bags may earn rate discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
• Save over 55 - Mature drivers are able to get a small decrease in premiums.
• Military Deployment Discount - Having an actively deployed family member can result in better premium rates.
• Employee of Federal Government - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.

You can save money using discounts, but many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like it's possible to get free car insurance, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will definitely lower your overall bill.

The information below illustrates the comparison of Nissan Sentra car insurance costs with and without discounts applied. The data is based on a female driver, no accidents, no driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $100 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-policy, safe-driver, claim-free, marriage, multi-car, and homeowner discounts applied.

A list of insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts are shown below.

• Farm Bureau offers discounts for good student, youthful driver, multi-policy, driver training, and multi-vehicle.
• State Farm has savings for defensive driving training, Drive Safe & Save, passive restraint, student away at school, and accident-free.
• Progressive may include discounts for homeowner, good student, multi-policy, multi-vehicle, and online quote discount.
• Allstate offers premium reductions for multi-policy, FullPay discount, anti-theft, anti-lock brakes, teenSMART discount, early signing, and passive restraint.
• Nationwide may offer discounts for easy pay, defensive driving, accident-free, good student, and business or organization.
• MetLife includes discounts for good driver, claim-free, defensive driver, good student, and accident-free.

When quoting, ask each company how many discounts you can get. Discounts may not apply to policies in Santa Ana. If you would like to choose from a list of providers who offer online Nissan Sentra insurance quotes in Santa Ana, click this link.

What if I want to buy from local Santa Ana insurance agents?

A small number of people would prefer to talk to a local agent and that can be a great decision Insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help you file claims. The best thing about comparing insurance prices online is you can get cheaper rates and still choose a local agent. And buying from local agencies is important particularly in Santa Ana.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this quick form, the quote information is immediately sent to insurance agents in Santa Ana who will give competitive quotes to get your business. It's much easier because you don't need to search for an agent because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. If you have a need to get a rate quote for a specific company, you would need to search and find their rate quote page to submit a rate quote request.

Finding the right company is decision based upon more than just the bottom line cost. Any agent in Santa Ana should have no problem answering these questions:

• Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
• How is replacement cost determined on your vehicle?
• How are claims handled?
• How often do they review policy coverages?
• What insurance company do they write the most business with?
• Do you qualify for any additional discounts?

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When it comes to your policy, there isn't really a cookie cutter policy. Your situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

• What happens if I owe more than my Nissan Sentra is worth?
• Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
• If my Nissan Sentra is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
• Is my camper covered for physical damage?
• Are rock chip repairs covered?
• What is GAP insurance?
• Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.

What is YOUR best insurance company?

When you buy Santa Ana auto insurance online, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where an insured dropped full coverage and learned later they didn't purchase enough coverage. The aim is to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how you can reduce Nissan Sentra insurance rates online in Santa Ana. The key thing to remember is the more you quote Santa Ana auto insurance, the higher your chance of finding affordable Santa Ana auto insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier. Some small companies may often insure only within specific states and give better rates as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate and Progressive.

Cheaper Nissan Sentra insurance in Santa Ana is possible on the web and from local agencies, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who may not provide online rate quotes and many times these smaller providers provide coverage only through local independent agencies.

Additional detailed information is available in the articles below:

• Choosing a Car for Your Teen (State Farm)
• Who Has Cheap Santa Ana Car Insurance Rates for Postal Workers? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Santa Ana Auto Insurance Quotes for Drivers with Accidents? (FAQ)
• How Much are Car Insurance Quotes After a Speeding Ticket in Santa Ana? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for Handicapped Drivers in Santa Ana? (FAQ)
• What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for High School Students in Santa Ana? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for 17 Year Olds in Santa Ana? (FAQ)
• How to Avoid Common Accidents (State Farm)
• Airbag FAQ (iihs.org)
• Auto Theft Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)