The most effective way to get more affordable Mitsubishi Mirage G4 insurance in Santa Ana is to start doing an annual price comparison from different companies in California. Rates can be compared by completing these steps.
- Step 1: Gain an understanding of how companies set rates and the measures you can control to keep rates low. Many things that result in higher rates such as at-fault accidents and a lousy credit rating can be amended by improving your driving habits or financial responsibility. Continue reading for additional tips to keep prices down and find missing discounts.
- Step 2: Compare price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only give prices from a single company like Progressive or Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote prices from multiple insurance companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rates to your existing coverage to see if a cheaper price is available in Santa Ana. If you find a lower rate, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Step 4: Provide notification to your current agent or company to cancel the current policy and submit payment and a signed application for your new coverage. Once received, put the certificate of insurance with your registration paperwork.
A good tip to remember is that you'll want to make sure you compare the same coverage limits and deductibles on each quote request and and to look at as many different insurance providers as possible. Doing this helps ensure the most accurate price comparison and many rates to choose from.
Smart shoppers know that insurance companies don't want you comparing rates. Consumers who shop rates annually will presumably switch companies because they have a good chance of finding a lower-cost company. A survey found that people who routinely compared quotes saved approximately $3,400 over four years compared to people who never compared other company's rates.
If finding the best rates on car insurance is why you're here, then learning about how to get free comparison quotes and analyze coverages can save money and time.
If you are already insured or just want to reduce your rates, you can learn to find better prices without sacrificing coverage. Finding and comparing the best car insurance in Santa Ana is not as time-consuming as you think. Smart shoppers only need to know the proper way to compare company rates online.
Finding a lower price on insurance can be relatively painless. You just need to take a few minutes comparing rate quotes from different insurance companies.
The auto insurance companies shown below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in Santa Ana, CA. If multiple providers are shown, we recommend you compare several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Choosing the best Mitsubishi Mirage G4 insurance in California is an important decision
Despite the fact that auto insurance is not cheap in Santa Ana, buying auto insurance is required in California but also provides important benefits.
- Almost all states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means you are required to carry specific limits of liability insurance coverage if you don't want to risk a ticket. 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 took out a loan on your vehicle, almost all lenders will require that you buy insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender may insure your Mitsubishi at an extremely high rate and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards your vehicle and your assets. It will also cover hospital and medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability insurance also pays expenses related to your legal defense if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, your auto insurance policy will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of having insurance definitely exceed the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. According to a recent study, the average American driver is wasting up to $825 a year so you should quote and compare rates at least once a year to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Lower-cost Santa Ana insurance rates with discounts
Companies offering auto insurance don't list every discount they offer in an easy-to-find place, so the below list has both well-publicized as well as some of the hidden credits available to lower your premiums when you buy Santa Ana auto insurance online.
- Theft Deterrent System - Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen with less frequency and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Federal Employees - Having worked for a branch of the government could cut as much as 10% off with a few insurance companies.
- Accident Forgiveness - Not really a discount, but some companies like Liberty Mutual, Allstate and State Farm allow you one accident without the usual rate increase so long as you are claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Telematics Discount - Drivers that enable data collection to analyze their driving habits by using a telematic data system such as Drivewise from Allstate or Snapshot from Progressive could see a rate decrease if they have good driving habits.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured - Having multiple cars with the same company can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Claim-Free Discount - Drivers who don't have accidents get the best insurance rates in comparison with frequent claim filers.
- Responsible Driver Discount - Insureds who avoid accidents can save as much as half off their rates compared to accident prone drivers.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount - Vehicles that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Online Discount - Many companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy online.
- Life Insurance Discount - Some insurance companies give a lower price if you buy some life insurance in addition to your auto policy.
Discounts reduce rates, but you should keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the whole policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, you won't be that lucky. Any qualifying discounts will bring down the amount you have to pay.
Large insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts include:
- Mercury Insurance offers premium reductions for type of vehicle, good student, annual mileage, age of vehicle, low natural disaster claims, and multi-policy.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include good student, bundle discounts, mature driver, distant student, youthful driver, and teen driver.
- Farm Bureau offers discounts including multi-policy, youthful driver, renewal discount, multi-vehicle, safe driver, and driver training.
- State Farm includes discounts for anti-theft, good student, Steer Clear safe driver discount, good driver, and safe vehicle.
- Allstate may offer discounts for economy car, early signing, new car, teenSMART discount, multi-policy, and resident student.
- GEICO may include discounts for military active duty, anti-theft, membership and employees, air bags, defensive driver, and daytime running lights.
Before you buy a policy, ask every insurance company to give you their best rates. Some discounts may not be offered in every state. To see companies that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts in California, click here.
Local Santa Ana insurance agents and car insurance
Many people would prefer to buy from a local agent and that is OK! Licensed agents can point out coverage gaps and will help you if you have claims. A nice benefit of getting free rate quotes online is that drivers can save money and get cheap car insurance rates but also keep your business local. Buying from local insurance agencies is still important in Santa Ana.
Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is instantly submitted to agents in your area that can provide free Santa Ana auto insurance quotes to get your business. You won't need to drive around since rate quotes are delivered directly to your email. If for some reason you want to compare rates from a specific car insurance provider, feel free to visit that company's website and fill out their quote form.
The difference between Santa Ana car insurance agents
If you prefer to buy car insurance from a local Santa Ana insurance agent, you should know the types of insurance agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Santa Ana are considered either independent agents or exclusive agents depending on their employer. Both types can handle car insurance, but it's good to learn the difference in how they write coverage since it can impact your agent selection.
Independent Insurance Agents
These agents are not limited to a single company so they can write business amongst many companies and get the cheapest rates. If prices rise, your policy is moved internally and you won't have to switch agencies. When comparison shopping, it's a good idea to get rate quotes from at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices. Most can insure with small mutual carriers which can save you money.
Shown below is a small list of independent insurance agencies in Santa Ana that may be able to give you free car insurance quotes.
- Mural Insurance Agency
1202 17th St #103 - Santa Ana, CA 92701 - (714) 541-1003 - View Map - Neighborhood Insurance Agency
1333 E First St - Santa Ana, CA 92701 - (714) 285-9990 - View Map - Nano Insurance Services
423 E First St - Santa Ana, CA 92701 - (714) 564-0398 - View Map
Exclusive Agencies
Exclusive agencies are contracted to one company and examples are State Farm, AAA, and Liberty Mutual. They are unable to place coverage with different providers so they have to upsell other benefits. They are usually quite knowledgeable on their company's products which aids in selling service over price. Consumers sometimes purchase coverage from exclusives mainly due to the prominence of the brand and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
The following is a short list of exclusive agencies in Santa Ana that can give you price quotes.
- Farmers Insurance - Daniel Canzone
2323 N Tustin Ave, Ste E-F - Santa Ana, CA 92705 - (714) 203-6033 - View Map - Farmers Insurance - Manuel Acevedo
3500 S Bristol St #201 - Santa Ana, CA 92704 - (714) 433-2996 - View Map - Kelly Davis - State Farm Insurance Agent
2677 N Main St #150 - Santa Ana, CA 92705 - (714) 647-6303 - View Map
Selecting an auto insurance agent shouldn't rely on just the premium amount. Any agent in Santa Ana should have no problem answering these questions:
- How are they compensated?
- Will the company cover a rental car if your car is getting fixed?
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Does the company use OEM repair parts?
- Does the agent help file claims?
Coverages available on your policy
Knowing the specifics of insurance can help you determine the right coverages for your vehicles. Insurance terms can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Collision insurance
Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as rolling your car, scraping a guard rail and backing into a parked car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible on your Mirage G4 to save money on collision insurance.
Liability auto insurance
This provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property that is your fault. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have limits of 15/30/5 which stand for $15,000 in coverage for each person's injuries, a limit of $30,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $5,000 paid for damaged property. Occasionally you may see one number which is a combined single limit which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability insurance covers claims like repair bills for other people's vehicles, legal defense fees, loss of income, repair costs for stationary objects and structural damage. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford. California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but you should think about purchasing more liability than the minimum.
The chart below shows why buying low liability limits may not be enough coverage.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
This provides protection from other motorists when they are uninsured or don't have enough coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Mitsubishi Mirage G4.
Since many California drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (California limits are 15/30/5), their limits can quickly be used up. That's why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea. Usually the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liability limits.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like hitting a bird, hitting a deer, damage from getting keyed, hail damage and fire damage. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it's not worth much more than your deductible it's not worth carrying full coverage.
Insurance for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for hospital visits, EMT expenses, dental work and pain medications. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover you and your occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
California car insurance companies
Picking the right car insurance company can be rather challenging considering how many companies there are in California. The company ratings in the lists below could help you decide which auto insurance companies you want to consider comparing rates from.
Top 10 Santa Ana Car Insurance Companies Overall
- USAA
- American Family
- AAA of Southern California
- State Farm
- The Hartford
- AAA Insurance
- GEICO
- The General
- Titan Insurance
- Progressive
Frequent quotes can save
Consumers switch companies for many reasons like not issuing a premium refund, poor customer service, unfair underwriting practices and even delays in responding to claim requests. It doesn't matter why you want to switch finding a great new company is not as difficult as it may seem.
Cost effective Mitsubishi Mirage G4 insurance is attainable from both online companies and from local agencies, so get free Santa Ana auto insurance quotes from both of them to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies may not have online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies only sell through local independent agents.
As you restructure your insurance plan, it's very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many instances, an insured cut physical damage coverage only to discover later that they should have had better coverage. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
More detailed auto insurance information can be read at these sites:
- Auto Crash Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Chevrolet Equinox in Santa Ana? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Santa Ana Car Insurance Rates for State Employees? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance for a Honda Civic in Santa Ana? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Santa Ana Car Insurance for a School Permit? (FAQ)
- Tread Depth and Tire Safety (State Farm)
- Prepare your Teens for Safe Driving (InsureUonline.org)
- Frontal Crash Tests (iihs.org)