Truthfully, the best way to find cheaper prices for auto insurance rates in Fresno is to do an annual price comparison from insurance carriers in California.
- Step 1: Get a basic knowledge of what is in your policy and the modifications you can make to prevent high rates. Many rating factors that cause high rates such as traffic tickets, fender benders, and a less-than-favorable credit score can be controlled by being financially responsible and driving safely. This article provides information to get low prices and find possible discounts that are available.
- Step 2: Request rate estimates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct and exclusive agents can give quotes from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide prices for many different companies.
- Step 3: Compare the new rates to the premium of your current policy to see if switching to a new carrier will save money. If you find better rates and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
One bit of advice is that you use similar limits and deductibles on each price quote and and to get rates from as many carriers as you can. Doing this ensures a level playing field and maximum price selection.
It’s an obvious statement that insurance companies want to prevent you from shopping around. Drivers who get price comparisons are very likely to move their business because of the good chance of finding better rates. A recent survey revealed that people who regularly compared rates saved $865 annually compared to policyholders who never shopped around for better prices.
If saving money on insurance in Fresno is the reason you’re here, then having a grasp of how to choose a company and compare coverages can save time and money.
Finding more affordable protection in Fresno is not as hard as you may think. Essentially every driver who quotes car insurance should find better rates. Although California vehicle owners must learn the way companies determine what you pay because it varies considerably.
To find affordable Honda Insight insurance quotes, there are several ways of comparing rates from lots of California auto insurance companies. The easiest way to lower the rate you pay for Honda Insight insurance is to perform an online rate comparison.
Getting free rate quotes online is quite simple, and it makes it obsolete to spend your day driving to different Fresno agent offices. The fact that you can get quotes online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you have a complicated situation and need the trained guidance that can only be provided by a licensed insurance agent. You can, however, get the lowest quotes online but buy from a local insurance agent.
It’s important to know that quoting more will improve the odds of getting the best offered rates. Not every company allows you to get online rate quotes, so it’s recommended that you also compare price quotes on coverage from those companies, too.
The providers in the list below are ready to provide free quotes in California. To buy the best cheap car insurance in Fresno, CA, we recommend you get rates from several of them in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Detailed insurance information
The price information shown below outlines detailed analysis of insurance premium costs for Honda Insight models. Learning more about how insurance premiums are determined can help drivers make decisions when choosing a new policy provider.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insight LX | $276 | $464 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $1,526 | $127 |
| Insight EX | $316 | $546 | $578 | $34 | $174 | $1,648 | $137 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Cost estimates assume single male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-policy, claim-free, multi-vehicle, and homeowner. Rate information does not factor in specific Fresno garaging location which can influence insurance rates greatly.
Higher deductibles lower rates
One of the hardest decisions when shopping for insurance is the level to set your comp and collision deductibles. The rates shown below help summarize the premium difference of buying low and high physical damage deductibles. The first rate quote example uses a $250 deductible and the second pricing table uses a $500 deductible.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insight LX | $298 | $576 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,499 | $125 |
| Insight EX | $342 | $678 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,645 | $137 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insight LX | $242 | $464 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,306 | $109 |
| Insight EX | $278 | $546 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,424 | $119 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Data rating is based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and claim-free. Prices do not factor in vehicle garaging location which can affect insurance rates significantly.
We can derive from the above data that using a $250 deductible will cost you roughly $17 more each month or $204 annually averaged for all Insight models than requesting the higher $500 deductible. Since you would pay $250 more out-of-pocket with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you average more than 15 months between claims, you would come out ahead by selecting a higher deductible.
Should you buy full coverage?
The information below compares Honda Insight annual premium costs with liability coverage only compared to full coverage. The costs are based on no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no policy discounts are applied.
When to drop comprehensive and collision coverage
There is no written rule to stop buying comp and collision coverage, but there is a general school of thought. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than 10% of the vehicle’s replacement cost less your deductible, then you may want to consider only buying liability coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Honda Insight book value is $7,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most you would receive is $6,000 after paying your deductible. If it’s costing in excess of $600 a year for comprehensive and collision coverage, then it’s probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.
There are some conditions where removing full coverage is not financially feasible. If you still owe money on your vehicle, you are required to maintain full coverage in order to prevent your loan from defaulting. Also, if your emergency fund is not enough to purchase a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should not eliminate full coverage.
Car insurance is an important decision
Even though it can be expensive, paying for car insurance serves several important purposes.
- Almost all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a minimum amount of liability insurance 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 you have a lien on your vehicle, more than likely the lender will make it mandatory that you carry insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank will be required to insure your Honda at a much higher rate and force you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Car insurance preserves both your assets and your Honda Insight. Insurance will also pay for many types of medical costs for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if someone files suit against you as the result of an accident. If you receive damage to your vehicle caused by a storm or accident, your policy will cover the damage repairs after a deductible is paid.
The benefits of having insurance are definitely more than the cost, especially if you ever need it. Today the average American driver is currently overpaying as much as $865 each year so it’s important to compare rates each time the policy renews to ensure rates are competitive.
How Insurance Companies Determine Honda Insight Insurance Premiums
The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at the different types of things that help calculate your premiums. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates, this allows you to make good choices that can earn you much lower annual insurance costs.
Infrequent drivers can save – The more you drive your Honda in a year’s time the higher the price you pay to insure it. Most companies apply a rate based upon how much you drive. Cars used primarily for pleasure use cost less to insure as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Improper usage on your Insight is just wasting money. Ask your agent if your policy states the correct driver usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
How’s your driving record? – Drivers who don’t get tickets receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Just one speeding ticket or other violation can boost insurance rates to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers with dangerous citations like reckless driving or DUI may find they need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state’s licensing department in order to prevent a license revocation.
The example below illustrates how violations and accidents drive up Honda Insight insurance costs for each age group. The premium estimates are based on a single female driver, full physical damage coverage, $250 deductibles, and no other discounts are factored in.
Policy add-ons may be wasting money – There are many extra add-on coverages you can purchase if you aren’t careful. Coverages like personal injury protection, high-cost glass coverage, and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. They may sound like good ideas when deciding what coverages you need, but now you might not need them so consider taking them off your policy.
You might pay higher premiums if you are single – Being married actually saves money compared to being single. Having a spouse usually means you are more mature than a single person and statistics show married couples file fewer claims.
Insurance prices are higher for high performance vehicles – The make and model of the car you drive makes a huge difference in your auto insurance rates. Smaller low performance passenger cars usually are quite affordable to insure, but that’s not the only thing that factors into the final price.
The following data uses these assumptions: single female driver age 20, full coverage with $500 deductibles, and no discounts or violations. It shows Honda Insight insurance premiums compared to other makes and models that have a range of performance risks.
When should you file auto insurance claims? – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect higher premiums or even policy non-renewal. Companies in California provide better rates to people who only file infrequent claims. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for claims that pose a financial burden.
Comp and collision deductibles are a factor – The deductibles define how much you are willing to pay in the event of a claim. Coverage for physical damage, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be colliding with a stationary object, vandalism, and damage from wind. The larger the amount you’re willing to pay, the better rate you will receive.
Are you male or female? – Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, don’t assume that men are worse drivers. Both genders cause at-fault accidents in similar numbers, but the men have accidents that have higher claims. Men also statistically receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI. Males from age 16 to 21 are several times more likely to be in an accident and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
The information below shows the difference between Honda Insight auto insurance costs for male and female drivers. Data assumes a clean driving record, no at-fault accidents, comp and collision included, $1,000 deductibles, drivers are single, and no policy discounts are applied.
Persistence pays off
In this article, we covered a lot of tips how to get a better price on Honda Insight insurance in Fresno. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote Fresno car insurance, the higher your chance of finding low cost Fresno car insurance quotes. Consumers may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give better rates compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.
Lower-priced auto insurance in Fresno can be sourced online and from local insurance agents, so get free Fresno car insurance quotes from both of them to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies may not provide online quoting and usually these smaller companies prefer to sell through local independent agencies.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that it was a big error on their part. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price.
Additional information can be read below:
- Crash Avoidance Technologies FAQ (iihs.org)
- How Much is Fresno Auto Insurance for Police Officers? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Rates for a Ford F-150 in Fresno? (FAQ)
- Older Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Top Signs Your Brakes are Giving Out (State Farm)