A recent study showed that almost 70% of insureds have stayed with the same insurance company for at least four years, and about 40% of consumers have never even shopped around for cheaper coverage. Drivers in Fresno could cut their rates by $469 a year by just comparing rate quotes, but they underestimate the benefits if they swap their current policy for a cheaper one.
It takes a few minutes, but the best way to find more affordable car insurance rates in Fresno is to start doing a yearly price comparison from companies in California. You can shop around by following these guidelines.
- It will benefit you to learn about how insurance works and the factors you can control to keep rates in check. Many rating factors that are responsible for high rates such as high-risk driving behaviors and a poor credit rating can be remedied by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Obtain price quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from a single company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agents can quote prices from multiple sources. View companies
- Compare the new rate quotes to your current policy premium and determine if cheaper Spark coverage is available. If you find a lower rate quote and switch companies, make sure there is no lapse in coverage.
- Give notification to your agent or company of your decision to cancel your current coverage. Submit a completed application and payment for the new policy. Once the paperwork is finalized, keep the new certificate verifying coverage in an easily accessible location.
The most important part of this process is to try to compare identical coverage information on each price quote and and to analyze as many different insurance providers as possible. This guarantees a fair price comparison and a thorough price selection.
Best companies for Chevy Spark insurance
The companies shown below are ready to provide free rate quotes in California. If your goal is to find cheap car insurance in Fresno, we suggest you visit several of them to get the most competitive price.
Discounts for cheap car insurance quotes
Car insurance companies don’t always advertise every possible discount in an easy-to-find place, so we break down a few of the more well known and the more hidden credits that may apply to you.
- Active Service Discounts – Being deployed in the military may lower your prices slightly.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
- Own a Home – Just owning your own home can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Claim Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay less when compared to drivers who are more careless.
- Anti-theft Discount – Cars and trucks optioned with advanced anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will qualify for a discount on a Fresno car insurance quote.
- ABS Braking Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
Discounts save money, but please remember that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Even though the math looks like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck.
To locate insurers that have a full spectrum of discounts in Fresno, click this link.
Components of Your Chevy Spark Insurance Costs
Many things are part of the equation when premium rates are determined. Some factors are common sense such as your driving record, although others are not as apparent like your vehicle usage or how financially stable you are.
The factors shown below are a few of the “ingredients” utilized by car insurance companies to help set your rate level.
Where you reside plays a part – Living in less populated areas is a good thing when it comes to auto insurance. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims. People in densely populated areas tend to have traffic congestion and longer commute times. Spending more time driving means more chance of being in an accident.
Buy a safe car and pay less – Safe vehicles are cheaper to insure. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and lower injury rates means less claims paid and thus lower rates. If the Chevy Spark scored at minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website you may qualify for a discount.
Add-on coverages may not be needed – Insurance companies have many extra add-on coverages that can waste your money but may not be useful. Coverages for roadside assistance, accident forgiveness, and Farm Bureau memberships could be just wasting money. You may think they are a good idea when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money get rid of them and save.
GPS tracking and theft deterrents reduce auto insurance rates – Selecting a car model with advanced anti-theft systems can help bring down rates. Advanced theft deterrents such as OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms help track and prevent car theft and help bring rates down.
Gender is a factor – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown females are less aggressive when driving. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. They both have accidents at about the same rate, but the men tend to have more serious accidents. Not only that, but men also get more serious tickets such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly. Males from age 16 to 21 generally have the highest accident percentage and therefore pay the highest rates.
Annual mileage and car insurance prices – The higher the mileage driven annually the higher your rates will be. Most companies rate vehicles based upon how the vehicle is primarily used. Cars that sit idle most of the time receive lower rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Having the wrong rating on your Spark may be wasting your money. Double check that your declarations sheet shows the correct usage for each vehicle, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Special considerations
Always remember that when buying your policy for your vehicles, there really is not a one-size-fits-all type of policy. You are unique so this has to be addressed.
Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if you would benefit from professional advice.
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Do I need special coverage while pulling a rented trailer?
- When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
- Can I cancel at any time?
- Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
When should I get advice from a local insurance agent?
A small number of people still prefer to talk to a local agent and that can be a great decision A good thing about comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the lowest rates and still have a local agent. Putting coverage with small agencies is especially important in Fresno.
After completing this quick form, the coverage information is transmitted to agents in your area that give free quotes for your insurance coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to even leave your home because quoted prices will be sent directly to your email. You can most likely find cheaper rates and an insurance agent to talk to. If you want to get a price quote from a specific insurance company, don’t hesitate to navigate to their website and fill out their quote form.
If you would like to find a local insurance agency, it’s important to understand the types of agencies and how they function. Insurance agencies can be classified as either exclusive or independent agents depending on their company appointments.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents of this type are not employed by one company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If they find a cheaper price, an independent agent can move your coverage and you can keep the same agent. When comparing insurance prices, we recommend you get some free quotes from independent agents to maximize your price options.
The following are Fresno independent insurance agents that may be able to give free insurance quotes.
CCIS Bonding and Insurance Services
2520 W Shaw Ln #104 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 320-2247 – View Map
United Valley Insurance Services
3245 W Figarden Dr – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 256-2500 – View Map
Reza Sarkhosh Insurance Agency, Inc.
2491 W Shaw Ave #124 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 243-9000 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Exclusive agents normally can only provide a single company’s rates and examples are Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. Exclusive agents are unable to compare rates from other companies so keep that in mind. Exclusive insurance agents receive extensive training on what they offer which helps offset the inability to provide other markets.
The following are exclusive agencies in Fresno who can help you get price quote information.
Wilson Wong – State Farm Insurance Agent
1341 W Bullard Ave #6 – Fresno, CA 93711 – (559) 438-0470 – View Map
Kurt Sieve – State Farm Insurance Agent
1177 N Willow Ave Suite 102 – Clovis, CA 93611 – (559) 900-7908 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: Frank Salvio
745 E Locust Ave Ste 109 – Fresno, CA 93720 – (559) 449-1603 – View Map
Finding a good insurance agent requires you to look at more than just the quoted price. Some important questions to ask are:
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- Where are claims handled?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
- Do the agents have professional certifications like CPCU or CIC?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in Fresno?
- Will the quote change when the policy is issued?
Upon receiving reasonable responses to all your questions and a low price estimate, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that meets the requirements to adequately provide insurance. It’s important to know that it’s your policy and you can terminate your policy any time you want so never feel that you are permanently stuck with a policy with no way to switch.
California auto insurance companies ranked
Picking a high-quality auto insurance company is difficult considering how many choices there are in California. The ranking information below could help you choose which providers to look at purchasing from.
| Company | Value | Customer Service | Claims | Customer Satisfaction | A.M Best Rating | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | 98 | 100 | 100 | 94% | A++ | 98.6 |
| American Family | 98 | 89 | 100 | 86% | A | 95.4 |
| AAA of Southern California | 91 | 94 | 97 | 92% | A+ | 94.1 |
| State Farm | 88 | 93 | 96 | 90% | A++ | 92.4 |
| The Hartford | 94 | 92 | 90 | 89% | A+ | 91.7 |
| AAA Insurance | 88 | 89 | 95 | 91% | A | 91.2 |
| GEICO | 84 | 93 | 93 | 89% | A++ | 90.3 |
| The General | 89 | 91 | 89 | 88% | A- | 90 |
| Titan Insurance | 90 | 87 | 91 | 95% | A+ | 89.6 |
| Progressive | 84 | 91 | 93 | 87% | A+ | 89.5 |
| Mercury Insurance | 88 | 91 | 90 | 85% | A+ | 89.4 |
| Allstate | 85 | 90 | 92 | 88% | A+ | 89.3 |
| Nationwide | 87 | 88 | 84 | 90% | A+ | 88.7 |
| Liberty Mutual | 84 | 87 | 93 | 88% | A | 88.5 |
| 21st Century | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88% | A | 86.7 |
| Esurance | 85 | 80 | 95 | 87% | A+ | 85.9 |
| Safeco | 85 | 85 | 85 | 86% | A | 85.8 |
| Travelers | 80 | 87 | 87 | 83% | A++ | 85.2 |
| Farmers Insurance | 78 | 87 | 88 | 79% | A | 84.3 |
| Compare Rates Now Go | ||||||
Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies
One last thing to lower rates
Some car insurance companies may not offer online quoting and these regional insurance providers only sell coverage through independent agents. Affordable Chevy Spark insurance in Fresno is possible online as well as from independent agents in Fresno, so compare prices from both to have the best rate selection.
You just read a lot of ways to save on Chevy Spark insurance in Fresno. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding low cost Fresno car insurance quotes. Drivers may even discover the best prices are with a smaller regional carrier. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give better rates as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive or GEICO.
When searching for affordable Fresno car insurance quotes, it’s a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed full coverage and learned later that they should have had better coverage. Your objective should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost and still be able to protect your assets.
More tips and info about car insurance is available in the articles below:
- Vehicle Insurance (Wikipedia)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for Drivers with a Bad Driving Record in Fresno? (FAQ)
- How Much are Fresno Car Insurance Rates for a Kia Optima? (FAQ)
- Uninsured Motorist Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Choosing a Car for Your Teen (State Farm)
- Should I Buy a New or Used Car? (Allstate)
- How to Avoid Common Accidents (State Farm)