Overwhelmed by the dozens of auto insurance companies in Modesto? Lot’s of other consumers are too. People have so many options available that it can quickly become a ton of work to find better rates.
Discounts can save BIG
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but there are discounts available to cut the cost considerably. A few discounts will automatically apply when you complete an application, but less common discounts must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Modesto may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Good Student Discount – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Sign Online – A few companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
- Claim Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents can earn big discounts when compared with bad drivers.
A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will cut the amount you have to pay.
Which Auto Insurance is Cheapest in Modesto?
All major auto insurance companies like State Farm and Allstate quote prices directly from their websites. Getting online rates is pretty easy as you just enter the coverages you want into the quote form. Upon sending the form, their system requests credit information and your driving record and generates pricing information.
Online price quotes makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the work required to visit multiple sites and fill out multiple forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. Unfortunately, it is important to get many rate quotes in order to find lower prices.
The smarter way to locate the lowest prices uses one form to obtain quotes from a bunch of companies at once. It saves time, requires much less work on your part, and makes online price comparison much more enjoyable. Immediately after submitting the form, it is rated and you can select your choice of the price quotes you receive.
If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can click and sign and buy the policy. It can be completed in less than 10 minutes and may save quite a bit of money.
To quickly fill out one form to compare multiple rates now, click here to open in a new tab and submit the form. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you enter the limits and deductibles as shown on your current policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will have rate quotes using the exact same coverages.
Smart Consumers Save More
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower auto insurance prices.
Shown below are some of the factors companies use to determine premiums.
- Mature drivers pay less – Teen drivers in California are statistically proven to be more careless behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. If you’ve ever had to add a young driver to your policy can be very expensive. Older drivers are viewed as being more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations.
- Low deductibles can be expensive – Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply could be colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and burglary. The more you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your auto insurance will be.
- Liability insurance protects assets – Your policy’s liability coverage provides coverage if a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides for a legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Where you reside plays a part – Residing in less populated areas can be a good thing when talking about auto insurance. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents and a lower car theft rate. City drivers have much more traffic to deal with and longer commute times. More time commuting can result in more accidents.
- Your stress level may be raising your rates – Occupations like doctors, social workers and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average because of job stress and long work days. On the flip side, jobs such as farmers, athletes and retirees pay the least.
- Performance level impacts rates – The performance of the vehicle you drive makes a big difference in your rates. The cheapest insurance rates are generally reserved for lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Which policy gives me the best coverage?
When it comes to choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
For example, these questions can help discover whether or not you will benefit from professional help.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px;" src="https://www.carinsurancediy.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-116.jpg" alt="California car insurance prices”/>
- Is California a no-fault state?
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
- Am I covered when driving a rental car?
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
But buying car insurance online seems impersonal
Some consumers prefer to buy from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The best thing about getting online price quotes is that you can obtain lower rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local insurance agencies is important particularly in Modesto.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is transmitted to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to leave your house as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. How cool is that?! You’ll get the best rates AND a local agent.
Multiple types of car insurance agents in Modesto
When researching a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two types of agencies to choose from. Agencies in Modesto are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Independent Agents
Independent agents are not locked into one company but instead can place your coverage with multiple insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency.
When comparison shopping, you should always contact multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. They often place coverage with different regional companies which may provide better rates.
Listed below are Modesto independent agents that are able to give pricing information.
- Silva Insurance – 3300 Tully Rd – Modesto, CA 95350 – (209) 557-0501
- Fogarty Insurance Svc Inc – 1031 Mchenry Ave # 13 – Modesto, CA 95350 – (209) 342-5000
Agency Captives
Captive agencies can only write with one company and examples are Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. These agents are not able to shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. They are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers frequently buy from captive agents partially due to high brand loyalty and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Shown below is a list of captive agencies in Modesto that can give you rate quotes.
- Farmers Insurance Group – 1932 W Orangeburg Ave – Modesto, CA 95350 – (209) 521-8703
- State Farm Insurance – 4213 Dale Rd # 3 – Modesto, CA 95356 – (209) 545-6520
- Allstate Insurance – 2937 Veneman Ave # A100 – Modesto, CA 95356 – (209) 529-4850
For a full directory of captive insurance agencies in Modesto, click here to link.
Deciding on a car insurance agent shouldn’t rely on just the price. These questions are important to ask:
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
After getting positive feedback to these questions and a good coverage price, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that will properly insure your vehicles.
Best coverage at the best price
Insureds who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy non-renewal, denial of a claim and even extreme rates for teen drivers. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
Throughout this article, we presented a lot of tips how to save on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may discover the lowest premiums are with a lesser-known regional company.
Cheap auto insurance is attainable online and also from your neighborhood Modesto agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection. Some companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.
Some additional reading
Additional auto insurance information can be found on the California Department of Insurance website located here. California drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, find out industry alerts, and read state legal mandates and laws.
The articles below may also help you learn more about auto insurance in Modesto