Buick LaCrosse Insurance Rates in Long Beach

How many years has it been since you compared more competitive Buick LaCrosse insurance in Long Beach? No car owner looks forward to paying for insurance, especially when they are aware that the cost is way too high.

It’s safe to assume that auto insurance companies don’t want you to look for cheaper rates. Consumers who shop around for cheaper rates will probably buy a different policy because there is a significant possibility of finding a lower rate. A recent insurance study revealed that drivers who shopped around every year saved an average of $72 a month as compared to drivers who never compared rates.

If finding the cheapest price on Buick LaCrosse insurance is your ultimate goal, then learning about how to shop and compare coverage rates can make it easier for you to save money. Companies like GEICO, 21st Century and Progressive persitently shower you with ad campaigns and it can be hard to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

You should take the time to check insurance prices at least once a year because prices tend to go up over time. Just because you had the lowest quotes on Buick LaCrosse insurance in Long Beach last year you can probably find a lower rate today. There is a lot of bad information regarding LaCrosse insurance online, but I’m going to show you the best ways to put money back in your pocket.

The companies shown below provide price comparisons in Long Beach, CA. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you visit two to three different companies to get a more complete price comparison.

Buick LaCrosse insurance rates and statistics

The rate table displayed below outlines a range of insurance costs for Buick LaCrosse models. Learning how premiums are formulated is important for making smart choices when purchasing an auto insurance policy.

Data variables include married male driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include homeowner, multi-vehicle, safe-driver, multi-policy, and claim-free. Rate information does not factor in garaging location in Long Beach which can increase or decrease insurance rates noticeably.

Higher deductibles save money

One of the most common car insurance questions is how high should the physical damage coverage deductibles be. The comparisons below determine the rate fluctuation between high and low comp and collision deductibles. The first data table uses a $100 deductible and the second rate table uses a $1,000 deductible.

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, safe-driver, claim-free, homeowner, and multi-policy. Rate information does not factor in vehicle garaging location which can influence prices noticeably.

We can estimate from the data above that using a $100 deductible costs an average of $50 more each month or $600 for a full year than quoting the higher $1,000 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $900 more to file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you average at a minimum 18 months between claim filings, you would probably come out ahead if you choose the higher deductible.

The example below illustrates how choosing a deductible and can raise or lower Buick LaCrosse insurance costs for different ages of insureds. The data assumes a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no policy discounts are applied.

Why you need car insurance

Despite the potentially high cost of Buick LaCrosse insurance, maintaining insurance is most likely required but also gives you several important benefits.

First, just about all states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to 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.

Second, if you have a lien on your LaCrosse, more than likely the lender will require you to buy insurance to protect their interest in the vehicle. If you do not pay your insurance premiums, the bank may insure your Buick for a much higher rate and require you to pay for the much more expensive policy.

Third, car insurance preserves both your vehicle and your assets. It will also reimburse you for all forms of medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability coverage will also pay attorney fees in the event you are sued. If your Buick gets damaged, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.

The benefits of having car insurance outweigh the cost, particularly for liability claims. Unknowingly, the average driver is wasting up to $825 a year so you should quote your policy with other companies at every policy renewal to ensure rates are inline.

Specific coverage details

Having a good grasp of your policy can help you determine the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Listed below are the normal coverages offered by car insurance companies.

Comprehensive car insurance

Comprehensive insurance covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.

Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as fire damage, vandalism, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and theft. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.

Coverage for medical expenses

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for expenses like surgery, prosthetic devices, EMT expenses and pain medications. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Collision coverage

This pays for damage to your LaCrosse resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, driving through your garage door and hitting a mailbox. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible on your LaCrosse to bring the cost down.

Liability

This coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.

Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 15/30/5 that translate to $15,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability can pay for things like repair costs for stationary objects, medical expenses and medical services. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but buy higher limits if possible. California state law requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but drivers should carry better liability coverage.

The next chart shows why buying minimum limits may not be enough.

Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Buick LaCrosse.

Since many California drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 15/30/5), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Don’t give up on cheaper rates

We just covered some good ideas how to shop for Buick LaCrosse insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote Long Beach car insurance, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the most savings is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Regional companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like Progressive and GEICO.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s a bad idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best cost, but do not skimp to save money.

How to buy cheaper Buick LaCrosse insurance in Long Beach

Truthfully, the best way to get cheaper Buick LaCrosse insurance in Long Beach is to begin comparing prices regularly from different companies that sell auto insurance in California. Drivers can shop around by completing these steps.

Step 1: Get an understanding of policy coverages and the measures you can take to keep rates in check. Many factors that cause high rates like accidents, careless driving, and an unacceptable credit history can be controlled by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.

Step 2: Quote rates from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while independent agents can quote rates from multiple sources.

Step 3: Compare the price quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if you can save by switching companies. If you find better rates and buy the policy, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.

Step 4: Provide notification to your current agent or company to cancel your existing policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application to your new company or agent. Once the paperwork is finalized, keep the new proof of insurance paperwork along with your vehicle registration.

A tip to remember is that you use the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every quote and and to get price quotes from as many companies as you can. This ensures a level playing field and plenty of rates choose from.

Even more information is located at these sites:

• Safety Features for Your New Car (State Farm)
• Who Has Affordable Long Beach Car Insurance Quotes for Good Drivers? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Auto Insurance for a School Permit in Long Beach? (FAQ)
• Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance After a Speeding Ticket in Long Beach? (FAQ)
• How Can I Save Money on Auto Insurance? (Insurance Information Institute)
• What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
• Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
• Teen Driver Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)