Really, the only way to get affordable auto insurance rates is to compare prices regularly from providers who provide auto insurance in Long Beach. Rate comparisons can be done by completing these steps.
- Step 1: Learn about how car insurance works and the measures you can control to keep rates in check. Many policy risk factors that are responsible for high rates like traffic violations, accidents, and poor credit history can be eliminated by paying attention to minor details.
- Step 2: Get rate quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only give prices from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can quote prices from many different companies. View a list of agents
- Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you can save some money and decide to switch, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
One piece of advice is to try to use the same level of coverage on every quote and and to get price estimates from all possible companies. Doing this enables a level playing field and a better comparison of the market.
It’s easy to assume that insurance companies want to prevent you from shopping around. Insureds who shop around for the cheapest rate will probably buy a new policy because they stand a good chance of finding lower prices. A recent car insurance study revealed that consumers who compared rate quotes regularly saved as much as $850 each year compared to those who never compared rates.
If finding the cheapest rates on car insurance in Long Beach is the reason for your visit, then having an understanding of how to find companies and compare insurance can make the process less intimidating.
It’s important to know that comparing more rates from different companies increases your odds of finding more affordable insurance.
The auto insurance companies shown below are our best choices to provide free rate quotes in Long Beach, CA. If your goal is to find cheap auto insurance in Long Beach, we suggest you visit two to three different companies in order to get a fair rate comparison.
Why do I need car insurance?
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Jeep in Long Beach, buying car insurance is required in California but it also protects you in many ways.
- Most states have minimum liability requirements which means you are required to buy specific limits of liability insurance if you want to drive 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 took out a loan on your Jeep Cherokee, it’s guaranteed your bank will stipulate that you buy full coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you default on your policy, the bank or lender will purchase a policy for your Jeep at a more expensive rate and make you pay for the much more expensive policy.
- Car insurance protects both your car and your personal assets. Insurance will pay for most medical and hospital costs for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability insurance will also pay attorney fees if you are sued as the result of your driving. If damage is caused by hail or an accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of having car insurance definitely exceed the cost, particularly for liability claims. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying more than $825 a year so compare quotes from several companies at least once a year to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Do you qualify for discounts on Jeep Cherokee insurance in Long Beach?
Companies offering auto insurance don’t list every discount they offer in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the more common as well as some of the hidden credits available to you.
- Government Employee Discount – Simply working for the federal government may reduce rates when you quote Long Beach car insurance with certain companies.
- Driver Education Discount – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education in school.
- Club Memberships – Participating in certain professional organizations can get you a small discount when shopping for auto insurance.
- Distant Student – College-age children who live away from home to go to college and do not take a car to college may qualify for this discount.
- Anti-theft Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems are stolen with less frequency and can earn a small discount on your policy.
- Cautious Driver Discounts – Safe drivers can save up to 40% or more on their Long Beach car insurance quote than drivers with accidents.
- New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper because newer vehicles keep occupants safer.
- Defensive Driving Course – Successfully completing a defensive driving course may get you a small discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Onboard Data Collection – Drivers who elect to allow their company to monitor their driving habits remotely such as Drivewise from Allstate or Snapshot from Progressive may get a rate reduction if they are good drivers.
Discounts save money, but please remember that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Despite the appearance that you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck.
A few popular companies and a partial list of their discounts are included below.
- Farm Bureau offers discounts including good student, youthful driver, safe driver, renewal discount, and driver training.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts for preferred payment discount, new move discount, hybrid vehicle, new vehicle discount, and safety features.
- State Farm includes discounts for Steer Clear safe driver discount, anti-theft, driver’s education, passive restraint, and Drive Safe & Save.
- Auto-Owners Insurance discounts include company car, multi-policy, student away at school, anti-lock brakes, multiple vehicles, paid in full, and anti-theft.
- GEICO offers premium reductions for emergency military deployment, good student, defensive driver, membership and employees, multi-policy, and air bags.
- SAFECO policyholders can earn discounts including anti-lock brakes, multi-car, accident prevention training, drive less, anti-theft, and teen safe driver.
Double check with every company how you can save money. Some credits might not be offered on policies in Long Beach. For a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Long Beach, click this link.
Compare prices but buy from a neighborhood Long Beach auto insurance agent
Some people would rather talk to a local agent and that can be a great decision A nice benefit of comparing rate quotes online is the fact that you can find the lowest rates and still buy from a local agent. And buying from small agencies is still important in Long Beach.
To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, your coverage information is transmitted to participating agents in Long Beach who want to provide quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You won’t even need to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent to your email. Get lower rates without having to waste a lot of time. If you need to compare prices from one company in particular, just go to their quote page and fill out their quote form.
Finding the right insurer should depend on more than just the price. Any agent in Long Beach should be willing to answer these questions.
- Is auto insurance their primary focus in Long Beach?
- How would your car be valued if totaled?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- How experienced are they in personal risk management?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
Specific coverages for a Jeep Cherokee
Understanding the coverages of a auto insurance policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Auto insurance terms can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for short-term medical expenses such as pain medications, rehabilitation expenses, EMT expenses and doctor visits. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Liability car insurance
Liability insurance will cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see liability limits of 15/30/5 that means you have $15,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $30,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $5,000. Some companies may use a combined limit which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability can pay for claims such as emergency aid, bail bonds and medical services. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. California requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
The next chart demonstrates why buying minimum limits may not provide you with enough coverage.
Auto collision coverage
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision insurance covers claims such as colliding with another moving vehicle, backing into a parked car, sideswiping another vehicle and driving through your garage door. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to choose a higher deductible on your Cherokee to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive auto coverage
Comprehensive insurance pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, theft, falling objects and damage from flooding. The maximum amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
This coverage gives you protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Jeep Cherokee.
Due to the fact that many California drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (15/30/5 in California), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Frequently these limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Cheap insurance is out there
While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut liability coverage limits only to regret they didn’t have enough coverage. Your objective should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
In this article, we presented quite a bit of information on how to get a better price on Jeep Cherokee insurance in Long Beach. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers may even find the most savings is with the least-expected company.
Cheaper insurance in Long Beach can be bought online and also from your neighborhood Long Beach agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not provide online quoting and many times these small insurance companies only sell through local independent agencies.
Helpful resources
- Distracted Driving Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates for a Honda Civic in Long Beach? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Nissan Altima in Long Beach? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Long Beach Car Insurance for 16 Year Olds? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Long Beach Auto Insurance for a 20 Year Old Female? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for 4×4 Vehicles in Long Beach? (FAQ)
- Bodily Injury Coverage (Liberty Mutual)
- Information for Teen Drivers (GEICO)
- Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Institute)
- Things to Know Before you Cancel Insurance (Allstate)