Truthfully, the best way to get affordable auto insurance rates in Long Beach is to start comparing rates regularly from different companies in California.
Step 1: Read about how companies set rates and the things you can control to prevent high rates. Many factors that cause rate increases like at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, and a substandard credit score can be eliminated by making lifestyle changes or driving safer. This article provides additional ideas to help find cheaper rates and find missing discounts.
Step 2: Get rate quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can give quotes from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide rate quotes from many different companies.
Step 3: Compare the new rate quotes to the premium of your current policy to see if a cheaper price is available. If you find a lower rate quote and switch companies, ensure there is no coverage lapse between policies.
Step 4: Provide proper notification to your current company to cancel your existing policy. Submit the completed application along with a down payment to the new company. Immediately upon receiving it, keep the new proof of insurance paperwork with the vehicle registration.
One tip to remember is to make sure you enter the same amount of coverage on every quote request and and to get rates from as many companies as feasibly possible. Doing this enables a level playing field and a complete selection of prices.
A recent insurance study discovered that nearly 70% of drivers kept buying from the same company for over three years, and almost 40% of drivers have never shopped around. Many drivers in Long Beach could save themselves up to $469 a year, but they underestimate how much savings they would realize if they switched to a cheaper policy.
Getting quotes for the best-priced insurance coverage in Long Beach is not as difficult as people think. If you are insured now or want to find a cheaper company, you can use these tips to find the best rates without reducing coverage. Vehicle owners just have to know the best way to shop their coverage around online.
How to buy Chevy Spark insurance online
The majority of larger companies make it easy to get prices for coverage direct online. Obtaining pricing for Chevy Spark insurance in Long Beach is pretty easy as you simply type in the coverage amounts you desire on the page. Once you submit the form, the company’s rating system makes automated requests for information on your driving record and credit history and provides a quote based on the information you submitted.
The ability to get online rate quotes for Chevy Spark insurance in Long Beach makes comparing rates easy, and it’s also necessary to have as many quotes as possible if you want to get the cheapest car insurance rates.
To quickly compare pricing, consider comparing rates from the companies shown below. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you input deductibles and limits identical to your current policy. Doing this assures you will have rate quotes for similar insurance coverage.
The companies shown below are ready to provide quotes in Long Beach, CA. If you wish to find cheaper car insurance in California, it’s a good idea that you visit two to three different companies to find the lowest car insurance rates.
Lower your car insurance rates with these five discounts
Companies that sell car insurance don’t necessarily list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so below is a list both well-publicized in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that may be available.
- Passive Restraints – Cars that have air bags can receive discounts of more than 20%.
- Lower Rates for Military – Being on active deployment in the military could qualify you for better premium rates.
- Defensive Driver – Completing a driver safety course can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
- Auto/Life Discount – Select car insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you can bundle your auto and homeowners insurance and place coverage with the same company you may earn up to 20% and get you inexpensive Chevrolet Spark insurance in Long Beach.
Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So even though you would think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will positively reduce the cost of your policy.
A list of companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are included below.
- GEICO may offer discounts for membership and employees, air bags, federal employee, seat belt use, multi-vehicle, and daytime running lights.
- SAFECO policyholders can earn discounts including bundle discounts, homeowner, anti-lock brakes, teen safe driver, drive less, multi-car, and safe driver.
- State Farm may have discounts that include safe vehicle, Drive Safe & Save, good driver, multiple autos, accident-free, student away at school, and defensive driving training.
- MetLife offers discounts including multi-policy, good driver, accident-free, defensive driver, good student, and claim-free.
- 21st Century may include discounts for air bags, defensive driver, early bird, anti-lock brakes, and driver training.
- Progressive includes discounts for multi-vehicle, good student, continuous coverage, online signing, and multi-policy.
When quoting, ask each insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Some discounts listed above might not be offered in your state.
Why do I need car insurance?
Even though it’s not necessarily cheap to insure a Chevy in Long Beach, insuring your vehicle is not optional due to several reasons.
First, most states have compulsory liability insurance 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 took out a loan on your vehicle, it’s most likely the lender will require that you have comprehensive coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender will be forced to insure your Chevy at a significantly higher premium and force you to pay the higher premium.
Third, auto insurance protects both your assets and your vehicle. Insurance will also pay for most medical and hospital costs that are the result of an accident. One policy coverage, liability insurance, also covers legal expenses if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If you have damage to your Chevy as the result of the weather or an accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to repair the damage minus the deductible amount.
The benefits of insuring your car more than cancel out the cost, especially for larger claims. According to a 2015 survey, the average American driver overpays as much as $869 every year so it’s recommended you shop around at every policy renewal to help ensure money is not being wasted.
Compare rates but buy from a local Long Beach insurance agency
Some people would prefer to buy from a local agent and that is a personal choice. Agents are trained risk managers and help file insurance claims. One of the benefits of price shopping on the web is that drivers can save money and get lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. And buying from local agents is important particularly in Long Beach.
To find an agent, once you fill out this simple form, the coverage information is sent to local insurance agents in Long Beach that can provide free Long Beach car insurance quotes for your car insurance coverage. You won’t even need to search for an agent because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide. If you wish to compare rates from a specific company, you just need to find their quoting web page and give them your coverage information.
If you want to buy car insurance from a reliable insurance agent, it’s helpful to know the types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Car insurance agents in Long Beach are considered either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive. Either one can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s a good idea to understand why they differ because it can impact your selection of an agent.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
Agents of this type often have many company appointments so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If they find a lower price, they simply move your policy to a different company and you stay with the same agent. If you need cheaper car insurance rates, it’s recommended you include several independent agencies to ensure the widest selection of prices. Many write coverage with smaller mutual companies that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
Featured below are Long Beach independent agents that can give you price quote information.
- Integrity Now Insurance Brokers, Inc.
6285 E Spring St – Long Beach, CA 90808 – (562) 606-1030 – View Map - Fox Benefits Insurance Agency
5175 E Pacific Coast Hwy #304 – Long Beach, CA 90804 – (562) 735-3125 – View Map - Amico Insurance Agency Inc.
100 Oceangate #1200 – Long Beach, CA 90802 – (877) 467-8799 – View Map
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Agents of this type work for only one company and examples are Farmers Insurance, State Farm, or Allstate. Exclusive agents cannot give you multiple price quotes so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive insurance agents receive extensive training on their company’s products which helps them sell on service rather than price. Consumers often buy insurance from these agents mostly because of the prominent brand name rather than low rates.
The following is a list of exclusive agents in Long Beach that can give you rate quotes.
- Sonny Anderson – State Farm Insurance Agent
4166 Norse Way a – Long Beach, CA 90808 – (562) 429-1809 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Brenda Soto Bryan
4202 Atlantic Ave Ste 201 – Long Beach, CA 90807 – (562) 426-1752 – View Map - Peter Chai – State Farm Insurance Agent
3253 E South St #103 – Long Beach, CA 90805 – (562) 634-2000 – View Map
Finding the right auto insurance agent is decision based upon more than just the bottom line cost. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
- Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
- Are they full-time agents?
- How does the company pay claims for a total loss?
Insurance coverage breakdown
Learning about specific coverages of your policy can help you determine which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Chevy Spark.
Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (California limits are 15/30/5), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Most of the time these coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Coverage for medical expenses
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for immediate expenses for hospital visits, funeral costs and chiropractic care. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants as well as 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
Liability auto insurance
This protects you from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property by causing an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show limits of 15/30/5 which means a limit of $15,000 per injured person, a total of $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is a combined limit which provides one coverage limit without having the split limit caps.
Liability coverage protects against things such as repair costs for stationary objects, pain and suffering, legal defense fees, funeral expenses and bail bonds. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford. California state law requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/5 but you should consider buying better liability coverage.
The illustration below shows why the minimum limit may not be enough coverage.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. 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 damage from flooding, damage from getting keyed, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Auto collision coverage
This coverage covers damage to your Spark resulting from a collision with an object or car. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage pays for things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a building, colliding with a tree and hitting a mailbox. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. It’s also possible to increase the deductible on your Spark to save money on collision insurance.