It’s an obvious conclusion that car insurance companies don’t want customers comparing rates. Drivers who shop around at least once a year will probably buy a new policy because there is a great chance of finding a cheaper policy. A recent survey revealed that people who made a habit of comparing rate quotes saved as much as $865 annually as compared to drivers who don’t make a habit of comparing rates.
If finding low prices for auto insurance is your ultimate goal, then having a good understanding the best way to quote and compare insurance rates can save time and money.
The most effective way to get the cheapest Mitsubishi i-MiEV insurance in Long Beach is to make a habit of regularly comparing prices from insurers who sell insurance in California. Price quotes can be compared by completing these steps.
- Read and learn about how your policy works and the steps you can take to keep rates low. Many rating factors that are responsible for high rates such as traffic violations and an imperfect credit history can be controlled by making minor changes to your lifestyle. This article gives the details to help find cheaper rates and get discounts that may be available to you.
- Request rate estimates from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only provide price estimates from a single company like Progressive and State Farm, while agents who are independent can quote prices from multiple companies.
- Compare the quotes to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper price is available. If you can save some money and decide to switch, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
- Notify your agent or company to cancel your existing policy and submit the application along with any required down payment for your new policy. Once coverage is bound, place your new certificate verifying proof of insurance in a readily accessible location in your vehicle.
One thing to remember is to compare identical coverage information on every quote and and to get rates from every company you can. Doing this helps ensure an apples-to-apples comparison and the most accurate and complete price analysis.
Cutting your Long Beach car insurance rates is not rocket science. Consumers just need to spend a few minutes on the computer getting comparison quotes to find the company with the cheapest Mitsubishi i-MiEV rate quotes.
Online shopping is fast and free, and it takes the place of having to waste gas driving to insurance agents’ offices. The fact that you can get quotes online has reduced the need for local agents unless you’re the type of person who wants the professional guidance that only a licensed agent can provide. You can, however, price shop online but have your policy serviced through an agent.
The companies shown below have been selected to offer price quotes in Long Beach, CA. If you want the best car insurance in California, we recommend you click on several of them in order to find the most competitive rates.
Learn How to Lower Your Insurance Rates
Multiple criteria are part of the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some factors are common sense such as your driving history, although others are less apparent like your vehicle usage or your vehicle rating.
Listed below are some of the things insurance companies consider when setting your rates.
- Fewer miles means better rates – The higher the miles on your Mitsubishi in a year the more it will cost to insure it. Most companies calculate prices determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks that do not get driven very much can be on a lower rate level compared to those used for work or business. It’s always a good idea to double check that your insurance declarations sheet reflects the correct usage for each vehicle. Improper usage on your i-MiEV may be wasting your money.
- Your address can impact costs – Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas has it’s advantages if you are looking for the lowest rates. Less people corresponds to lower accident rates and lower theft and vandalism rates. People who live in big cities tend to have traffic congestion and a longer drive to work. More time commuting means higher likelihood of an accident.
- Lower insurance rates with no policy lapses – Going without insurance will be a fast way to bump up your insurance costs. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage could earn you a steep fine or even jail time.
- Cheaper rates using GPS tracking and theft deterrents – Selecting a car model with anti-theft technology or alarm system can earn a premium discount. Anti-theft devices like OnStar, LoJack tracking, and tamper alarms can help prevent auto theft.
- Little extras can really add up – Policies have extra add-on coverages that can add up if you aren’t careful. Things like rental car reimbursement, towing coverage, and term life insurance could be just wasting money. These may sound like a good investment initially, but now you might not need them so remove them and pocket the money.
- Teenage drivers are expensive to insure – Drivers with little experience are statistically shown to be less responsible when at the wheel of a vehicle so they pay higher insurance rates. More experienced drivers are viewed as being more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents, and receive fewer citations.
- Your spouse saves you money – Your spouse may save some money on your policy. Marriage demonstrates that you tend to be more financially stable and statistics prove married couples file fewer claims.
- Premiums are affected by your credit rating – Having a bad credit history can be a huge factor in calculating your insurance rates. Therefore, if your credit score is not that good, you may save money insuring your Mitsubishi i-MiEV if you improve your credit rating. People with high credit scores tend to be better risks to insure than drivers with poor credit.
Car insurance is not optional in California
Despite the high cost of buying insurance for a Mitsubishi i-MiEV in Long Beach, insuring your vehicle is required in California but also provides important benefits.
- Just about all states have minimum mandated liability insurance limits which means you are required to buy a specific minimum amount of liability coverage if you don’t want to risk a ticket. 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 your Mitsubishi has a lienholder, it’s guaranteed your bank will require you to buy insurance to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you do not keep the policy in force, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Mitsubishi for a lot more money and force you to pay for it.
- Insurance protects both your assets and your Mitsubishi i-MiEV. It will also reimburse you for medical bills for yourself as well as anyone injured by you. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of your driving. If you have damage to your Mitsubishi as the result of the weather or an accident, collision and comprehensive coverages will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of having car insurance are definitely more than the cost, especially when you need to use it. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver overpays as much as $830 a year so we recommend shopping around at least once a year to ensure rates are inline.
Long Beach auto insurance companies
Selecting a high-quality insurance company can be a challenge considering how many companies sell coverage in California. The ranking data in the lists below can help you decide which auto insurance companies to look at when comparing rate quotes.
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 |
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Data Source: Insure.com Best Car Insurance Companies