Consumers who just recently started price shopping insurance coverage online may discover purchasing cheap San Bernardino car insurance is tougher than they thought.
Unbelievable but true according to a study the majority of drivers have been with the same company for more than four years, and 38% of drivers have never even shopped around for lower-cost coverage. Many drivers in San Bernardino can cut their rates by as much as 35% a year just by shopping around, but most undervalue the actual amount they would save if they bought a different policy.
You should take the time to compare prices before your next renewal because prices change frequently. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price on car insurance last year there may be better deals available now. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because I’m going to teach you one of the best ways to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.
This article will familiarize you with how to compare rates easily and also pocket some savings If you have a current car insurance policy, you will surely be able to find the best rates using the following tips. Nevertheless, California drivers do need to know how big insurance companies price online insurance because rates are impacted by many factors.
How to buy San Bernardino car insurance online
When comparison shopping, there are several ways to obtain and compare prices from all the different companies. The best way to compare insurance prices is to use the internet to compare rates.
Keep in mind that comparing more rates from different companies helps you find better pricing.
The auto insurance companies shown below can provide price quotes in San Bernardino, CA. If several companies are displayed, we recommend you visit two to three different companies in order to find the cheapest rates.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Policy Premium | 6-month Policy Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Colorado LT 4WD | $1,428 | $714 | $119 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Extended Cab 4WD | $1,688 | $844 | $141 |
| Dodge Ram Crew Cab TRX 2WD | $1,834 | $917 | $153 |
| Ford Escape Limited 4WD | $1,568 | $784 | $131 |
| Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Super Cab 4WD | $1,728 | $864 | $144 |
| Ford Focus SES 2-Dr Coupe | $1,896 | $948 | $158 |
| Honda Accord LX-S 2-Dr Coupe | $1,896 | $948 | $158 |
| Honda CR-V EX-L 2WD | $1,468 | $734 | $122 |
| Honda Civic SI 2-Dr Coupe | $2,238 | $1,119 | $187 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4WD | $1,830 | $915 | $153 |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 4WD 4-Dr | $1,792 | $896 | $149 |
| Kia Optima EX | $1,936 | $968 | $161 |
| Mazda 3 S Sport 4-Dr Sedan | $1,830 | $915 | $153 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $1,688 | $844 | $141 |
| Toyota Camry XLE | $1,790 | $895 | $149 |
| Toyota Corolla XRS | $1,830 | $915 | $153 |
| Get Rate Quotes for Your Vehicle Go | |||
Data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in specific location which can raise or lower price quotes substantially.
Insurance protects more than just your car
Despite the high cost of buying insurance in San Bernardino, paying for insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
- The majority of states have mandatory insurance requirements which means state laws require a specific minimum amount of liability insurance in order to drive the car. 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 bought your vehicle with a loan, almost every bank will require that you buy full coverage to ensure they get paid if you total the vehicle. If you cancel or allow the policy to lapse, the lender may insure your vehicle at a significantly higher premium and force you to pay the higher price.
- Insurance protects not only your vehicle but also your assets. It will also pay for medical expenses for both you and anyone you injure as the result of an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers legal expenses if you are sued as the result of your driving. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of buying insurance definitely exceed the price paid, particularly for liability claims. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer overpays as much as $865 each year so smart consumers compare quotes once a year at a minimum to make sure the price is not too high.
Don’t neglect these price cutting discounts
Some insurers don’t always advertise all discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the list below contains some of the best known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to lower your premiums when you buy San Bernardino car insurance online. If you are not receiving all the discounts possible, you could be saving more on your auto insurance.
- Good Grades Discount – Performing well in school can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply until age 25.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are much safer to drive so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- Discounts for Good Drivers – Drivers without accidents may receive a discount up to 45% than their less cautious counterparts.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Factory options such as air bags or automatic seat belts may get savings up to 30%.
- New Car Discount – Insuring a vehicle that is new can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
- Accident Forgiveness – Not a discount per se, but a few companies such as GEICO, State Farm, and Progressive may permit one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
- Federal Government Employee – Simply working for the federal government can save as much as 8% but check with your company.
- Homeowners Savings – Just owning your own home can save you money since owning and maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
- Telematics Discount – People who choose to allow driving data submission to study their driving habits by using a telematic data system like Drivewise from Allstate or In-Drive from State Farm could possibly reduce rates if their driving habits are good.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Not all insurance companies offer life insurance, but some may give you a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
Please keep in mind that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though you would think it’s possible to get free car insurance, you’re out of luck.
To see insurance companies that offer the discounts shown above in San Bernardino, click here to view.
Local San Bernardino auto insurance agents
Certain consumers still like to buy from a local agent. One of the great benefits of comparing auto insurance online is that drivers can save money and get lower rates but also keep your business local. Buying from and supporting local agencies is still important in San Bernardino.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this form (opens in new window), your insurance data is submitted to agents in your area that provide free San Bernardino car insurance quotes for your business. It’s much easier because you don’t need to contact any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent instantly to you. Get lower rates without the usual hassles of price shopping. If for some reason you want to get a rate quote from one company in particular, just navigate to their website and fill out their quote form.
The different types of auto insurance agents
If you are wanting to find a reliable agent, you must know there are a couple different agency structures and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Auto insurance agencies can be classified as either independent (non-exclusive) or exclusive.
Independent Auto Insurance Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agencies often have many company appointments and that enables them to quote your coverage through lots of different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they can switch companies in-house and that require little work on your part.
If you are trying to find cheaper rates, we recommend you compare prices from a few independent agents for maximum quote selection. Most also write with small regional insurance companies which can save you money.
Listed below are independent insurance agents in San Bernardino that can give you comparison quotes.
- Benco Insurance Services
1389 N D St – San Bernardino, CA 92405 – (909) 884-0682 – View Map - Summit General Insurance Services, INC
1060 Harriman Pl – San Bernardino, CA 92408 – (909) 201-7979 – View Map - L H Herrera Insurance and Income Tax
412 W Highland Ave – San Bernardino, CA 92405 – (909) 474-9210 – View Map
View more San Bernardino agents
Exclusive Agents
Agents of this type can usually just insure with one company and examples are State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They usually cannot shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive insurance agents receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques and that allows them to sell at a higher price point. Many people purchase coverage from exclusives mainly due to high brand loyalty rather than having low rates.
Below is a list of exclusive agents in San Bernardino that are able to give comparison quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: Brent Nord
1255 E Highland Ave Ste 209 – San Bernardino, CA 92404 – (909) 881-8741 – View Map - Mark Beguelin – State Farm Insurance Agent
26461 Highland Ave – Highland, CA 92346 – (909) 862-1827 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: Patricia Doakes
357 W 2nd St Ste 1 – San Bernardino, CA 92401 – (909) 888-9200 – View Map
View more San Bernardino agents
Choosing the best insurance agent should include more criteria than just the quoted price. A good agent in San Bernardino will have answers to these questions.
- How long has their agency been open in San Bernardino?
- Which companies can they place coverage with?
- How are claims handled?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
- When do they do policy reviews?
If you feel you receive good responses and a low price estimate, you may have just found a car insurance agent that meets the criteria to properly service your auto insurance policy.
Claim statistics by make and model
Are you driving a statistically high-claim vehicle? The tables below show the best and worst vehicle models for the probability of filing claims for each type of coverage listed.
| Lowest Overall Losses | Highest Overall Losses |
|---|---|
| Land Rover Range Rover Sport | Hyundai Accent |
| Audi A4 Allroad | Chrysler 200 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500 | Mitsubishi Lancer |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500 | Nissan Sentra |
| Ford F-250 SuperCrew | Mitsubishi Mirage |
| Ford F-350 SuperCrew | Nissan Versa |
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
| Lowest Overall Losses | Highest Overall Losses |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz SL Class | Kia Optima |
| Audi A6 | Kia Rio |
| Subaru Forester | Mitsubishi Lancer |
| Volvo XC60 | Chrysler 200 |
| Acura MDX | Dodge Charger |
| Fiat 500 | Chevrolet Impala |
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
| Lowest Overall Losses | Highest Overall Losses |
|---|---|
| GMC Sierra 2500 | Mercedes-Benz S Class |
| Chevy Silverado 2500 | Maserati Granturismo |
| Ford F-350 | Bentley Continental GT |
| Infiniti QX50 | Bentley Continental GTC |
| Nissan Leaf | BMW M6 |
| Volvo V60 | Audi S7 |
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
| Lowest Overall Losses | Highest Overall Losses |
|---|---|
| Ford F-250 SuperCab | Maserati Granturismo |
| Ford Edge | Bently Continental GT |
| Smart ForTwo | Bently Continental GTC |
| Nissan Xterra | Bentley Continental Flying Spur |
| Mini Cooper | Ferrari 458 |
| GMC Canyon | Maserati Ghibli |
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
You can lower your auto insurance rates
You just learned many ideas to reduce auto insurance rates online in San Bernardino. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Drivers may even discover the biggest savings come from a small mutual company.
As you prepare to switch companies, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In too many instances, someone sacrificed liability coverage limits and learned later that the savings was not a smart move. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
Some insurance companies don’t offer the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies only sell through independent agencies. Lower-priced auto insurance in San Bernardino can be bought both online in addition to many San Bernardino insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection.
Additional auto insurance information is available at the links below
- What are my Rights when Filing a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has Affordable Los Angeles Car Insurance Quotes for Ride Shares? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Los Angeles Auto Insurance Quotes for Postal Workers? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for a Honda Pilot in Los Angeles? (FAQ)
- What Auto Insurance is Cheapest for a Toyota 4Runner in Los Angeles? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Los Angeles Car Insurance Rates for a Toyota RAV4? (FAQ)
- How Much is Los Angeles Auto Insurance for Drivers with Good Credit? (FAQ)
- New head restraint design cuts injuries (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Vehicle Size and Weight FAQ (iihs.org)
- Information for Teen Drivers (GEICO)