Want to learn a better way to compare more affordable car insurance rates in Long Beach, CA? Finding low-cost insurance for a car in California could be an all-consuming task, but you can follow our car insurance buying tips to make it easier. There is a right way and a wrong way to find car insurance online and we’ll show you the best way to compare rates for your and get the lowest possible price.
Shocking but true, most car insurance policyholders have remained with the same car insurance company for at least four years, and just under half have never compared rates with other companies. California drivers could pocket 35% a year just by getting comparison quotes, but they just don’t understand how easy it is to do a rate comparison.
Consumers should take time to take a look at other company’s rates once or twice a year since prices go up and down regularly. Even if you got the lowest quotes on car insurance a few years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding car insurance on the web, but in a few minutes you can learn some excellent ideas to save money.
If you’re already insured or just want a better rate, you can follow these tips to save money while maintaining coverages. Pricing the lowest cost car insurance in Long Beach is simple if you know the tricks. Shoppers only need an understanding of how to compare prices instantly.
Check for these discounts
Auto insurance is not an enjoyable expense, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Certain reductions will be credited when you quote, but some must be specially asked for before you will receive the discount. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you deserve, you may be paying too high a price.
- First Accident Forgiveness – Not a discount per se, but certain companies may permit one accident without getting socked with a rate hike with the catch being you have to be claim-free for a certain period of time.
- Student in College – Youth drivers who are enrolled in higher education away from home and won’t have access to an insured vehicle can receive lower rates.
- Bundle and Save – If you can bundle your home and auto insurance with one company you could earn a discount of as much as 10 to 15 percent.
- Military Discounts – Being on active duty in the military can result in better prices.
- Braking Control Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS and/or traction control can avoid accidents and the ABS can save up to 10%.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Require your teen driver to successfully take a driver’s education course if it’s offered in school.
- Online Discount – A few larger online companies will provide an incentive just for signing your application on the web.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents could pay up to 40% less than their less cautious counterparts.
It’s important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though you would think all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any amount of discount will reduce your premiums.
A list of auto insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are outlined below.
- GEICO may have discounts that include good student, anti-lock brakes, federal employee, military active duty, and seat belt use.
- Travelers includes discounts for multi-car, new car, multi-policy, student away at school, hybrid/electric vehicle, payment discounts, and continuous insurance.
- Farm Bureau may offer discounts for safe driver, youthful driver, 55 and retired, renewal discount, driver training, and good student.
- Liberty Mutual may include discounts for multi-policy, hybrid vehicle, preferred payment discount, good student, newly retired, new vehicle discount, and newly married.
- American Family offers discounts including accident-free, multi-vehicle, bundled insurance, early bird, defensive driver, and air bags.
- Progressive offers discounts for multi-vehicle, online signing, online quote discount, continuous coverage, and good student.
Before you buy a policy, ask every insurance company the best way to save money. Depending on the company, some discounts might not apply everywhere. To locate insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in California, click here.
| Make, Model, and Trim Level | Annual Policy Premium | 6-month Policy Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid | $1,688 | $844 | $141 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Crew Cab 2WD | $1,936 | $968 | $161 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan SXT | $1,728 | $864 | $144 |
| Dodge Ram Quad Cab Laramie 2WD | $1,976 | $988 | $165 |
| Ford Edge Limited AWD | $1,790 | $895 | $149 |
| Ford Escape XLS 4WD | $1,428 | $714 | $119 |
| Ford F-150 Lariat Crew Cab 2WD | $1,728 | $864 | $144 |
| Ford Focus SES 4-Dr Sedan | $1,750 | $875 | $146 |
| Honda Accord EX 4-Dr Sedan | $1,428 | $714 | $119 |
| Honda CR-V LX 2WD | $1,428 | $714 | $119 |
| Honda Civic LX-S 4-Dr Sedan | $1,750 | $875 | $146 |
| Hyundai Elantra SE Touring Station Wagon | $1,568 | $784 | $131 |
| Nissan Altima 2.5 4-Dr Sedan | $1,688 | $844 | $141 |
| Toyota Camry LE | $1,688 | $844 | $141 |
| Toyota Corolla XLE | $1,790 | $895 | $149 |
| Get Rate Quotes for Your Vehicle Go | |||
Price data assumes single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $500 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, homeowner, multi-policy, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Rate quotes do not factor in Long Beach location which can alter premium rates greatly.
Most larger insurance companies make it easy to get prices for coverage direct online. Comparing car insurance rates online is pretty painless as you just type in the amount of coverage you want into the quote form. When the form is submitted, their quoting system pulls information on your driving record and credit history and gives you a price quote based on the data you entered.
Getting online rates makes comparing rates easy, and it’s very important to compare as many rates as possible in order to get lower-cost car insurance pricing.
To quickly compare pricing, compare rates from the companies below. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you enter the insurance coverages just like they are on your policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will receive a rate comparison using the exact same coverages.
The companies shown below provide free quotes in California. To find cheap auto insurance in Long Beach, we recommend you get prices from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Long Beach insurance costs are influenced by these factors
Lots of factors are used when premium rates are determined. Some of the criteria are obvious like your driving record, although others are more obscure such as whether you are married and annual miles driven.
The factors shown below are some of the items that factor into prices.
Car features impact premiums – Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart your car from being stolen.
Bundle policies and save money – Many insurance companies provide discounts for people that buy multiple policies, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. The amount of the discounts can be ten percent or more. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to compare other rates to ensure the best deal. Consumers may save money by splitting coverages up.
Gender is a factor – Statistics demonstrate that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that women are better drivers. Both genders are in at-fault accidents at a similar rate, but the men have accidents that have higher claims. Not only are claims higher, but men receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI.
Poor credit decisions can cost you – Your credit rating can be a huge factor in determining what you pay for insurance. Consumers who have excellent credit scores tend to file fewer claims than drivers with poor credit. If your credit history could use some work, you could pay less to insure your vehicle by improving your rating.
Do safer cars cost less to insure? – Cars with high safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles help reduce the chance of injuries in an accident and reduced instances of injuries means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates.
Special considerations
When selecting coverage online or from an agent for your personal vehicles, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of policy. Your situation is unique and your policy should reflect that.
For example, these questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
- Does having multiple vehicles earn me a discount?
- I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
- Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
- Should I pay a claim out-of-pocket?
- Are rental cars covered under my policy?
- Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?
- What does medical payments cover?
- Do I need to call my car insurance company before buying a new car?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.
When should I have guidance from an insurance agent?
Many drivers prefer to get professional advice from a licensed agent and we recommend doing that Insurance agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help submit paperwork. A nice benefit of getting free rate quotes online is the fact that drivers can get cheaper prices and still choose a local agent.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, the coverage information is emailed to insurance agents in Long Beach who can give free rate quotes for your insurance coverage. You never need to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go instantly to you. If you wish to get a price quote from a particular provider, you would need to navigate to their website and give them your coverage information.
Finding a good insurance company needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- If they are an independent agency in Long Beach, which companies do they recommend?
- Do they reduce claim amounts on high mileage vehicles?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in California?
- Do they offer accident forgiveness?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Do they have designations such as AIC, CPCU, or CIC?
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
Exclusive agents vs. Independent agents
If you want to buy auto insurance from a local insurance agency, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents that you can choose from. Auto insurance agents are either independent or exclusive depending on the company they work for. Both can provide auto insurance policies, but we need to point out how they are different because it can impact which type of agent you select.
Exclusive Insurance Agents
Agents that choose to be exclusive can only quote rates from one company and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Exclusive agents are unable to provide other company’s prices so they have to upsell other benefits. Exclusive agencies receive extensive training on their company’s products which helps offset the inability to provide other markets. Drivers often buy from exclusive agents mainly due to loyalty to the company rather than low price.
Below is a list of exclusive agencies in Long Beach that are able to give comparison quotes.
- Peter Kong – State Farm Insurance Agent
2020 E Anaheim St – Long Beach, CA 90804 – (562) 438-8188 – View Map - Susie Atwood – State Farm Insurance Agent
5624 E 2nd St – Long Beach, CA 90803 – (562) 434-5729 – View Map - Farmers Insurance – Susan Rios
3450 E Spring St #214 – Long Beach, CA 90806 – (562) 988-5700 – View Map
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents are normally appointed by many insurers and that enables them to quote your coverage with a variety of different insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. If premiums increase, your policy is moved internally without you having to go to a different agency.
If you are comparing auto insurance prices, it’s a good idea to compare quotes from several independent agencies in order to have the best price comparison. A lot of them also have access to small mutual carriers which may have better rates.
Shown below are Long Beach independent agents who can help you get price quote information.
- Jennifer Lee Insurance Agency
4252 Atlantic Ave – Long Beach, CA 90807 – (562) 427-1109 – View Map - Priscilla Vallejos Insurance Agency
2725 Candlewood St – Lakewood, CA 90712 – (562) 552-3259 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Caiquo Insurance Agency
4401 Atlantic Ave #214 – Long Beach, CA 90807 – (562) 548-7488 – View Map
Why car insurance is not optional
Despite the high cost, insurance serves an important purpose.
First, almost all states have minimum liability requirements which means the state requires a specific minimum amount of liability coverage in order to get the vehicle licensed. 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 vehicle, more than likely the lender will force you to have comprehensive coverage to protect their interest in the vehicle. If the policy lapses, the bank will be required to insure your vehicle at an extremely high rate and force you to pay for the expensive policy.
Third, car insurance protects not only your vehicle but also your assets. It will also reimburse you for all forms of medical expenses incurred in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, will also pay to defend you if anyone sues you for causing an accident. If mother nature or an accident damages your car, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of buying enough insurance are without a doubt worth the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. According to a recent study, the average American driver is overpaying over $855 a year so we recommend shopping around at least once a year to save money.
Cheaper insurance premiums are possible
You just read many tips how you can save on insurance in Long Beach. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get prices for, the better your comparison will be. You may even be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from an unexpected company. These smaller insurers often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.
While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced full coverage and discovered at claim time that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your strategy should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate, but do not skimp to save money.
Budget-friendly insurance in Long Beach can be sourced online and from local agencies, so you need to shop Long Beach car insurance with both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies do not provide internet price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agents.
Steps to finding low-cost rates for auto insurance in Long Beach
It takes a little time, but the best way to find lower priced auto insurance rates is to annually compare prices from companies who can sell car insurance in Long Beach. Rates can be compared by following these steps.
- Try to learn a little about what coverages are included in your policy and the measures you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many policy risk factors that cause high rates such as traffic violations and bad credit can be improved by paying attention to minor details.
- Request rate estimates from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive and direct companies can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agencies can provide prices from many different companies. Select a company
- Compare the quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper rate is available. If you find a better price, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Give notification to your current company to cancel your existing policy and submit a signed application and payment to the new company. Once received, store the certificate verifying proof of insurance in an easily accessible location.
One bit of advice is to try to compare the same amount of coverage on each quote and to quote with as many car insurance companies as possible. This ensures a fair price comparison and a thorough price selection.
For more information, take a look at the articles below:
- How do I File a Claim? (Insurance Information Institute)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Inexperienced Drivers in Long Beach? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a Honda Accord in Long Beach? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Chevrolet Equinox in Long Beach? (FAQ)
- Warning systems don’t curb driver distraction (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- New vehicle ratings focus on headlights (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Eight Auto Insurance Myths (Insurance Information Institute)
- Red Light Cameras (State Farm)