How to Save on Stockton Kia Sportage Insurance

Kia Sportage insurance policy image courtesy of QuoteInspector.com

I really doubt anyone fancies paying their premiums for auto insurance, especially knowing their premiums are too high.

It's easy to assume that insurance companies want to keep you from comparing rates. Drivers who shop around for cheaper prices will presumably buy a new policy because of the high probability of finding coverage at a cheaper rate. A survey found that people who regularly compared price quotes saved over $3,500 over four years compared to people who never compared rates.

If finding the cheapest price on insurance is your ultimate target, then having a good understanding how to shop for coverage rates can help you succeed in saving money.

Numerous insurance companies battle to insure your vehicles, so it's not easy to compare every insurance company to get the cheapest price on Kia Sportage insurance in Stockton.

If you are insured now, you will most likely be able to cut your premiums using the concepts covered in this article. Locating the best rates in Stockton can be made easier if you know where to look. But California vehicle owners can benefit from knowing the way companies set your policy premium and apply this information to your search.

Kia Sportage coverage statistics

The data table displayed below covers estimates of insurance costs for Kia Sportage models. Being able to understand how policy rates are calculated can be useful when making informed decisions.

Table data represents single male driver age 50, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-vehicle, multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, and claim-free. Premium costs do not factor in specific garaging location which can alter insurance rates greatly.

Raise deductibles and save

When shopping for auto insurance, a common question is how low should you set your deductibles. The comparisons below illustrate the rate fluctuation when you choose different physical damage deductibles. The first rate quote example uses a $250 deductible for physical damage and the second pricing table uses a $500 deductible.

Prices based on married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, homeowner, safe-driver, claim-free, and multi-vehicle. Premium amounts do not factor in your specific Stockton location which can alter rates greatly.

Based on the figures above, using a $250 deductible will cost you roughly $16 more each month or $192 every year than requesting the higher $500 deductible. Since you would have to pay $250 more if you turn in a claim with a $500 deductible as compared to a $250 deductible, if you tend to average more than 16 months between claims, you would probably save some money if you opt for a higher deductible. The table below shows an example of how you can make your own decision.

Price comparison of only insuring for liability

The information below compares Kia Sportage auto insurance rates with full physical damage coverage and with liability coverage only. The prices are based on no claims or violations, $250 deductibles, marital status is single, and no discounts are taken into consideration.

When to drop full coverage

There is no set guideline to delete full coverage on your policy, but there is a general convention. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than about 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it's probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

For example, let's say your Kia Sportage replacement cost is $4,000 and you have $1,000 full coverage deductibles. If your vehicle is severely damaged, you would only receive $3,000 after paying your deductible. If premium cost is more than $300 annually for full coverage, then it's probably a good time to buy liability coverage only.

There are a few cases where removing full coverage is not in your best interest. If you still have a lienholder on your title, you have to maintain full coverage to satisfy the loan requirements. Also, if your savings is not enough to buy a different vehicle in the even your car is totaled, you should keep full coverage in place.

Stockton auto insurance companies

Insuring your vehicle with the highest-rated company can be a challenge considering how many companies provide coverage in Stockton. The company information shown next may help you analyze which coverage providers you want to consider when comparing rates.

Top 10 Stockton Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank

1. USAA - A++
2. Travelers - A++
3. State Farm - A++
4. GEICO - A++
5. Esurance - A+
6. Nationwide - A+
7. Allstate - A+
8. Mercury Insurance - A+
9. Progressive - A+
10. Titan Insurance - A+

Top 10 Stockton Car Insurance Companies Ranked by Customer Satisfaction

1. Titan Insurance - 95%
2. USAA - 94%
3. AAA of Southern California - 92%
4. AAA Insurance - 91%
5. Nationwide - 90%
6. State Farm - 90%
7. The Hartford - 89%
8. GEICO - 89%
9. The General - 88%
10. 21st Century - 88%

Car insurance coverages for a Kia Sportage

Having a good grasp of a auto insurance policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. These are the usual coverages available from auto insurance companies.

Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers - Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Kia Sportage.

Due to the fact that many California drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (15/30/5), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liability limits.

Liability car insurance - This coverage will cover damage that occurs to other people or property by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 15/30/5 that means you have $15,000 in coverage for each person's injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $30,000, and $5,000 of coverage for damaged property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability can pay for claims such as funeral expenses, medical expenses and court costs. 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 you should think about purchasing higher limits.

The illustration below demonstrates why buying the state minimum limits may not be adequate.

Collision coverage - Collision coverage pays for damage to your Sportage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage protects against claims such as sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter and backing into a parked car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also raise the deductible on your Sportage to get cheaper collision coverage.

Comprehensive (Other than Collision) - Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from a tornado or hurricane, falling objects and hail damage. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle's value it's not worth carrying full coverage.

Medical expense insurance - Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for expenses like hospital visits, EMT expenses, ambulance fees, nursing services and dental work. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to you and your occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

More quotes mean more car insurance savings

As you shop your coverage around, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced liability coverage limits to discover at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest cost and still be able to protect your assets.

We just covered many tips how you can compare Kia Sportage insurance premium rates in Stockton. The key concept to understand is the more you quote Stockton car insurance, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the lowest priced car insurance comes from a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising. They may often insure only within specific states and give better rates compared to the large companies like Progressive or GEICO.

How to find better rates for Kia Sportage insurance in Stockton

The preferred way to find cheaper quotes for car insurance rates is to regularly compare prices from different companies that sell auto insurance in Stockton.

• Step 1: Take a little time to learn about how your policy works and the changes you can make to drop your rates. Many policy risk factors that cause high rates like accidents, careless driving, and poor credit history can be controlled by making small lifestyle or driving habit changes.
• Step 2: Quote rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Exclusive and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agencies can provide prices from many different companies. Begin your rate comparison
• Step 3: Compare the price quotes to the price on your current policy and determine if cheaper Sportage coverage is available in Stockton. If you find a better price and buy the policy, make sure there is no lapse between the expiration of your current policy and the new one.
• Step 4: Give notification to your current company to cancel your current auto insurance policy. Submit a down payment along with a signed application to the newly selected company. Once received, store the certificate verifying proof of insurance in an accessible location in your vehicle.

One thing to remember is to make sure you're comparing the same liability limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get rate quotes from as many different insurance providers as possible. This ensures an apples-to-apples comparison and the best price quote selection.

Helpful learning opportunities

• How to shop for a safer car (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• How Much are Stockton Car Insurance Quotes for Seniors? (FAQ)
• Who Has Affordable Car Insurance Quotes for Low Mileage Drivers in Stockton? (FAQ)
• Who Has the Cheapest Stockton Auto Insurance for a Nissan Rogue? (FAQ)
• What is Covered by an Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
• A Tree Fell on Your Car: Now What? (Allstate)