If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to get the cheapest car insurance rates in Sacramento is to regularly compare quotes from providers who sell insurance in California. This can be done by following these guidelines.
- First, take a little time to learn about the different coverages in a policy and the measures you can take to lower rates. Many things that result in higher rates such as traffic violations, accidents, and a poor credit score can be remedied by making minor changes in your lifestyle.
- Second, compare price quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can provide rates from a single company like GEICO or Farmers Insurance, while independent agents can quote prices for a wide range of insurance providers.
- Third, compare the quotes to your existing policy and determine if there is any savings. If you find a better price and buy the policy, verify that coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Fourth, provide written notification to your current company of your decision to cancel your current policy. Submit a completed application and payment to the new company. Once the application is submitted, keep the new certificate verifying coverage in an easily accessible location in your vehicle.
The most important part of shopping around is to compare the same liability limits and deductibles on every price quote and and to get rates from as many car insurance companies as possible. This helps ensure the most accurate price comparison and a good representation of prices.
A recent car insurance study revealed that 70% of consumers have bought car insurance from the same company for four years or more, and 38% of drivers have never quoted car insurance rates at all. Drivers in America could cut their rates by $850 a year by just comparing quotes, but most undervalue the amount of savings they would get if they changed companies.
When shopping for Toyota Prius V insurance in Sacramento there are multiple ways to compare quotes from lots of California car insurance companies. The easiest way by far to find affordable Toyota Prius V insurance rates is to perform an online rate comparison.
Doing online quotes comparisons is so easy that it replaces the need to call or drive to different Sacramento agent offices. The internet has made agencies unnecessary unless you prefer the trained guidance of a local agency. Some companies do allow you to find lower rates online and get advice from an agent in your area.
When comparison shopping, making a lot of price comparisons helps locate the best rates.
The providers in the list below are our best choices to provide price quotes in Sacramento, CA. If multiple companies are listed, we suggest you get rate quotes from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Three main reasons to buy car insurance
Despite the fact that car insurance is not cheap in Sacramento, maintaining insurance serves a purpose in several ways.
- Almost all states have mandatory insurance requirements which means the state requires specific minimum amounts of liability coverage in order to be legal. 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 took out a loan on your Toyota Prius V, almost every bank will make it mandatory that you carry insurance to guarantee loan repayment. If you default on your policy, the lender may insure your Toyota for a much higher rate and require you to pay for the expensive policy.
- Car insurance preserves both your Toyota and your assets. Insurance will pay for medical bills for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. Liability coverage, the one required by state law, also covers legal expenses if you cause an accident and are sued. If your Toyota gets damaged, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay to repair the damage.
The benefits of carrying enough insurance definitely exceed the price paid, particularly for liability claims. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is overpaying more than $865 each year so compare rate quotes at every policy renewal to be sure current rates are still competitive.
Five Things That Influence Your Insurance Rates
Lots of things are part of the calculation when quoting car insurance. Some factors are common sense such as your driving history, but some are less obvious like where you live or how financially stable you are. An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the things that help determine your policy premiums. If you know what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this helps enable you to make changes that may result in big savings.
The items below are some of the things companies use to determine premiums.
Consider raising comp and collision deductibles – Your deductibles are how much the insured will be required to pay if you file a covered claim. Insurance for physical damage, also called ‘full coverage’, protects your car from damage. Some examples of covered claims are colliding with a stationary object, collision with a deer, and having a roll-over accident. The higher the amount you’re willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
What’s your car’s IIHS safety rating? – Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. Highly rated vehicles protect occupants better and lower rates of occupant injuries means your insurance company pays less passed on to you as lower rates. If your Toyota scored at minimum four stars on Safercar.gov you are probably receiving a discount.
Poor credit score equals high rates – An insured’s credit rating is a large factor in determining your rates. If your credit rating can be improved, you could be paying less to insure your Toyota Prius V by improving your credit score. Insureds that have high credit ratings tend to be more responsible and file fewer claims than drivers with lower credit ratings.
Do you really need roadside assistance? – There are quite a few additional extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t diligent. Things like replacement cost coverage, accident forgiveness, and extra life insurance coverage may be costing you every month. The coverages may be enticing when you first buy your policy, but now you might not need them so get rid of them and save.
Deter car thieves – Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Advanced theft deterrents like OnStar found on GM vehicles, advanced tracking like LoJack, and vehicle immobilization systems can thwart car theft.
Loss statistics for a Toyota Prius V – Insurers factor in historical loss data when they file their rates in each state. Vehicles that have increased losses will have a higher cost to insure.
The table below demonstrates the insurance loss data for Toyota Prius V vehicles. For each insurance policy coverage type, the loss probability for all vehicles averaged together is equal to 100. Values below 100 imply a favorable loss record, while numbers above 100 point to more frequent losses or a tendency for claims to be larger.
| Vehicle Make and Model | Collision | Property Damage | Comp | Personal Injury | Medical Payment | Bodily Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Prius V Hybrid | 94 | 86 | 88 | 88 | 94 | 97 |
Statistics from IIHS.org for 2013-2015 Model Years
Check for these discounts
Buying car insurance is not cheap, but you can get discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be specifically requested prior to receiving the credit.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If you can afford to pay the entire bill rather than spreading payments over time you can actually save on your bill.
- Distant Student Discount – Youth drivers who attend college more than 100 miles from Sacramento and do not have access to a covered vehicle could qualify for this discount.
- Good Grades Discount – Performing well in school may save as much as 25% on a Sacramento car insurance quote. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories have much lower rates compared to insureds who have frequent claims or accidents.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Factory options such as air bags or motorized seat belts could see savings of 20% or more.
- No Charge for an Accident – Not really a discount, but companies like Progressive, Allstate, and GEICO will turn a blind eye to one accident without getting socked with a rate hike if your claims history is clear prior to being involved in the accident.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents could pay up to 40% less compared to accident prone drivers.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you combine your auto and homeowners policies with the same company you could get a discount of nearly 15% which can help you find cheap Prius V insurance.
- Clubs and Organizations – Being a member of a qualifying organization can get you a small discount on your next car insurance statement.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Low annual miles could qualify for lower premium rates on the low mileage vehicles.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the whole policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Even though the math looks like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you aren’t that lucky.
A few companies that have many of the previously listed discounts are:
It’s a good idea to ask every prospective company which discounts you may be entitled to. Some discounts may not apply to policyholders everywhere.
Do I just need basic coverages?
When choosing insurance from an agent or online for your vehicles, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique.
For example, these questions can help discover if your insurance needs would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Am I covered if I hit a deer?
- Am I getting all the discounts available?
- When should I remove comp and collision on my Toyota Prius V?
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
- Is my Toyota Prius V covered for smoke damage?
- What is the difference between personal and commercial auto insurance policies?
- When can I cancel my policy?
- Do I need rental car coverage?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
When to talk to a local insurance agent
A small number of people would prefer to buy from a local agent and that is OK! A nice benefit of comparing rates online is that drivers can save money and get cheap car insurance rates and still have a local agent.
To find an agent, once you fill out this quick form, the quote information is emailed to local insurance agents in Sacramento who will give competitive quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to find an agent on your own because prices are sent directly to you. You can find the lowest rates without a big time investment. In the event you want to get a rate quote from a particular provider, you would need to find their quoting web page to submit a rate quote request.
Deciding on an insurer should depend on more than just a cheap price quote. These are some valid questions you should ask.
- How much training do they have in personal risk management?
- What is their Better Business Bureau rating?
- Do they offer rental car reimbursement?
- How long has their agency been in business in Sacramento?
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
- Has the agent ever had any license suspensions?
- Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?
If you’re trying to find a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are two different types of agents and how they are slightly different. Car insurance policy providers may be either exclusive or independent.
Exclusive Agencies
These agents are contracted to one company and examples are Allstate, State Farm and Farm Bureau. These agents are unable to provide other company’s prices so they have no alternatives for high prices. These agents are usually well trained on sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents.
Listed below is a list of exclusive insurance agents in Sacramento that are able to give price quote information.
GEICO Insurance Agent
5211 Madison Ave – Sacramento, CA 95841 – (916) 923-5050 – View Map
Yeh Ferguson – State Farm Insurance Agent
7273 14th Ave Ste 100 – Sacramento, CA 95820 – (916) 455-5000 – View Map
Allstate Insurance: John Chandler
900 Jefferson Blvd #110 – West Sacramento, CA 95691 – (916) 374-1600 – View Map
Independent Car Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be independent can quote rates with many companies so they can write business with any number of different companies and find you cheaper rates. If they quote lower rates, your agent can switch companies and that require little work on your part. When comparing car insurance rates, we recommend you get some free quotes from several independent agencies in order to compare the most rates.
The following is a short list of independent insurance agents in Sacramento that are able to give rate quotes.
Morelos Insurance Agency
5346 Madison Ave – Sacramento, CA 95841 – (916) 482-5500 – View Map
Cliff Cottam Insurance Services
1111 Howe Ave #535 – Sacramento, CA 95825 – (800) 807-6871 – View Map
McClatchy Insurance Agency
2410 Fair Oaks Blvd #140 – Sacramento, CA 95825 – (916) 488-4702 – View Map
Quote more to save more
We just showed you a lot of techniques to shop for Toyota Prius V insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get car insurance rates for, the better likelihood of getting low cost Sacramento car insurance quotes. You may even find the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company.
Budget-conscious Toyota Prius V insurance can be bought from both online companies and from local agencies, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some companies do not provide online price quotes and many times these regional insurance providers prefer to sell through independent agents.
When shopping online for insurance, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many cases, drivers have reduced collision coverage only to discover later they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Helpful resources
- Things to Know Before you Cancel Insurance (Allstate)
- Who Has Affordable Sacramento Auto Insurance for a Honda CR-V? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for College Students in Sacramento? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes for Young Drivers in Sacramento? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for a Kia Optima in Sacramento? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates for a Ford Escape in Sacramento? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Infrequent Drivers in Sacramento? (FAQ)
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Coverage Information (Progressive Insurance)