Sad but true, most auto insurance buyers in California have purchased from the same company for four years or more, and practically 40% of auto insurance customers have never even compared quotes to find cheaper rates. American drivers could save as much as 46.5% each year just by getting comparison quotes, but they assume it’s a waste of time to do a rate comparison.
It takes a few minutes, but the best way to find better pricing on auto insurance rates is to start doing an annual price comparison from insurance carriers in Sacramento. Rate comparisons can be done by following these steps.
First, read and learn about auto insurance and the things you can control to lower rates. Many rating factors that cause rate increases like speeding tickets, accidents and a not-so-good credit rating can be improved by being financially responsible and driving safely.
Second, compare rates from independent agents, exclusive agents, and direct companies. Direct companies and exclusive agencies can only provide price estimates from one company like GEICO and Allstate, while agents who are independent can quote prices from multiple insurance companies.
Third, compare the price quotes to the premium of your current policy and see if you can save money. If you can save some money, make sure the effective date of the new policy is the same as the expiration date of the old one.
Fourth, tell your current company to cancel your current car insurance policy and submit a down payment along with a completed application to your new carrier. As soon as you can, keep your new certificate verifying coverage in your vehicle’s glove compartment or console.
The key thing to know about shopping around is that you’ll want to make sure you compare the same physical damage deductibles and liability limits on every price quote and and to analyze as many companies as possible. This guarantees the most accurate price comparison and a complete selection of prices.
Informed Consumers Can Reduce Their Insurance Premiums
The best way to find cheaper insurance is to take a look at the rating factors that come into play when calculating the level of your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables you to make decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs. Many different elements are considered when you quote your car insurance policy. Some factors are common sense such as your driving history, but other factors are not as apparent like your continuous coverage or how financially stable you are.
The itemized list below are some of the things used by companies to determine premiums.
- Incidental coverages push up premiums – There are many additional coverages that may not really be needed if you aren’t careful. Things like rental car coverage, high-cost glass coverage, and membership fees are examples of these. These coverages may sound good initially, but if you have no use for them remove them and pocket the money.
- Your job may affect premiums – Jobs like doctors, air traffic controllers, and financial analysts tend to have higher average rates attributed to intense work situations and incredibly demanding work hours. Other careers such as farmers, engineers and homemakers have the lowest average rates.
- Save money with alarm systems – Buying a car that has a built-in theft deterrent system can help lower your rates. Theft deterrent systems like vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack all help prevent auto theft and help lower rates.
- Bundle policies and save – Most larger companies afford discounts for people that buy multiple policies. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. The amount of the discounts can be five, ten or even twenty percent. Even though this discount sounds good, you may still want to compare Mercury Milan rates in Sacramento to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. It’s possible to still find lower rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
- Lower rates by increasing deductibles – Comp and collision deductibles are how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your insurance pays a claim. Physical damage coverage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered are colliding with a stationary object, damage from fire, and damage from wind. The more expense you pay before a claim is paid (deductible), the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Most major insurance companies such as 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm give prices from their websites. This process is very simple as you simply type in your personal and coverage information into a form. Once entered, the quote system automatically orders your credit score and driving record and generates pricing information based on these factors.
This makes comparing rates easy, and it’s absolutely necessary to have as many quotes as possible in order to get a lower rate.
To save time and fill out one form to compare multiple rates now, visit the companies below or click here to submit a quote request to multiple companies at once. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you duplicate the limits and deductibles just like they are on your policy. Doing this assures you will have a price comparison based on similar coverages.
The companies in the list below are ready to provide comparison quotes in Sacramento, CA. In order to find the cheapest car insurance in California, it’s highly recommended you visit two to three different companies to get the best price comparison.
Insurance coverage analysis
The coverage information shown below showcases estimates of insurance premium costs for Mercury Milan models. Having a good grasp of how premiums are formulated can benefit drivers when making informed purchases.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Milan | $294 | $564 | $394 | $24 | $118 | $1,394 | $116 |
Milan Premier | $294 | $664 | $394 | $24 | $118 | $1,494 | $125 |
Milan Premier AWD | $332 | $664 | $394 | $24 | $118 | $1,532 | $128 |
Milan Hybrid | $332 | $664 | $464 | $28 | $138 | $1,626 | $136 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Cost estimates assume married female driver age 40, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $250 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include safe-driver, multi-vehicle, homeowner, multi-policy, and claim-free. Price estimates do not factor in specific location which can influence price quotes greatly.
Raise deductibles and save
When comparing insurance rates, the most common question is where to set your physical damage deductibles. The rates shown below can help you visualize the rate difference when you choose different deductibles. The first set of rates uses a $100 deductible for comprehensive and collision coverage and the second rate chart uses a $1,000 deductible.
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Milan | $380 | $686 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,601 | $133 |
Milan Premier | $380 | $810 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,725 | $144 |
Milan Premier AWD | $430 | $810 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,775 | $148 |
Milan Hybrid | $430 | $810 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,865 | $155 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Milan | $210 | $362 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,082 | $90 |
Milan Premier | $210 | $426 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,146 | $96 |
Milan Premier AWD | $238 | $426 | $376 | $22 | $112 | $1,174 | $98 |
Milan Hybrid | $238 | $426 | $442 | $26 | $132 | $1,264 | $105 |
Get Your Own Custom Quote Go |
Above prices assume married male driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include claim-free, homeowner, multi-policy, safe-driver, and multi-vehicle. Rates do not factor in specific location information which can raise or lower coverage prices substantially.
Using the data above, we can ascertain that using a $100 deductible would cost the average driver about $48 more each month or $576 a year than buying the higher $1,000 deductible. Due to the fact that you would have to pay $900 more if you file a claim with a $1,000 deductible as compared to a $100 deductible, if you tend to go at a minimum 19 months between claims, you would come out ahead if you opt for a higher deductible.
Irresponsible driving raises your rates
The illustration below illustrates how violations and at-fault fender-benders increase Mercury Milan car insurance costs for each different age group. Data assumes a single male driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, $100 deductibles, and no additional discounts are factored in.
Difference between liability only and full coverage rates
The diagram below shows the comparison of Mercury Milan auto insurance costs with full coverage and liability only. The information is based on a clean driving record, no claims, $500 deductibles, drivers are not married, and no discounts are applied.
When to switch to liability coverage only
There is no definitive formula of when to phase out comp and collision coverage, but there is a broad guideline. If the yearly cost of full coverage is more than 10% of the settlement you would receive from your company, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
For example, let’s pretend your Mercury Milan replacement cost is $8,000 and you have $1,000 policy deductibles. If your vehicle is destroyed, the most your company would pay you is $7,000 after paying the physical damage deductible. If premiums are more than $700 annually to have full coverage, then it could be time to drop full coverage.
There are a few cases where eliminating full coverage is not a good plan. If you still owe a portion of the original loan, you must maintain physical damage coverage in order to prevent the bank from purchasing higher-priced coverage. Also, if your finances do not allow you to purchase a different vehicle if your current one is damaged, you should maintain full coverage.
Why you need to buy insurance
Despite the high insurance cost for a Mercury Milan in Sacramento, insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
- Just about all states have compulsory liability insurance requirements which means it is punishable by state law to not carry a minimum amount of liability insurance in order to drive the car legally. 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 vehicle has a loan, it’s guaranteed your bank will have a requirement that you have physical damage coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If coverage lapses or is canceled, the lender will be forced to insure your Mercury for a lot more money and require you to pay the higher price.
- Insurance protects both your Mercury Milan and your assets. It also can pay for medical expenses for you, any passengers, and anyone injured in an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you are named as a defendant in an auto accident. If you have damage to your Mercury as the result of the weather or an accident, collision and comprehensive (also known as other-than-collision) coverage will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of buying insurance definitely exceed the price paid, especially for larger claims. Despite what companies tell you, the average driver is currently overpaying as much as $820 a year so you should quote and compare rates at every renewal to save money.
Mercury Milan insurance discounts in Sacramento
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you can get discounts that many consumers don’t even know exist. Most are applied at the time of quoting, but less common discounts must be asked about before you get the savings.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Drivers who insure all your vehicles on the same insurance policy can get a discount for every vehicle.
- E-sign – A few insurance companies give back up to $50 for signing up on the web.
- Senior Citizen Rates – Seniors can get a small decrease in premiums.
- Sacramento Homeowners Discount – Simply owning a home can help you save on insurance because owning a home means you have a higher level of financial diligence.
- Telematics Data Discounts – People who choose to allow companies to track vehicle usage by installing a telematics device like Allstate’s Drivewise could possibly reduce rates if they are good drivers.
- Switch and Save Discount – Some larger companies give discounts for buying a new policy early. This discount can save up to 10%.
- Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
The illustration below visualizes the comparison of Mercury Milan yearly insurance costs with and without discounts applied to the policy rates. The premium estimates are based on a female driver, no driving violations, no at-fault accidents, California state minimum liability limits, full physical damage coverage, and $250 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with safe-driver, multi-policy, marriage, homeowner, claim-free, and multi-car discounts applied.
To choose companies with the best Mercury Milan insurance discounts in Sacramento in California, click here.
Auto insurance agents can help
A lot of people still like to have an agent’s advice and that is OK! Professional insurance agents can help determine the best coverages and help you file claims. An additional benefit of getting online price quotes is you can get lower premium rates but also keep your business local. And buying from small agencies is still important in Sacramento.
After completing this short form, the coverage information is instantly submitted to agents in your area who will return price quotes for your business. It makes it easy because there is no need to contact any insurance agencies since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. If you need to compare rates from a specific company, you can always visit that company’s website and submit a quote form there.
Shown below are Sacramento insurance companies that are able to give price quote information for Mercury Milan insurance in Sacramento.
- Sig Lindley – State Farm Insurance Agent
8110 Pocket Rd #201 – Sacramento, CA 95831 – (916) 428-7370 – View Map - Nationwide Insurance: Welcome Financial Inc
1102 Jefferson Blvd c – West Sacramento, CA 95691 – (916) 231-3558 – View Map - McGee and Thielen Insurance Brokers
3840 Rosin Ct #245 – Sacramento, CA 95834 – (800) 901-9636 – View Map - State Farm Insurance: Max Lam
2840 Del Paso Rd #300 – Sacramento, CA 95834 – (916) 575-7600 – View Map
Picking an company shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- Is the agent CPCU or CIC certified?
- Where would your vehicle be repaired?
- What companies can they write with?
- Are there any extra charges for paying monthly?
- Can you contact them at any time?
- Can you use your own choice of collision repair facility?
- How are claims handled?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Omissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
Cheap car insurance rates are possible
Lower-priced Mercury Milan insurance in Sacramento can be purchased online and also from your neighborhood Sacramento agents, so you need to quote Sacramento car insurance with both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies don’t offer online quoting and these smaller providers work with independent agents.
People leave their current company for any number of reasons including being labeled a high risk driver, unfair underwriting practices, delays in paying claims and high rates after DUI convictions. Regardless of your reason, switching companies is less work than it seems.
As you restructure your insurance plan, you should never skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many cases, consumers will sacrifice comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal is to buy enough coverage at the best cost, but do not skimp to save money.
To read more, feel free to browse the following helpful articles:
- Reducing Your Risks in a Car Crash Video (iihs.org)
- Who Has Cheap Sacramento Auto Insurance for Low Income Drivers? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for a GMC Sierra in Sacramento? (FAQ)
- What to do at the Scene of an Accident (Insurance Information Institute)
- Car Insurance FAQ (Trusted Choice)
- Vehicle Safety Ratings (iihs.org)
- Should I Purchase an Umbrella Liability Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)