Unimaginable but true, a large majority of drivers have stayed with the same insurance company for a minimum of four years, and just under half have never compared quotes from other companies. Many consumers in Sacramento could save as much as 35% every year by just comparing rate quotes, but they just don’t want to save money by comparing rate quotes.
The best way we recommend to quote cheaper Lincoln Continental insurance is to compare prices regularly from insurers in Sacramento.
First, try to learn a little about auto insurance and the measures you can control to prevent high rates. Many rating factors that drive up the price such as inattentive driving and a poor credit rating can be eliminated by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes. Continue reading for tips to help prevent high rates and get discounts that may be available to you.
Second, get rate quotes from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only quote rates from one company like GEICO or State Farm, while agents who are independent can provide prices for a wide range of insurance providers. View insurance agents
Third, compare the new quotes to your existing coverage and determine if there is any savings. If you can save money and decide to switch, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
Fourth, give notification to your current company to cancel the current policy. Submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to the newly selected company. When you receive it, store the certificate verifying proof of insurance with your registration paperwork.
The critical component of shopping around is to try to compare the same amount of coverage on each quote and and to get price quotes from as many auto insurance providers as possible. Doing this helps ensure a fair price comparison and a thorough selection of prices.
If you’re already insured, you will most likely be able to shop for the lowest rates using the ideas you’re about to read. Finding and comparing more affordable auto insurance in Sacramento is quite easy. But California drivers should learn how companies price online insurance because rates fluctuate considerably.
Car insurance policy discounts you can’t miss
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list the complete list of policy discounts very clearly, so the list below gives a summary of both well-publicized as well as the least known discounts that you can inquire about if you buy Sacramento car insurance online.
- Drive Safe and Save – Accident-free drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accident claims.
- Paperwork-free – Many larger companies will give a small break for buying your policy on the web.
- No Charge for an Accident – Not a discount per se, but a few companies such as GEICO and Liberty Mutual will turn a blind eye to one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free before the accident.
- Early Signing – Some insurance companies provide a discount for switching to them before your current Continental insurance policy expires. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Multi-line Discount – Not all insurance companies offer life insurance, but some may give you better prices if you take out a life policy as well.
- Clubs and Organizations – Participating in a civic or occupational organization in Sacramento could qualify you for a break on your next renewal.
As is typical with insurance, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Despite the appearance that all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.
Companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts can be found below.
- Progressive offers discounts including multi-policy, continuous coverage, good student, multi-vehicle, online quote discount, and online signing.
- Farmers Insurance includes discounts for mature driver, youthful driver, good student, bundle discounts, homeowner, early shopping, and alternative fuel.
- Farm Bureau offers premium reductions for 55 and retired, multi-policy, driver training, safe driver, multi-vehicle, and good student.
- State Farm has savings for student away at school, multiple policy, Steer Clear safe driver discount, driver’s education, passive restraint, accident-free, and good driver.
- GEICO has discounts for federal employee, membership and employees, five-year accident-free, driver training, multi-vehicle, emergency military deployment, and seat belt use.
- SAFECO offers discounts for drive less, accident prevention training, multi-car, bundle discounts, anti-lock brakes, safe driver, and teen safe driver.
- Liberty Mutual policyholders can earn discounts including teen driver discount, exclusive group savings, new move discount, hybrid vehicle, and multi-car.
When quoting, ask all companies you are considering which discounts can lower your rates. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered in Sacramento. If you would like to view companies who offer cheap Lincoln Continental insurance quotes in California, click here to view.
When price shopping your coverage, comparing more quotes increases the chance that you will find a better price. Not every company provides online rate quotes, so it’s necessary to compare price estimates from them as well.
The companies shown below offer free quotes in California. If your goal is to find the cheapest car insurance in California, it’s a good idea that you get rate quotes from several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Auto insurance is available from local agents
A lot of people still like to get professional advice from a licensed agent and often times that is recommended A good thing about comparing auto insurance online is you may find the best rates and still buy from a local agent.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your coverage information gets sent to insurance agents in Sacramento who want to provide quotes for your auto insurance coverage. You never need to find an agent as quotes are delivered instantly to you. You can find the lowest rates and work with a local agent. If for some reason you want to compare rates from a particular provider, don’t hesitate to find their quoting web page and complete a quote there.
Deciding on an provider should depend on more than just the premium amount. Here are some questions to ask:
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Is vehicle damage repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
- How often do they review coverages?
- What company do they have the most business with?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
If you would like to find a reliable insurance agent, it can be helpful to understand the types of insurance agents and how they can write your policy. Agencies in Sacramento can either be independent agents or exclusive agents.
Exclusive Insurance Agencies
Exclusive insurance agents can only quote rates from one company such as Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, and AAA. Exclusive agents cannot give you multiple price quotes so you might not find the best rates. Exclusive insurance agents are very knowledgeable on sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers sometimes buy from exclusive agents primarily because of the brand name and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Listed below is a short list of exclusive insurance agents in Sacramento that can give you comparison quotes.
- Timothy Aust – State Farm Insurance Agent
2710 Arden Way – Sacramento, CA 95825 – (916) 482-5328 – View Map - Wally Navarrette – State Farm Insurance Agent
4030 S Land Park Dr d – Sacramento, CA 95822 – (916) 454-5331 – View Map - Ken Perry – State Farm Insurance Agent
2724 24th St #200 – Sacramento, CA 95818 – (916) 452-6668 – View Map
Independent Agents
Agents of this type often have affiliation with several companies so they can insure your vehicles with multiple insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, they can switch companies in-house without you having to go to a different agency. If you need cheaper auto insurance rates, you absolutely need to contact at least one independent agent for the best price selection. Most can insure with additional companies that you may not be familiar with that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
Shown below is a list of independent agencies in Sacramento who can help you get price quote information.
- Nationwide Insurance: Ham Insurance Agency Inc
2210 Del Paso Rd e – Sacramento, CA 95834 – (916) 419-8228 – View Map - McGee and Thielen Insurance Brokers
3840 Rosin Ct #245 – Sacramento, CA 95834 – (800) 901-9636 – View Map - Apna Insurance Agency
3022 Stockton Blvd #5 – Sacramento, CA 95820 – (916) 454-4495 – View Map
Here’s why insurance is not optional
Even though it can be expensive, paying for insurance may be mandatory for several reasons.
- Most states have minimum liability requirements which means state laws require specific minimum amounts 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.
- If your Lincoln has a loan, most lenders will have a requirement that you have insurance to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If you default on your policy, the bank may buy a policy for your Lincoln at a more expensive rate and require you to reimburse them much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance safeguards both your Lincoln and your assets. Insurance will also pay for many types of medical costs for not only you but also any passengers injured in an accident. Liability insurance will also pay for a defense attorney in the event you are sued. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive and collision coverage will pay to restore your vehicle to like-new condition.
The benefits of having insurance definitely exceed the cost, specifically if you ever have a liability claim. Unknowingly, the average driver is wasting up to $810 a year so it’s very important to do a rate comparison at every policy renewal to make sure the price is not too high.
Car insurance coverages explained
Knowing the specifics of car insurance can help you determine appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. Car insurance terms can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Liability coverages
Liability insurance can cover damage that occurs to people or other property in 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 values of 15/30/5 which stand for $15,000 bodily injury coverage, $30,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $5,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability can pay for claims such as court costs, attorney fees, bail bonds and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible. California state minimum liability requirements are 15/30/5 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
The illustration below demonstrates why low liability limits may not be high enough to cover claims.
Collision coverage
This covers damage to your Continental resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against things like scraping a guard rail, sustaining damage from a pot hole and sideswiping another vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible on your Continental to get cheaper collision coverage.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for things like rehabilitation expenses, ambulance fees and X-ray expenses. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers all vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as hitting a bird, damage from a tornado or hurricane, fire damage and damage from getting keyed. The maximum payout a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Lincoln Continental.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 15/30/5), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.
One last note
People switch companies for a number of reasons such as an unsatisfactory settlement offer, policy non-renewal, denial of a claim and even extreme rates for teen drivers. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a great new company can be less work than you think.
You just learned a lot of ways to save on Lincoln Continental insurance in Sacramento. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even be surprised to find that the lowest prices are with a small local company.
Discount Lincoln Continental insurance in Sacramento is possible from both online companies and from local insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these regional carriers only sell through local independent agencies.
Helpful information
- What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy? (Insurance Information Institute)
- Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes for Low Credit Scores in Sacramento? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Sacramento Auto Insurance Rates for a Chevrolet Equinox? (FAQ)
- What Car Insurance is Cheapest for Drivers with Good Credit in Sacramento? (FAQ)
- How Much are Car Insurance Quotes for Felons in Sacramento? (FAQ)
- How Much is Sacramento Auto Insurance for a Chevrolet Malibu? (FAQ)
- Uninsured Motorist Statistics (Insurance Information Institute)
- Smart Auto Insurance Tips (Insurance Information Institute)