The most effective way to find cheaper car insurance rates in Mesa is to start comparing prices yearly from companies that insure vehicles in Arizona. You can shop around by following these steps.
Step 1: Learn about how insurance companies determine prices and the things you can control to prevent expensive coverage. Many risk factors that increase rates like accidents, traffic tickets, and a bad credit score can be amended by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
Step 2: Get rate quotes from exclusive agents, independent agents, and direct providers. Direct and exclusive agents can only give rate quotes from one company like GEICO and State Farm, while agents who are independent can quote prices for a wide range of companies.
Step 3: Compare the new rates to your current policy premium to see if a cheaper rate is available in Mesa. If you find a lower rate quote and change companies, make sure coverage does not lapse between policies.
One key aspect of rate comparisons is to compare similar limits and deductibles on every quote request and and to get price quotes from all possible companies. Doing this provides a fair rate comparison and and a good selection of different prices.
Everyone knows that insurance companies don’t want policyholders to shop around. Consumers who compare rates at least once a year will most likely switch to a new company because there is a great chance of finding a lower-priced company. A recent survey revealed that consumers who regularly compared rates saved over $860 a year compared to other drivers who never compared other company’s rates.
If finding the lowest price for Fiat 500 insurance in Mesa is your objective, then having a grasp of how to shop and compare car insurance can make the process more efficient.
When quoting insurance, remember that comparing a large number of companies helps increase your odds of locating more affordable rates. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide online price quotes, so it’s important to also get price estimates from those companies as well.
The providers in the list below provide free rate quotes in Arizona. If you want to find the best auto insurance in Mesa, AZ, it’s a good idea that you click on several of them to get the best price comparison.
Auto insurance just makes sense
Despite the high cost, maintaining insurance is required in Arizona but it also protects you in many ways.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means state laws require specific limits of liability in order to get the vehicle licensed. In Arizona these limits are 15/30/10 which means you must have $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
- If your Fiat has a loan, almost all lenders will force you to have full coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you default on your policy, the bank will be required to insure your Fiat at a much higher rate and require you to pay a much higher amount than you were paying before.
- Auto insurance preserves both your assets and your vehicle. It will also reimburse you for most medical and hospital costs for you, your passengers, and anyone else injured in an accident. One of the most valuable coverages, liability insurance, will also pay for a defense attorney if you are sued as the result of an accident. If your car is damaged in a storm or accident, comprehensive (other-than-collision) and collision coverage will pay all costs to repair after the deductible has been paid.
The benefits of buying auto insurance outweigh the cost, particularly if you ever have a claim. On average, a vehicle owner in Mesa is wasting up to $865 each year so shop around at every policy renewal to ensure rates are competitive.
Verify you’re receiving every discount
Auto insurance companies don’t list the complete list of policy discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find some of the more common and also the more inconspicuous credits available to bring down your rates.
- 55 and Retired – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can get a small decrease in premiums.
- Active Service Discounts – Being on active duty in the military could mean lower premium rates.
- Bundle and Save – If you combine your home and auto policies with the same insurance company you may earn nearly 15% which can help you find the cheapest Fiat 500 insurance in Mesa.
- Driver’s Education for Students – Reduce the cost of insurance for teen drivers by having them participate in a local driver’s education class as it will make them better drivers and lower rates.
- Discount for Low Mileage – Maintaining low annual mileage can qualify you for slightly better auto insurance rates than normal.
- Multi-Vehicle Discounts – Buying coverage for all your vehicles on one policy qualifies for this discount.
- Student Discounts – This discount may save as much as 25% on a Mesa auto insurance quote. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will bring down your policy premiums.
A few popular companies and their offered discounts are included below.
- State Farm offers discounts for safe vehicle, good student, good driver, multiple policy, defensive driving training, and Steer Clear safe driver discount.
- GEICO discounts include multi-policy, federal employee, air bags, driver training, daytime running lights, and five-year accident-free.
- SAFECO has discounts for anti-theft, multi-car, drive less, anti-lock brakes, and teen safety rewards.
- Farmers Insurance includes discounts for pay in full, bundle discounts, business and professional, early shopping, and good student.
- AAA offers premium reductions for multi-policy, anti-theft, multi-car, pay-in-full, good driver, education and occupation, and good student.
- USAA has savings for good student, multi-policy, new vehicle, driver training, loyalty savings, and military installation.
Before buying, ask every insurance company how many discounts you can get. Savings may not apply to policyholders in Mesa. If you would like to choose from a list of auto insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts in Mesa, click here.
Getting quotes from local Mesa insurance agents
Some consumers just prefer to sit down with an agent and that is a smart decision The best thing about comparing car insurance online is you can get cheap car insurance rates but still work with a licensed agent. Supporting small agencies is important particularly in Mesa.
Once you complete this simple form, your insurance coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Mesa that give free quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to leave your house since rate quotes are delivered to you. You can most likely find cheaper rates without requiring a lot of work. If you want to quote rates from a specific company, you just need to navigate to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
If you prefer to buy car insurance from a reliable insurance agent, there are a couple of different types of agents and how they differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Car insurance agencies are categorized either exclusive or independent (non-exclusive).
Independent Agents
Agents that choose to be independent can quote rates with many companies and that gives them the ability to insure with an assortment of companies and find the cheapest rate. If you want to switch companies, your agent can switch companies and that require little work on your part.
If you need cheaper car insurance rates, you will definitely want to include rate quotes from multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection. Most can insure with additional companies that you may not be familiar with which may have better rates.
Listed below is a short list of independent insurance agencies in Mesa who can help you get pricing information.
- Nationwide Insurance: Isakson Ins Agency Inc
1819 E Southern Ave, Ste E20 – Mesa, AZ 85204 – (480) 888-0318 – View Map - Wilson Insurance
3950 E Broadway Rd # 102 – Mesa, AZ 85206 – (480) 964-2400 – View Map - Kohlhase Insurance
6550 E Main St – Mesa, AZ 85205 – (480) 832-8370 – View Map
Exclusive Agencies
Exclusive agencies can only place business with one company such as State Farm or Allstate. They usually cannot compare rates from other companies so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are usually well trained on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers sometimes buy from the same agent for years partially due to the brand legacy and solid financial strength.
The following are Mesa exclusive insurance agents willing to provide price quotes.
- Allstate Insurance: Wayne Smith
1901 E University Dr Ste 301 – Mesa, AZ 85203 – (480) 464-8766 – View Map - Allstate Insurance: John Lawlor
4710 E Falcon Dr Ste 111 – Mesa, AZ 85215 – (480) 807-0675 – View Map - American Family Insurance – Mike Stapley
4850 E Baseline Rd Ste 101 – Mesa, AZ 85206 – (480) 503-4400 – View Map
Finding the right auto insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just a cheap quote. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- What company holds the largest book of business for them?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
- Who are their largest clients?
- Will high miles depreciate repair valuations?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies in Mesa?
- Will you get a loaner vehicle if you car is being repaired?
It’s not one size fits all
When buying the right insurance coverage, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s needs are different.
These are some specific questions may help highlight whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
- What if I total my Fiat 500 and owe more than it’s worth?
- If my car is totaled with they pay enough to replace it?
- When would I need rental car insurance?
- Where can I find high-risk insurance?
- How can I get high-risk coverage after a DUI?
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
- Do I need special coverage while pulling a rented trailer?
- What exactly is covered by my policy?
- When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
- Who is covered when they drive my Fiat 500?
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Coverages available on your car insurance policy
Knowing the specifics of car insurance helps when choosing the best coverages for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your 500 from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things such as rolling your car, backing into a parked car, crashing into a ditch, crashing into a building and driving through your garage door. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible on your 500 to save money on collision insurance.
Medical payments coverage and PIP – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills for things like surgery, pain medications, X-ray expenses and hospital visits. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover both the driver and occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your Fiat 500.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 15/30/10), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Frequently your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Liability car insurance – This coverage will cover damage that occurs to a person or their property. Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have policy limits of 15/30/10 which stand for $15,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $30,000 in injury protection per accident, and $10,000 of coverage for damaged property. Occasionally you may see one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability coverage pays for things such as medical expenses, loss of income, emergency aid and court costs. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but you should buy higher limits if possible. Arizona requires minimum liability limits of 15/30/10 but it’s recommended drivers buy better liability coverage.
The illustration below demonstrates why the minimum limit may not be high enough to cover claims.
Comprehensive coverage – Comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, hitting a deer, damage from flooding, rock chips in glass and fire damage. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
A conclusion for your insurance search
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your strategy should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the best possible price, not the least amount of coverage.
We covered many tips how you can lower your Fiat 500 insurance premium rates in Mesa. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the most savings is with an unexpected company.
Some insurance providers don’t offer rate quotes online and usually these small, regional companies sell through independent agents. Cheaper insurance in Mesa is possible from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Mesa agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates.
Additional information is located at these links:
- What if I Can’t Find Coverage? (Insurance Information Institute)
- How Much is Mesa Auto Insurance for a Hyundai Sonata? (FAQ)
- Who Has the Cheapest Mesa Auto Insurance Rates for Government Employees? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Mesa Car Insurance for a Honda CR-V? (FAQ)
- Auto Insurance 101 (About.com)
- Pickups fall short in headlight tests (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Five Steps to Filing an Auto Insurance Claim (Insurance Information Institute)
- Keeping Children Safe in Crashes Video (iihs.org)