Everyone knows that car insurance companies don’t want you to compare rates. Insureds who shop around for the cheapest price are highly likely to switch to a new company because of the high probability of finding a lower-priced policy. Surprisingly, a recent survey revealed that consumers who compared rates regularly saved on average $860 a year as compared to drivers who never shopped around for better prices.
If finding the lowest price for car insurance in Oakland is your ultimate objective, then having some insight into how to find and compare car insurance can help simplify the task of finding more affordable coverage.
If your goal is the lowest price, then the best way to get affordable Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Oakland is to start comparing prices yearly from insurers that sell auto insurance in California. Drivers can shop around by following these steps.
First, take a few minutes and learn about individual coverages and the steps you can take to keep rates down. Many rating criteria that result in higher rates such as at-fault accidents and an imperfect credit rating can be rectified by making minor driving habit or lifestyle changes.
Second, get rate quotes from direct carriers, independent agents, and exclusive agents. Exclusive agents and direct companies can only provide price estimates from a single company like Progressive or State Farm, while independent agents can provide prices for a wide range of insurance providers. Compare rates
Third, compare the price quotes to your existing policy to see if a cheaper rate is available in Oakland. If you find a lower rate quote and decide to switch, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
Fourth, notify your company or agent to cancel your current policy. Submit any necessary down payment along with the completed application to your new agent or company. As soon as coverage is bound, place the new proof of insurance paperwork above your visor, in the console, or in the glove compartment.
One key aspect when comparing rates is to make sure you enter identical deductibles and limits on each quote and and to look at as many companies as feasibly possible. Doing this helps ensure an apples-to-apples comparison and a complete rate analysis.
The quickest method to compare rates for Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Oakland takes advantage of the fact most of the larger companies pay for the opportunity to compare their rates. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information like if it has an anti-theft system, how your vehicles are used, if you’re married, and if your license is active. The data is submitted instantly to multiple auto insurance providers and you will get price comparisons within a short period of time.
If you would like to start a quote now, click here and complete the form.
The companies shown below can provide free quotes in Oakland, CA. If your goal is to find cheap auto insurance in CA, we recommend you visit several of them to get the most competitive price.
Rates and information analytics
The premium table shown next showcases different coverage costs for Mercury Mountaineer models. Having a better understanding of how insurance policy rates are formulated can assist in making smart buying decisions.
| Model | Comp | Collision | Liability | Medical | UM/UIM | Annual Premium | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountaineer 2WD | $234 | $446 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,490 | $124 |
| Mountaineer AWD | $264 | $446 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,520 | $127 |
| Mountaineer Premier 2WD | $264 | $524 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,598 | $133 |
| Mountaineer Premier AWD | $264 | $524 | $596 | $36 | $178 | $1,598 | $133 |
| Get Your Own Custom Quote Go | |||||||
Prices above based on single female driver age 30, no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, $1000 deductibles, and California minimum liability limits. Discounts applied include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, claim-free, homeowner, and safe-driver. Premium costs do not factor in specific location information which can impact price quotes significantly.
The information below shows how choosing a deductible and can affect Mercury Mountaineer insurance premiums for each different age category. The premiums are based on a single female driver, comprehensive and collision coverage, and no discounts are factored in.
Car insurance does more than just repair your car
Despite the high insurance cost for a Mercury Mountaineer in Oakland, maintaining insurance is not optional due to several reasons.
- The majority of states have minimum liability requirements which means state laws require a specific level of liability protection if you drive a vehicle. 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 bought your Mountaineer with a loan, it’s most likely the lender will have a requirement that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure the loan is repaid in case of a total loss. If you let the policy lapse, the bank may buy a policy for your Mercury for a lot more money and force you to pay much more than you were paying before.
- Insurance protects both your Mercury Mountaineer and your personal assets. It will also reimburse you for medical expenses that are the result of an accident. Liability insurance, one of your policy coverages, also pays expenses related to your legal defense if you are sued as the result of an accident. If you have damage to your Mercury as the result of the weather or an accident, comprehensive and/or collision insurance will pay to have it repaired.
The benefits of buying enough insurance greatly outweigh the cost, particularly for liability claims. In a recent study of 1,000 drivers, the average customer is wasting up to $865 each year so shop around once a year at a minimum to ensure rates are competitive.
Oakland Insurance Rates are Influenced by These Factors
The best way to find cheaper car insurance is to take a look at the factors that help determine car insurance rates. When you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables you to make decisions that could help you find lower rates. Multiple criteria are part of the equation when pricing auto insurance. Most are fairly basic like your driving record, but other criteria are less obvious like your continuous coverage or your financial responsibility.
The following are a few of the “ingredients” utilized by car insurance companies to help set rates.
- Get married and get better prices – Walking down the aisle may earn you lower rates compared to being single. Having a spouse may mean you are more stable financially and insurance companies like that married drivers tend to have fewer serious accidents.
- Your stress level may be raising your rates – Did you know your car insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as fire fighters, air traffic controllers, and stock brokers generally pay the highest average rates attributed to intense work-related stress and extremely grueling work hours. On the flip side, occupations like professors, engineers and performers get better rates.
- Higher comp and collision deductibles are cheaper – Insurance for physical damage to your car, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, is used to repair damage to your Mercury. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, hail damage, and rolling your vehicle. Deductibles for physical damage are how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your car insurance pays a claim. The more damage repair cost you’re willing to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
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Gender impacts rates – Over the last 50 years, statistics have shown females are less aggressive when driving. However, this does not mean females are better at driving than males. Females and males get in fender benders at about the same rate, but the males get into accidents with more damage. Men also get ticketed for serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving.
The diagram below visualizes the comparison of Mercury Mountaineer car insurance costs for male and female drivers. Data assumes no accidents or driving violations, comprehensive and collision coverage, $500 deductibles, single status, and no discounts are factored in.
Lower rate quotes by taking advantage of discounts
Companies do not advertise the complete list of policy discounts very well, so the below list has a few of the more well known and also the more inconspicuous discounts that may be available.
- Accident Forgiveness – Not a discount per se, but some insurance companies will turn a blind eye to one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you have no claims before the accident.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Cars, trucks, and SUVs that have steering control and anti-lock brakes have fewer accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Renewal Discounts – A few insurance companies give discounts for buying a policy prior to your current Mountaineer insurance policy expiration. You could save around 10% when you buy Oakland auto insurance online.
- Discounts for Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with certain companies.
- Save with More Vehicles Insured – Buying a policy with primary and secondary vehicles on a single policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- College Student – Children who live away from home at college and leave their car at home can receive lower rates.
- Good Driver Discounts – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more compared to accident prone drivers.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your bill all at once rather than spreading payments over time you may reduce your total bill.
- Multi-policy Discount – If you have multiple policies and insure them with the same company you could save 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Theft Deterrent System – Cars equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems have a lower chance of being stolen and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Discounts reduce rates, but you should keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, that’s just not realistic.
The information below shows the comparison of Mercury Mountaineer insurance rates with and without discounts applied to the rates. The information is based on a female driver, no accidents or driving violations, California state minimum liability limits, full coverage, and $500 deductibles. The first bar for each age group shows premium with no discounts. The second shows the rates with multi-car, claim-free, safe-driver, marriage, multi-policy, and homeowner discounts applied.
A list of companies and a partial list of their discounts can be found below.
- Mercury Insurance includes discounts for good student, multi-policy, annual mileage, type of vehicle, and ease of repair.
- Farmers Insurance discounts include switch companies, teen driver, electronic funds transfer, multi-car, alternative fuel, and homeowner.
- Farm Bureau has savings for driver training, 55 and retired, multi-vehicle, renewal discount, multi-policy, and good student.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including defensive driving training, Drive Safe & Save, anti-theft, Steer Clear safe driver discount, and accident-free.
- Allstate offers discounts for farm vehicle, new car, anti-theft, economy car, defensive driver, and good payer.
- GEICO may offer discounts for multi-vehicle, five-year accident-free, multi-policy, emergency military deployment, membership and employees, and anti-theft.
If you want affordable Oakland auto insurance quotes, ask every prospective company how many discounts you can get. Discounts may not be available in Oakland. If you would like to view companies with the best Mercury Mountaineer insurance discounts in California, click here to view.
Independent versus exclusive auto insurance agents
A small number of people still prefer to buy from a licensed agent. Professional agents are highly skilled in risk management and give you someone to call. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is the fact that drivers can get cheap auto insurance rates and still have an agent to talk to.
After filling out this short form, your information is submitted to local insurance agents in Oakland who will give you quotes for your insurance coverage. You never need to find an agent on your own because prices are sent directly to you. If you have a need to compare rates from a particular provider, feel free to jump over to their website and fill out the quote form the provide.
Picking the best provider shouldn’t rely on just the premium amount. Below are some questions you should ask.
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- Do they have designations such as AIC, CPCU, or CIC?
- If independent agents, which companies do they recommend?
- Do they specialize in personal lines auto insurance in Oakland?
- Do they prorate repair cost based on vehicle mileage?
If you prefer to buy auto insurance from a reliable insurance agent, it’s helpful to know the different types of agents and how they can quote your rates. Agencies in Oakland can be categorized as either independent agents or exclusive agents. Both types of agents can sell and service auto insurance coverage, but it’s important to point out how they differ since it may influence which agent you choose.
Exclusive Auto Insurance Agencies
Agents that choose to be exclusive generally can only insure with one company and examples are Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so they have no alternatives for high prices. These agents are well trained on what they offer which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers sometimes buy insurance from these agents mainly due to loyalty to the company instead of buying on price only.
The following are exclusive insurance agencies in Oakland who can help you get rate quotes.
- Rich Kirchner – State Farm Insurance Agent
5736 Thornhill Dr Ste 101 – Oakland, CA 94611 – (510) 339-9340 – View Map - Jessica Hebert – State Farm Insurance Agent
490 Grand Ave #210 – Oakland, CA 94610 – (510) 653-2900 – View Map - Judy Chambers – State Farm Insurance Agent
1305 Franklin St #400 – Oakland, CA 94612 – (510) 832-2195 – View Map
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents are not employed by one company so they can write business with an assortment of companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If they quote lower rates, they simply switch companies in-house and the insured can keep the same agent. If you need cheaper auto insurance rates, you will definitely want to compare prices from at least one independent agent so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare. Most have the option of insuring with smaller companies that many times have cheaper rates.
Listed below are independent agencies in Oakland who can help you get price quotes.
- JCB Insurance Services
6427 Westover Dr – Oakland, CA 94611 – (510) 336-3490 – View Map - Links Insurance Services
1155 3rd St # 220 – Oakland, CA 94607 – (925) 361-5185 – View Map - Western-Southern Life Insurance Co
80 Swan Way # 102 – Oakland, CA 94621 – (510) 877-4119 – View Map
California car insurance companies
Finding a highly-rated insurance provider can be rather challenging considering how many choices you have in California. The rank data listed below could help you select which coverage providers you want to consider putting your business with.
Top 10 Oakland Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Esurance – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Allstate – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Titan Insurance – A+
Compare but don’t skimp
In this article, we presented many ways to lower your Mercury Mountaineer insurance car insurance rates in Oakland. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the higher your chance of finding cheaper Oakland auto insurance quotes. Consumers could even find that the lowest car insurance rates come from some of the lesser-known companies.
Cheaper Mercury Mountaineer insurance in Oakland is possible on the web and with local Oakland insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some auto insurance companies don’t offer rate quotes online and usually these small insurance companies prefer to sell through local independent agencies.
Insureds switch companies for a variety of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, not issuing a premium refund, policy cancellation and even extreme rates for teen drivers. Regardless of your reason, finding a new company can be less work than you think.
Helpful information
- Insurance losses by make and model (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
- Who Has Affordable Oakland Car Insurance for a Toyota Corolla? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for a GMC Sierra in Oakland? (FAQ)
- How Much are Auto Insurance Rates for a Nissan Altima in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes for Police Officers in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Who Has Affordable Car Insurance for a Nissan Versa in Oakland? (FAQ)
- How Much is Car Insurance for a Learners Permit in Oakland? (FAQ)
- What Insurance is Cheapest for Uninsured Drivers in Oakland? (FAQ)
- Airbag FAQ (iihs.org)
- Eight Auto Insurance Myths (Insurance Information Institute)
- Teen Driver Licensing Information (iihs.org)
- Side Impact Crash Tests (iihs.org)