If you’re trying to find an insurance agent in Santa Clara, California, it’s recommended you start your research on the internet rather than looking in the yellowpages. It’s assumed you’re looking for a professional agent, but also affordable coverage.
With companies like independent agents, Allstate and State Farm all competing for your business, consumers have a hard time knowing which will provide you with the cheapest rates and the best coverage. To begin, it’s easy to use insurance quotes online to assemble a group of agents to choose from.
Car Insurance through a local Santa Clara agent
Licensed agents can answer important questions and give you peace of mind. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find the best rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for small agencies is important especially in Santa Clara.
Upon completion of this form (opens in new window), your coverage information is emailed to companies in Santa Clara who will return price quotes to get your business. You won’t need to leave your computer as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. How’s that for easy! You can find the lowest rates AND a local agent.
Insurance agent types
If you’re trying to find a local agent, there are a couple of types of agencies to choose from. Insurance agencies in Santa Clara are classified as either captive or independent.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent insurance agents do not work for one specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house and that require little work on your part. When shopping rates, you should always get quotes from at least one independent agent to get the best comparison.
The following is a list of independent agencies in Santa Clara that can give you competitive price quotes.
Melita-Mc Donald Insurance Svc – 1885 DE LA Cruz Blvd – Santa Clara, CA 95050 – (408) 882-0800
Winchester Insurance – 1885 DE LA Cruz Blvd # 100 – Santa Clara, CA 95050 – (408) 727-7727
Captive Agents
Captive agencies can only write with one company such as State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They usually cannot place coverage with different providers so always compare other rates. Captive agencies are trained well on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage.
Shown below are captive agencies in Santa Clara that are able to give price quotes.
Allstate Insurance – 341 Lafayette St # 106 – Santa Clara, CA 95050 – (408) 260-2179
Farmers Insurance Group – 1659 Scott Blvd # 10 – Santa Clara, CA 95050 – (408) 984-2790
State Farm Insurance – 2905 Homestead Rd # A – Santa Clara, CA 95051 – (408) 241-7665
To view a full list of captive agencies in Santa Clara, view this link.
Deciding on an insurance agent requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. These questions are important to ask:
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
After receiving acceptable answers for all questions you ask and an acceptable price quote, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that can adequately provide auto insurance.
Online companies can help you save
Insurance agents are indespensible for some people, but California consumers also have the option to buy directly from online companies. Some companies who have local Santa Clara agents additionally provide the ability to buy online, so that should be considered to possibly find a better rate.
If you’re concerned about choosing your own coverages when buying car insurance direct, this is normal but is quickly overcome. All companies that allow you to purchase coverage all have client service departments for customer questions.
Do online companies provide lower prices? The answer to that question is complicated due to the fact that there are multiple individual factors that impact your premium. It’s a logical assumption that shopping direct lowers rates due to not having any agent compensation. But in reality, marketing expenses are significant so this can offset any savings.
Much more information about auto insurance in California is available on the website for the California Department of Insurance. Click here for link. California consumers can learn about insurance regulations, read consumer alerts, and view agent and company licensing information.
Affordable insurance is out there
As you shop your coverage around, it’s a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price.
Discount auto insurance can be bought both online and with local Santa Clara insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. There are still a few companies who do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.
