San Jose's top auto insurance companies achieve a balance between affordability, customer satisfaction, and financial stability. With a MoneyGeek score of 90 out of 100, Esurance is the city's leading insurance provider. However, keep in mind that your best option may depend on your age, driving history and level of coverage. In most cases, you can choose between a higher or lower deductible when buying car insurance.
If you live in a state where cracked windshields are common, you might want to choose a low car insurance deductible to replace your windshield. Otherwise, if you file a car insurance claim with a type of coverage that has a deductible, you'll have to pay it. The collision insurance deductible is the amount of money a driver must pay out of pocket when filing a collision insurance claim. Since a lower deductible equals more coverage, you'll have to pay more in your monthly premiums to balance this increase in coverage.
The car insurance deductible is the amount of money you'll pay out of pocket for an accident before the insurance company pays the rest. If you hit a car, you don't have to pay a deductible until your car is damaged and you must file a collision claim. If your deductible is too high, you could be in a difficult financial situation in the future. It's also considered insurance fraud if a mechanic overcharges your insurance company to offset the deductible exemption.
In addition, your insurance company may exempt you from the deductible for comprehensive insurance if it's a glass repair claim. Coverage and other features vary between insurers, vary by state, and are not available in all states. A low deductible means a higher insurance rate, while a high deductible means a lower insurance rate. On the other hand, if you are not at fault, you normally won't have to pay any deductibles, since the at-fault driver's liability insurance will pay for vehicle repairs and medical expenses.
If your car insurance deductible is greater than the cost of damage to your vehicle, you'll pay the full cost out of your pocket, since the insurer only covers damages that exceed the amount of the deductible.
