Posts Tagged ‘california auto insurance’

California Auto Insurance Liability Coverage for Low-income Drivers

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

California drivers must have liability insurance coverage in place to comply with state law, but not all drivers are able to afford even a basic policy. Good drivers who can demonstrate financial need can get liability protection through the California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program (CLCA). All insurance companies licensed to write policies in the state are required to take on their fare share of CLCA customers.

Under the CLCA plan, qualified drivers can get the following level of coverage:

  • $10,000 in bodily injury liability coverage to pay for injuries of a single accident victim
  • $20,000 in bodily injury protection to compensate two or more people injured in the same accident
  • $3,000 in property damage liability coverage to pay for repairs to the other driver’s vehicle

Drivers in CA can also get optional coverage under the CLCA plan:

  • $10,000 in uninsured motorist coverage to pay for injuries when the at-fault driver in an accident does not have any coverage
  • $20,000 in uninsured motorist protection to compensate all victims of the same accident in the same situation
  • $1,000 medical payments protection (per person)

To be eligible for coverage under the plan, a driver must be at least 19 years of age and have been licensed for at least three years on a continuous basis. Applicants must meet the income requirements set by the state and be looking for insurance for a vehicle valued at $20,000 or less.

How to Compare CA Auto Insurance Carriers

Friday, May 6th, 2011

If you are looking for the best deal on your coverage in CA, you should make a point of comparing auto insurance carriers before making a buying decision. All of them do offer coverage, but that doesn’t mean that every company licensed to sell policies in the state has same price structure or policy terms. Companies also vary with the level of personalized attention that they can provide to each policyholder and procedures for reporting and settling claims. To find the company that will be the best fit, a car insurance buyer will need to consider which traits are most important to him or her, and then shop around to find the company that can offer them.

The first step to finding the right provider is to make a list of what you are looking for in an insurer and then ranking them in order of importance. This is a highly individual process, and you may find that different characteristics are important at different times in your driving career. If you are looking for your first policy as a young or new driver, your focus may be on trying to keep costs down. Once you have been driving for awhile and have accumulated other assets, you may be considering adding to your coverage to ensure that you will not be faced with paying for damages you caused in an at-fault accident personally.

Visit a number of car insurance web sites to learn about the companies and the products they offer, keeping the items on your wish list in mind so that you can make the right choice for your needs.

How to Find Cheap California Auto Insurance

Friday, January 28th, 2011

If your goal is to find cheap California auto insurance coverage, you need to do your homework before deciding on a particular provider. Each company licensed to do business in the state sets its own rates for customers, and the way to find the one that can give you the best pricing is to shop around.

Before you can start looking at pricing, you should take some time to consider your insurance needs. You want to avoid being underinsured, but you also need to keep in mind that getting a higher level of protection is going to carry a higher price tag. Once you know what type and level of coverage you are looking for, the next step is to start considering various options.

Going online is a great way to find cheap California car insurance coverage. Not only can a consumer shop at any time of the day or night for coverage, but he or she can take some time to find out about the different companies offering coverage without feeling pressured to make an immediate decision to buy. Part of checking out different California car insurance providers is making sure that the company has the financial resources to pay out on the claims being made by its policyholders.

Once you have shortlisted a few California auto insurance companies, you can get a quote for coverage from each one. Review this information carefully before making a decision about where to buy your coverage.

California Auto Insurance and Financial Responsibility

Sunday, January 9th, 2011

Under the state’s financial responsibility law, California auto insurance buyers must have insurance coverage in place. Unlike some other parts of the U.S., CA is not a no-fault state for insurance purposes.

This means one driver is deemed to be at fault when an accident occurs. That individual is responsible for paying for damages he or she causes. These damages can include the cost of medical bills, rehabilitation expenses and lost wages. The cost of repairing the other driver’s vehicle and any public property damaged in the accident are also the responsibility of the at-fault driver.

The minimum level of liability insurance required under California law is only $15,000 to pay for damages caused to one person and $30,000 to pay for all personal injuries caused in an accident. The minimum level of property damage coverage required by law is $5,000.

These levels are relatively low, and buying on the minimum amount of protection required by law may not be the wisest choice for a car insurance consumer. If an accident occurs, the owner’s California auto insurance policy will pay out up to the limit chosen. Any amount owing above the policy limit must be paid by the policyholder personally.

When it comes to car insurance coverage in CA, a consumer gets what he or she pays for. Spending a bit more money on premiums for a higher level of protection makes good sense when you are thinking about putting the right level of coverage in place.