|
It is a lot easier to compare California car insurance quotes online than offline, since you can have a number of different company’s websites open on your computer at the same time. However, before you do that you should first ensure that you fully understand the minimum requirements for your state.
In California you must purchase a minimum personal liability insurance for bodily injury of $15,000 for one person injured in the accident, $30,000 for all persons injured and a minimum of $5,000 for property damage liability. The state also operates a tort system and there are no other mandatory coverage requirements.
What this all means is that your have to purchase enough insurance to pay at least $15,000 for one injured person, a total of $30,000 for two or more injured parties and $5,000 for property damage. You might consider this a bit light, and $5,000 is unlikely to cover the cost of replacing a car, and possibly decide to pay a bit more for increased cover. Don’t forget that you are personally liable if you are underinsured, and will have to personally pay the extra if you have sufficient personal funds or equity to do so.
A tort system means that somebody must be found responsible for the accident, and that person is responsible for the costs incurred by the other parties, either personally or through their insurers. If the insurance is insufficient to meet the full costs, then the responsible party can by forced to pay the balance either through bailiff action or arrestment of wages. In extreme cases, you could even have your home forcibly sold to raise the cash.
It is of extreme importance, therefore, that you ensure that you are sufficiently insured. Optional extras that you can pay for to help ensure that you have sufficient cover include the obvious extra liability cover over and above the California state minimum. Your insurer will be able to give you an idea of the average cost of an accident, if there is such a thing, and your local garage should also be able to advise you on this.
Try to make sure that you are not underinsured, unless you have no assets to lose. You could also take out some personal injury coverage because the last thing you want after being injured in an accident is to worry about how you are going to pay for treatment. You might also want to take out some uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage which, while not mandatory under California state law, gives you peace of mind in the event of a collision. Of course collision coverage and comprehensive coverage would be the ideal, but many people cannot afford all of this level of car insurance cover.
So, to compare California car insurance quotes, the first thing to do is get a sheet of paper and write down exactly what type of insurance you want. Make a note of the level of liability cover you want to purchase: the state minimum or something a bit higher for extra coverage. Then note down the options you have decided upon.
Decide whether or not you want collision or comprehensive, and any personal injury cover or uninsured motorists coverage. Decide on your deductible: the more you are prepared to pay before the insurer opens their wallet the cheaper your auto policies will cost. Write all of this down because you might not remember it all. You are going to  provide each auto insurance company with exactly the same details. That is very important if you are to compare insurance prices properly.
Now you should choose five or six online auto insurance companies, and check out each on the California state auto insurance website. Also check out a few forums if you know any – a good idea is to type the name of the company into your browser followed by ‘complaints’. You will then find a webpage with your auto insurance company and any complaints customers have found with them. These are the companies to avoid.
Finally, when you have your five or six, you should fill in the online form with exactly the same information for each. Compare prices, then pick up the phone and contact all but the cheapest. Tell them the cheapest price you have been given and ask each of the others if they can beat it. If any do, ring the original cheapest and then ask them the same question. Eventually you will have the cheapest quote you can get, and that is what to go for.
Then, and only then, start to negotiate options and price reductions for taking out your home insurance with the same insurer or adding others to your policy as named drivers. Compare California car insurance quotes that way will get you the best deal, and also likely get you more cover for the same price.
|
