California’s Low Cost Insurance Source
Before you shop…
Before you begin to compare insurance quotes for California auto or homeowners coverage you should first familiarize yourself with some of the insurance basics provided below.
California Auto Insurance
Your Automobile insurance policy is simply a contract that will help pay for types of financial loss resulting from the use of your vehicle. For a paid premium the insurance company will agree to pay certain expenses as well as possible legal liabilities. The amount the insurance company will pay will depend on the individual policy. By law, car owners must maintain a required minimum amount of automotive liability insurance in California.
Your auto insurance rates in California will depend on a number of factors. The most common factors include the Insured’s driving safety record, the number of miles the owner drives each year and driving experience (years behind the wheel). Some companies will offer lower rates to those who drive less than 7,500 miles per year. Keeping your driving record clean is key to having cheaper insurance rates in California. If you happen to get a ticket you should always consider taking a course to keep points off your driving record. Learn more about auto insurance discount options here.
What information should I have when shopping for new auto insurance in California?
Driver Information:
You should have in front of you information for all drivers you plan on placing on your auto insurance policy. This information includes names, ages DOB, sex, marital status, driving history, annual mileage and the vehicle information.
Vehicle Information:
The information you’ll need from each car includes the full vehicle identification number (VIN), the year make and model as well as the value and any special equipment installed on the vehicle.
If you’re looking for the cheapest insurance rates in California you may want to read over some of these tips I personally use that have saved our readers hundreds on the cost of car insurance.
When shopping for auto and home insurance in California always consider quoting both needs together. This may be the best way to reduce your overall insurance expense and earn a low cost discount insurance rate. Independent Agents have a great ability to compare package policies to variety of standalone policies to see what is best for your financially. In some cases placing your auto insurance with company “A” and your homeowners insurance with company “B” is cheaper than a package policy with company “C”. After receiving a quote for both try quoting them separately to see which method works best for you.
Homeowners Insurance California
There are two general categories for homeowners coverage, replacement cost coverage and actual cash value coverage (ACV). There are three types of replacement cost coverage. Below we will explain each of these types of homeowner’s coverage.
- Replacement cost coverage will provide a specified dollar amount for repairing damaged property or replacing the property with new property of the same quality or type. These replacement cost policies will cover the full expense of repairing or replacing the damages to your home up to the home insurance policy limits.
- Guaranteed replacement cost policies are also offered but are rare. This policy will pay out for whatever it may cost to rebuild the home. The cost may exceed the limit if necessary.
- Extended replacement cost coverage also known as modified replacement cost coverage will provide a specified percentage above the original policy limits to help rebuild your home. This helps keep California homeowners protected in the event the cost of construction rises. The percentage generally used is 20% – sometimes more.
- Actual cash value coverage, ACV, will pay out for the fair market value of the dwelling up to an identified homeowners policy limit.
Other California Homeowners Insurance Coverage
California Building Code Upgrade (BCU) Coverage:
During the repair of a damaged home, there may be a building code update that needs to be addressed which may increase the cost of the repair. This is an optional coverage that may or may not be included on your policy. If it isn’t included you may include as an add-on or rider, otherwise the additional cost will come out of the homeowner’s pocket.
Structures
Other than the Dwelling, homeowners insurance in California will also cover other structures on the property, such as a shed, fences, driveways and other structures not attached to the property. Typically the limits for other structures will be 10% of the home value.
Personal Property (Contents)
Contents coverage provides protection for personal property. Typical limits on personal property coverage in California are 50% of the value of the home or dwelling. Sometimes we find that these limits can be reached easily. Additional riders are available. There will also be specific limits for certain property such as guns, jewelry and artwork.
Loss of Use Coverage
Loss of use will cover you for the additional living expenses incurred while your home is being repaired. In cases such as fire, families in many cases must stay somewhere else while the damaged home is being fixed. This coverage helps the family maintain their normal lifestyle.
