In order to legally drive in California you are only required to carry liability insurance. This coverage pays for damage to another persons car or property in the event of an accident. This will also cover any medical expenses the other car’s passengers may need. The state minimum is expressed with 3 figures. 15-30-5. The 15 represents a 15,000 coverage for injuries to one person. The 30 represents a 30,000 coverage for injuries to all persons and the 5 represents, yes you guessed it, $5000 for any damage done to the other car. Lets think about this. How quickly can 15,000 be spent in an emergency room? How quickly can $5000 worth of damage be done to a vehicle envolved in an accident? If you have the extra money its wise to raise this your coverage up a notch in case of an incident to avoid any lawsuits.

California drivers have a few other optional coverages available. Collision coverage will pay for damages to your car no matter who is at fault. Comprehensive coverage will cover other damages such as vandalism, theft or fire. Personal injury protection will pay for medical expenses for your passengers and you in the event of an accident. Uninsured motorist coverage pays for damages done to you car in the event of a collision caused by an uninsured driver.

If you live in a larger metro area you may be overpaying for your auto insurance. Larger metro cities have more people and more cars - thus more claims. There are lots of factors that go into rates - zipcode, type of vehicle, driving history, age of drivers, and even your insurance credit score. These factors create lots of gaps between carriers and the rates they offer.

Company A may favor one zipcode or one particular section of town. Company B may not and have higher rates. Most of the rate decision-making that goes into how a carrier determines their premiums in a zipcode is based past and recent claims history. If Company A finds claims frequency increasing in a particular zipcode, they might raise rates. If Company B finds that their past underwriting (clamping down on insuring bad drivers) has improved claims frequency in a zipcode, they may lower rates.

Even if your current rate has stayed the same, it is possible for other carriers to lower their rates and save you money. Also keep in mind that carrying higher deductibles (particularly on Collision) can lower your premiums.

The key for anyone seeking the best rate is to shop around. By utilizing an insurance shopping service such as low-insurance.org you will receive multiple insurance quotes from different carriers. And unless you get those different quotes it is nearly impossible to tell who can provide the best rate for you.

You cannot determine premiums from television advertisements. Only by requesting a quote can you find out who has the better rate for you.
Good Luck!