Cost

by Ken Lund

Tips for Buying Low Cost Auto Insurance

Driving an automobile in California can be an enjoyable and interesting experience.  You have the busy freeways of Los Angeles, Orange County, San Bernardino County and the Bay Area.  You also have the open desert roads between the mountains and the Arizona / Nevada Borders.  Sometimes you will encounter relaxing automotive journeys at other times you can encounter the slow and frustrating daily grind that we call rush hour traffic.  Fellow motorists don’t be discouraged as we all know that driving is a privilage for those who can muster up the courage to put the key in the ingnition and hit the roads of California.  Only if it were that easy!

These days before we hit the road we have to make sure we are in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Government in California.  For example one must maintain the current registration of their vehicle, maintain a current auto insurance policy as well as have a valid California Drivers License.  No problem right?  Easier said then done in todays turbulent economy.  Of these three components the one that it seems the others revolve around is auto insurance.  The reasoning behind this is that in California in order to obtain a current vehicle registration you must carry the state minimum liability coverages of ,000 per person for bodily injury, ,000 per accident for bodily injury and ,000 property damage coverage.  If a driver fails to maintain an active insurance policy the DMV will note that the vehicle is not insured and will then suspend the registration of that vehicle.  If the driver continues to drive the vehicle without insurance and is caught by law enforcement officials, the car can be impounded resulting in storage fees as well as hefty fines and ultimately the suspension of the Drivers license.  So motorists in this great state of California would be smart to purchase at least the minimum liability from a reputable insurance broker or company.

When one wishes to purchase an insurance policy they must consider the fact that there are many options for the same coverages that will vary in price from company to company.  Shopping around for insurance is a must for the thrifty insurance seeker.  Most importantly make sure that the company or broker is licensed to sell insurance in California.  The California Department of Insurance has a website where you can check for the license status of an insurance broker.  That website is www.insurance.ca.gov  To save time when shopping for a policy one should seek the assistance of an insurance broker as they can shop multiple companies to find the right coverage and price for you.  By inputing some basic information about the driver(s) and vehicle(s) a broker can very quickly and easily tell you which company is the most cost effective in your particular case.  When shopping for insurance let the broker know of any tickets or accidents that you might have had in the past 3 years so they can give you an accurate quote.  Also let them know if you are a student as some companies offer good student discounts.  Some companies even offer you a discount if you have had an insurance policy in the last 30 days, have an alarm on your car or if you are a homeowner.  Someone who goes to a broker should know that most brokers do charge a fee for placing coverage with an insurance company.  However in most cases a broker will not charge you to give you a quote.  A good idea would be to ask first if the quote is free to avoid any confusion if you don’t buy a policy from that particular broker.  Before purchasing a poilcy one should ask the broker how much the broker fee is.  The broker can set their own fee so you must be careful not to pay to much.  If you are not comfortable with the broker fee amount then you should ask if they can lower it for you.  A tip in this situation is to tell the broker that you cannot afford to pay that amount of broker fee and that if they could lower it to a reasonable amount that you would gladly purchase the policy from them and let your friends and family know of what great service the broker had and how they helped you out even though you didn’t have a lot of money.  Most brokers would reason with you as you have indicated that you might refer friends and family by word of mouth.

These days if you look through your local classified ads or even online classified sites like www.craigslist.com you will find many insurance companies offering promotions for zero downpayment insurance policies just because you mention the certain ad.  Always ask what the conditions of the zero down special are.  In most cases it means that you would just pay the first month of insurance to start the policy with either a very low broker fee or no broker fee at all.  Many times the broker will have certian restrictions or criteria that must be met to qualify for the special.  Always ask what these are before going into the office, buying online or over the phone.

Hopefully this information will help you on your quest to find the lowest rates and best coverage for your vehicle and will get you on the road in our beatiful state of California!

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