California vehicle insurance Helpful Advice and Useful Tips

• Know your state's auto insurance requirements
  Most states require you to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage. Many states have "no-fault" auto insurance systems. Coverage for medical costs for you and your passengers is optional in some states. Coverage for damage to your car is optional.
• Write up your personal auto insurance profile
  Write up your personal auto insurance profile:
  List pertinent information concerning what type of vehicle you drive, where you drive, who else drives, what your driving record is, where you live, what optional safety features your car has. This profile will make the next step easier.
  
• Comparison Shop
  Comparison Shop:
  Prices for the same coverage can vary by hundreds of dollars, so it pays to shop around. Ask your friends, check the Yellow Pages, and call your state insurance department for guidance. Contact insurance agents or companies for general pricing information. Select a few insurers for personalized quotes.
  
• Meet with potential insurance agents
  Make a few appointments, bring your personal auto insurance profile with you, and ask questions. You want a fair price AND quality service. Ask about available discounts, higher deductibles, service options and claims procedures after accidents. Take notes.
• Compare Again
  Consider cost, coverage offered, and quality of service available. Select your insurer.
• Read your policy
  Yes, even the fine print! Ask questions. Keep your policy at hand. Call your insurer to keep your policy up-to-date, inform your agent of any changes (new car, new job, new driver, etc.), and ask periodically about any possible discounts. Review your policy yearly with your insurer.
• Keep your insurance information with you
  Many states require drivers to carry a proof-of-insurance card with them when driving. Ask your insurer for a card, and keep it in your wallet or in your car.
• Car grouping
  All cars have a group rating between one and 20. This is based on the cost and availability of spare parts, the price of the car, performance, security features, and repair times.
  The higher the rating, the higher the premium. Drivers aged under 25 who own a car with a high rating pay particularly high premiums
  
• Who's driving?
  The more drivers you insure, the more expensive your premium is likely to be. To cut costs, name the drivers you want to insure rather than opting for an 'any driver' policy.
  Older drivers pay less than younger ones, though premiums often start to rise again once you're over 70. And young women often pay less than young men. Your premiums will also be higher if you've got a bad claims record or past convictions.
  Where you live also affects your premiums. In general, if you live in an urban area, you're likely to pay more than if you live in the country.
  
• Other important factors
  You'll sometimes pay more if you keep your car on a driveway or on the street than if you keep it in a garage.
  If you modify your car in a way that makes it more attractive to thieves or enhances its performance, your insurer will charge you a higher premium.
  With some insurers you'll pay more if you do a lot of mileage (12,000 miles a year is considered to be average) or if you use your car for business.
  
• Bodily Injury
  pays all that you are legally obligated to pay when someone is injured or killed in an accident that’s your fault. Your coverage pays for that person’s medical expenses and lost wages.
• Property Damage
  pays for the damages you cause to someone’s personal property when you have an accident that’s your fault. The personal property that you might damage includes such things as vehicles, houses, fences, and walls.
• Medical Payments
  pays medical and funeral expenses for injuries that you or your passengers sustain while riding in your vehicle, regardless of who is at fault. (Not available in all states.)
• Personal Injury Protection
  includes a broader range of expenses than the ones covered by medical expense coverage. PIP includes payments for lost wages.
• Uninsured / Underinsured Motorists
  protects you if you have an accident with someone who either has no insurance or lacks the proper amount of insurance. This coverage also protects you if you’re struck by a hit-and-run driver.
• Uninsured / Underinsured Motorists Property Damage
  provides coverage for property damage to your motor vehicle which has been caused by an uninsured motorist.
• Comprehensive (OTC)
  is insurance that reimburses you when your car is damaged. The damage covered by comprehensive insurance is caused by theft, vandalism, hail, flood, fire, earthquakes, windstorms and/or animals.
• Liability coverage
  This type of coverage protects you against damages and injuries you cause to other people. Most states require that you at least have this type of coverage. See list of minimum requirements. The coverage is usually divided into two parts. Bodily injury coverage and Property Damage coverage. Make sure you have enough of these
• Collision Coverage
  Covers the physical damage done to your vehicle as the result of an accident. This covers your property in accidents in which you are at fault, like a single car accident or collision with a stationary object.
• Medical Payments Coverage
  Covers you, the members of your household and your passengers for medical expenses resulting from a car accident, regardless of whose fault it is. This coverage is usually limited to $5,000 - $10,000. With some policies, this can even cover lost wages and the cost of replacing services normally performed by someone injured in an auto accident.
• Uninsured Motorist
  Bodily injury: Protects you, your resident relatives, and occupants of a covered vehicle if any of these insured sustain bodily injury, including any
  resulting death, in an accident in which the owner or operator of a motor vehicle who is legally liable does not have insurance.
  
  
• Property damage
  This coverage pays you for damage to the covered vehicle that has been sustained in an accident in which the owner or operator of a motor vehicle who is legally liable does not have insurance. Your company will pay up to the limit of your liability.
• Keep it clean
  Be a safe driver and keep your driving record free of traffic violations and accidents. You will probably be eligible for the lower rates if remain accident and ticket-free for at least three years
• Increase your deductible
  . By choosing to raise your deductible, you will lower your rates significantly. Sometimes you can reduce your annual premium by 10 percent or more if you increase your deductible from, say, $250 to $500. If you do this, however, make sure you have the financial resources to handle the larger deductible when the time comes.
• Buy a low-risk car
  Cars are rated on a risk scale for auto insurance purposes. In general, sports cars and other high-performance, flashy vehicles are classified as higher risks because they are common targets for thieves and vandals, and because statistically, the people who own them tend to drive more recklessly. Sport-utility vehicles are also considered high-risk vehicles and are susceptible to a higher premium, than a low-risk car, such as standard family sedan.
• Review and revise your policy regularly to meet your current needs.
  Designate a regular time to review your policy. You may decide that you no longer need that special towing package or can lower your bodily injury coverage. You may also qualify for discounts you didn't know about. For a checklist of important discounts, see the following section.
• Drop collision coverage on an older car
  If you have an older car, or one in poor condition, you may not want to pay the price for collision coverage. Call a bank or finance institution to find out the price you would get for your car on a straight sale. Take this price and subtract what you would have to pay (the deductible) if you had a loss. Then subtract the cost of insurance for one year. The amount you come up with is the total you would actually net if your car was totaled.
• Drive less
  . Take advantage of low mileage discounts that some insurance companies offer to drivers who keep their annual mileage at or below a certain level. In general, the less you drive, the more you can save. Likewise, if you currently use your car for business purposes, it may be in your best interest to reconsider this decision.
• Make it safer
  . Many insurance companies will offer significant discounts if you install safety or anti-theft devices in your car, since they significantly reduce the amount of bodily injury and car theft. For additional information on the types of safety devices recommended by insurers, visit our Discounts section.
• Good Driver
  The definition of a good driver varies, but it generally means having no accidents, moving violations or other citations on your record for a given period of time. Insurance companies are quite willing to reward such "good behavior."
• Experienced Driver
  Women 21+yrs. old and men 25-30+yrs. old may qualify for a reduction in rates. These drivers are less of a risk, as opposed to young adult and teenage drivers.
• Mature Driver
  Drivers between the ages of 50-55 are generally considered the lowest risk because they have a wealth of driving experience and seem to drive more defensively than their younger counterparts. Thus, "mature drivers" may be eligible for a significantly reduced rate.
• Driver Education
  Taking defensive driving/accident prevention courses may mean cheaper insurance. An informed driver is a safe driver (and less of a risk to the insurance companies). Call the National Safety Council at 1-800-621-6244 to see if a course is offered near you.
• Multiple Car Household
  Insurance companies will appreciate the added business when you insure all your cars with them. Keeping all of your eggs in one basket is a good idea for reducing rates.
• Low mileage driver
  For those who drive less than 7,500 miles annually, an insurance company may offer a restricted mileage discount.
• Car Safety Features
  Having anti-lock brakes, airbags and/or automatic seatbelts improves your car's overall safety and may reduce your rates.
• Anti-Theft Devices
  Ignition "kill" switches, alarms, hood and wheel locks reduce the likelihood of theft or vandalism and may justify a discount in your rates.