How Do I Find Cheap California Auto Insurance?

With some of the highest rates in the U.S., it isn't easy finding cheap California auto insurance!

California auto insurance only requires liability coverage. This covers the cost of damage to someones auto or property if you are at fault in an accident. Liability will also cover the medical expenses that the driver or passengers incur, including compensating them for their "pain and suffering".

The state of California requires 15/30/5 coverage - this means you must carry $15,000 in coverage for injuries to any one individual in the car, $30,000 in injury coverage for all persons in the other car, plus $5000 that covers any damage occurring to the other person's auto or property.

While the minimum auto insurance coverage may be sufficient, you may want to increase your liability insurance. This will protect your assets in the other person decides to file a lawsuit.

You will find that in order to qualify for the cheapest auto insurance rates, you'll need to meet a few requirements. The first is a clean driving record. Insurance companies only give cheap insurance to drivers that have very clean records, not just in CA, but anywhere in the country. This means no accidents, no speeding tickets or other moving violations, etc. You won't qualify for cheap insurance premium rates if you have a California DUI or SR-22 on your record. In fact, you can expect to pay as much as double what drivers with unblemished driving histories will pay.

Certified driver's training certificate. Auto insurance companies in California have no way of knowing if you really are a careful driver - and a certificate of driver's training or proof of attendance to a defensive driving course will show them that you are. Most companies are willing to offer you substantial discounts when you have undergone training.

You can also boost your chances of getting cheap auto insurance in California if you installed safety devices in your car, such as a car alarm system, passive or active disabling systems, etc. Air bags can also help towards lower premiums. Many insurance companies in California give significant discounts to drivers with side air bags, dual air bags, etc. You can also expect lower rates if your automobile has anti-lock brakes.

Surprisingly, good grades in school can help. If you are a student with an average of 3.0 or higher, then you will probably find it easy to get cheap California car insurance. Many companies actuall assume that students with high grades tend to incur less road accidents.

Since auto insurance rates in California vary from one company to another, you'll definitely want to compare quotes to find the cheap rates. Fortunately, there is also a lot of competition. This drives prices down since insurers are forced to compete against on another for your business.

So do not despair, it is possible to find cheap California auto insurance, or at least look for discounts and programs that will lower your rates.