Cheap California Auto Insurance? Not for A 4-Wheeler!

If you’re looking for cheap California auto insurance, you might want to rethink the whole SUV or Jeep idea. Unfortunately, these types of vehicles are almost always more expensive to insure. There just isn’t much in the way of dirt cheap auto insurance for 4-wheel drive vehicles.

The fact of the matter is that whether you’re in California or elsewhere, getting cheap auto insurance will depend at least partly on exactly what it is you’re trying to insure. Below is a good article regarding the increased costs of insuring a 4×4 vehicle.

Why 4×4 Insurance Varies From Car Insurance
by Susan Reynolds

If you own a 4×4 you may have noticed that the insurance rates are higher than a car. This is because a 4×4 vehicle is quite different than a car and therefore incurs higher premiums. 4×4’s have different features as well as different capabilities which have an effect on the insurance rate. You should know exactly what you’re looking for and exactly how a 4×4 will affect insurance rates before you choose to buy a 4×4 or 4×4 insurance.

The type of policy you have will affect what type of coverage you’re getting. All types of policies will cover other drivers and their vehicles in an accident. You can also get policies that cover your vehicle and your passengers along with theft and weather damage. 4×4 insurance has similar properties as regular car insurance however there are some slight differences. The main problem is that you’re going to do more damage to another vehicle if you hit them than you would in a car. Since the estimated repair costs will be higher they increase the insurance premium you have to pay.

Another important factor is that 4×4 vehicles are known as high profile vehicles. They usually will be a target for theft more than an average car. This is especially true if the vehicle is kept in a public parking lot. Those who have a 4×4 vehicle and live in the city will pay more for insurance since their vehicle is more likely to be targeted due to higher crime rates.

Fixing a 4×4 vehicle tends to be more expensive than fixing a regular vehicle. There are a few different reasons for this. The first reason is that 4×4 vehicles have parts that are specialized and harder to find and thus they are more expensive. Another reason is because many 4×4 owners will add extra parts to their vehicle. While these parts may make the vehicle perform better, as they do with sports cars, they are not covered by insurance and thus are more expensive to fix. Some companies will allow you to insure these parts however you will have to pay much higher premiums to do so.

Finally the biggest difference between 4×4 vehicles and cars is it’s off road capabilities. Your standard car insurance won’t cover your vehicle if you go off road. This means that you will have to either pay for the repair costs yourself or have to see if your car insurance company offers off road protection. If they do then you will have to pay a higher rate. Also if you’re an enthusiast that likes to race or enter other various competitions you may have to get those covered separately. In some instances it’s better to be covered for a single day then pay high interest rates every month.

The insurance basics are virtually the same besides these few factors. You will want to check with several insurance companies to try to find the best rate for your 4×4. You should also review the policies of the various insurance companies very closely as they may have different policies regarding your 4×4 and its coverage.

Susan Reynolds is a content coordinator for a leading South African (http://www.insurance123.co.za/) Insurance Provider that specialises in (http://car.insurance123.co.za) Car Insurance Policies.?

If you enjoyed this article, or have any questions regarding California auto insurance in general, or 4-wheelers, please feel free to comment below. And if you know the “magic secret” to finding cheap policies, by all means let us know!

This entry was posted on Friday, July 9th, 2010 at 10:28 am and is filed under Auto Insurance Costs, Cheap Auto Insurance, cheap California auto insurance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.