Elk Grove Car Insurance
Elk Grove, located just south of Sacramento, is a fast-growing community. Because of this growth, automobile insurance is a large portion of the economy.
Auto insurance constitutes a significant portion of budgets for most individuals and families in the United States, and careful shopping can help reduce the financial burden.
Auto insurance is required by law in California as in most states of the United States. In California, the minimum limits of liability coverage you must purchase are:
- $15,000 for bodily injury or death to any one person in an accident for which you are judged liable.
- $30,000 for bodily injury or death to more than one person in an accident for which you are liable. Note that the maximum the insurance company will pay is $30,000.
- $5,000 for property damage to the property of others including someone else's car
The penalty for driving without insurance in California, your license may be suspended and your vehicle impounded. For information about California auto insurance, go to the state website.
Recommended Automobile Insurance
The minimum limits of liability will not adequately protect you in the event that you are involved in an accident that is your fault.
As lawsuits and inflation affect medical costs and legal fees, it takes more insurance to protect yourself from financial ruin if you are found negligent in causing an accident.
Remember that the costs of an accident include all the costs of settling the claim as well as the actual judgment. It is suggested that the following limits of liability be purchased:
- $100,000 Bodily injury liability coverage for one person and $300,000 for more than one person
- $50,000 Property damage liability coverage
- $5,000 Medical payments coverage for payment for emergency medical treatment for you and members of your family
- $100,000/$300,000 Uninsured motorists coverage to protect you and your family in the event that an uninsured motorist is responsible for an accident in which you or your family are involved.
Be aware that your insurance company must offer Uninsured Motorists Coverage to you and you must refuse the coverage in writing.
This is important because nationally about 17% of individuals do not have insurance. The Medical Payments coverage must be offered to you and it will help pay for emergency services should they be needed in an accident.
The responsibility for these costs is sometimes in doubt between health insurance and auto insurance.
Paying for Damage to Your Own Property
Liability coverage does not pay for damage to your own property.
This coverage is important to you because most of us have liens against our automobiles to help ensure payment for the car. Damage to your automobile can leave you without transportation as well as in debt to pay for the damaged auto.
Buy the following coverage to help protect your investment:
- Comprehensive coverage – pays for damage to a car for other than collision: fire, theft, vandalism, windstorm, flood, animals, and falling objects
- Collision coverage – pays for damage to your car caused by physical contact with another object
You must purchase comprehensive coverage to be able to purchase collision coverage.
To reduce premiums, add deductibles. Deductibles range from $100 per occurrence to $500 per occurrence. Be cautious about deductibles to ensure that you can afford to pay the cost of the deductible and still repair your vehicle.
Lienholders will have rules with regard to these, but, again, be sure you can afford the costs.
Shop for Auto Insurance
Auto insurance can cost you from one hundred dollars a month to over four hundred dollars, depending upon your circumstances.
Shopping carefully and getting several quotes can save you money. The process of shopping may be time-consuming, but well worth the time.
Find a Reliable Automobile Insurance Company and Agency
Begin by doing your own market research. Ask neighbors, friends, and co-workers that you trust about their car insurance companies, agencies, and experiences with insurance.
Select at least three of these companies for a quote. This way you will be able to compare coverage, price, and service.
Insurance companies and agencies must be licensed in your state, to access company and licensing information, go to the state website. This site will also give financial information and complaint information about companies and agencies.
For further information about the financial status of insurance companies, you may access the following sites:
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
- A. M Best Company, a leading insurance rating site
- Standard and Poor's Rating Services
Financial information is important to you because the ability of an insurance company to respond to catastrophic losses is dependent upon its financial status.
The NAIC will also give you records of complaints about the companies you have chosen. This enables you to determine the way the companies respond to both claims and routine problems.
Limits of Liability and Physical Damage
The limits of liability and physical damage coverage are as follows:
- $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident bodily injury liability
- $50,000 per accident property damage liability
- $5,000 medical payments coverage
- $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident bodily injury for uninsured and underinsured motorists coverage
- $500 deductible comprehensive coverage
- $500 deductible collision coverage
Information You Will Need to Provide for a Quote
As you work with companies to receive a car insurance quote, you will need to provide them with the following information:
- Complete names, dates of birth, and drivers license numbers for all drivers
- Current driving records for all drivers
- Insurance experience for the last three years, including name of company and any payments made
- Make, Model, and VIN numbers for owned or leased autos
- Primary drivers for each vehicle; usage of vehicles – number of miles for commuting; overall mileage;
- Drivers education completion dates for young drivers/Defensive driving course for drivers over 65
Saving Money on Car Insurance
Many individuals assume that once they have purchased auto insurance, they need not consider it again. It is necessary to check on your insurance on a yearly basis.
The following things can help you save money on your car insurance:
- Purchase your home insurance and auto insurance with the same company
- Amend coverage on older cars because it may not be cost-efficient to continue comprehensive and collision coverage once a vehicle is of a certain age.
- Adjust deductibles as you can afford them to save money
- Maintain a good credit record because your credit record affects your rates
- You may qualify for low mileage discounts
- Investigate and ask your company about further possible discounts
- Before purchasing a vehicle, estimate what the insurance will cost
Comparing Quotes
Read your quotations carefully and ask questions of your agent for anything you do not understand. Make sure the quotes are comparable, examine the coverage, and make sure your decision is based on the research you have done.
Keep copies of your quotes to allow comparison for the following year. This will reduce the time spent in research. Recognize that an insurance company's rates may change from year to year due to loss experiences.
If you are searching for car insurance quotes, enter your zip code into our FREE quote tool below to get started today!