Auto Insurance Rates - CA
State Minimums
- Bodily Injury Liability: $15,000/$30,000 Limit
- Property Damage Liability: $5,000 Limit
*For automobile assigned risk plan drivers, the requirements are $10,000/$20,000/$3,000 Limits
The state of CA follows a Tort system implying a person must be found to be responsible for causing the accident, and that individual and their insurance underwriter is responsible for all the damages resultings from the accident. You should be mindful that the details of a tort system vary from state to state.
California does not require it, but if you’d like to further protect yourself, you can choose to get uninsured driver coverage on your california auto insurance policy. This insurance coverage will protect you against bodily injury caused by an underinsured motorist.This can be very worthwhile coverage if you end up being involved in an accident with this type of person.
The average auto insurance premium for residents in California was $950 in 2003; The average nationwide rate was $914. Some people think the state and insurance companies fix the rates, so they never compare current insurance quotes for better rates.
Insurance companies segment their rates differently so everyone’s rate will be different with each company. You have to compare current insurance quotes to see if you are saving money. There are several sites available to compare rates and less epensive rates available in CA, so average Californians can get a lower rate on their auto insurance.
It took almost 10 years (1999-2007) to see the most recent decrease in insurance rates. That year saw a .5% to 1% reduction in average insurance rates from the previous year. Nevertheless, 2009 has already seen increases in average insurance costs and it will probably continue for the rest of the year. To find lower rates, it’s best to visit insurance comparison sites and compare multiple rates.
Insurance premiums can change over the years and especially in a state like California, if you are not careful you could wind up paying too much for your insurance coverage. Looking back, the average insurance rate in 2000 was about $767; it increased almost 24% in just 3 years! Since then auto insurance costs have consistantly changed.
