Auto Insurance Rates - California
California Auto Insurance Minimums
- Bodily Injury Liability (BIL): $15,000/$30,000 Limit
- Property Damage Liability (PDL): $5,000 Limit
*For automobile assigned risk plan drivers, the requirements are $10,000/$20,000/$3,000 Limits
A Tort system is followed in California. This means that someone must always be found at fault. This person and their insurance company will then be held responsible for any and all damages. Details of this system can vary by state and you should check with your local DMV office for exact rules.
You can get underinsured motorist coverage added to your california auto insurance in order to address bodily injury caused by an uninsured driver (depending on the state). In California, you’re not required by law to have this coverage, but it could become valuable if you are in an accident with an underinsured driver
The average auto insurance premium for residents in California was $950 in 2003; the national average in the United States was $914. There are many people that think the state and auto insurance firms set the rates, so they never compare quotes for better rates. auto insurance Underwriters segment their rates differently so everyone’s rate will be different with each insurance company. To see if you can save money, you need to compare current quotes. You can visit several sites to compare quotes and discounted rates available in CA, so average Californians can get a less expensive rate on their auto insurance.
It took almost 10 years (1999-2007) to see the most recent decrease in insurance costs. That year saw a .5% to 1% reduction in average insurance premiums from the previous year. Nevertheless, 2009 has already seen increases in average insurance rates and it will most likely continue for the rest of the year. To find less expensive quotes, it’s best to visit insurance comparison sites and compare various rates.
In a large state like California, changing demographics cause rates to change over the years. If you don’t keep an eye on your rates and don’t compare current quotes, you could see your auto insurance costs rise like they did from 2000-2002. In those 3 years, the average auto insurance premiums jumped almost 24%!
