When you were learning to drive, your instructors provided you with a laundry list of things not to do. It usually includes things such as changing lanes without checking your blind spots, slamming on the brakes when you hit a patch of ice, and texting while driving.
Things to Avoid When Shopping for Car Insurance
Similarly, there are cautionary instructions about purchasing auto insurance for your vehicle, which is required before you are permitted to drive on the state’s roads. Here are eight of the “no-no’s†to keep in mind while shopping for coverage in California.
For example, you may not want to…
1. Begin driving before you secure a policy. At times, it can feel like an inconvenience to find and obtain insurance, and thus it may be tempting to ignore the law and drive anyway. If you get pulled over however, you will likely be issued a ticket and have to pay a fine. In a case where you get into an accident without insurance, all of the resulting costs will come out of your own pocket.
2. Jump at the first quote you get. It may be worth your while to shop around and see what prices other insurers are offering for the coverage you require. There can be quite a bit of variance among car insurance quotes for the exact same coverage. (Hint: Auto Insurance Specialists can do this for you.)
3. Lie on your insurance application. Do you have a couple of collisions or a DUI on your record? An insurer is going to find out about it no matter how elusive you are on your application. To make matters worse, if you submit a fraudulent insurance application, it could be enough for an insurance company to legally deny any claims you might have.
4. Assume your circumstances are the same as the last time you purchased auto insurance. Take the time to review the details of your previous insurance policy. Chances are some things have changed, like annual mileage driven or the location of your home or workplace, which could be relevant to the insurance company and possibly result in savings on your premiums.
5. Automatically settle for the minimum amount of coverage. Depending on your vehicle and personal driving situation, you may need more than the bare minimum $15,000 of per-person bodily injury coverage, $30,000 of per-accident bodily injury coverage, and $5,000 property damage coverage that is required by California law. Raising those coverages may be needed depending on your situation and might not cost you all that much more.
6. Accept the deductible you have been offered without a second thought. Rate quotes may come with a standard deductible amount, but you can save a little money on your monthly payments if you raise the level of that deductible. Just remember that with a higher deductible, you do open yourself up to having to pay more out of pocket expense if you do have to file a claim.
7. Dismiss obtaining uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Some areas of California have more uninsured drivers than others. If you are involved in a collision caused by someone who does not have insurance, you could get stuck with an expensive repair bill.
8. Forget to ask about getting discounts. It never hurts to ask your insurer about how you can save a little money on your premiums. Bundling policies together, completing a driver’s education course, or installing anti-theft devices might qualify you for some auto insurance discounts.
Auto Insurance Specialists Can Help
One of the best choices you can make regarding auto insurance in California is to contact Auto Insurance Specialists. AIS has been serving Golden State drivers for over four decades, and they save people an average of $600 per year on their auto insurance coverage. Call us today to see how much you could save!
This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverage’s in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.
