Auto Insurance in California
Bay Area traffic, theft rates, and accident frequency all affect what you pay for car insurance. MeadowRisk compares quotes across carriers to find coverage that fits your driving habits and budget.
What Auto Insurance Covers.
Liability (3rd Party bodily injury and property damage) - Bodily Injury liability covers injuries you cause to others. Property Damage is generally other peoples cars when talking about auto insuance.
Collision - Covers accidents that happen when you are behind the wheel. For example hitting another car, or backing into a light post.
Comprehensive - Claims that arise from non-driving losses - Theft, a branch falling on your windshield etc.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist - Provides coverage against uninsured motorists, or those who’s coverage falls short of the value of the claim.
Medical payments / personal injury protection - Helps to pay smaller medical bills regardless of who is at fault.
Frequently asked questions
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California requires liability coverage of at least $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident for bodily injury and $15,000 for property damage, though higher limits are strongly recommended.
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First things first, the term “Full Coverage” just means that you have comprehensive and collision coverage included in your policy. You are still subject to deductible.
Whether you need full coverage or not depends on a couple things. The first is whether or not you are financing the car. If you are, then yes you absolutely do, and will need to list your leinholder on the policy.
If you own your car outright, then it’s a personal decision. Typically, it’s recommended that newer cars keep comp and collision, while older, less valuable cars can be without.
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A deductible is the cost that you are responsible for before your insurance kicks in. In other words, if you make a claim on 4k in damage, and your deductible is 1k. Your insurance company will cover 3k in damage.