In the State of California the required minimum coverage for bodily injury is $15,000 per person injured in any one accident and $30,000 for all persons injured in any one accident.
The required minimum coverage for property damage is $5,000 for injury to or the destruction of property of others in any one accident.
Optional insurance may include Uninsured Motorist Coverage. If the policy holder makes this choice, the actual coverage purchased must be at least the amount of the required Bodily Injury Coverage. If the policy holder purchases more than the required amount of Bodily Injury Coverage, Underinsured Motorist Coverage may then be purchased in a lesser amount. The State of California does not require insurance companies to provide Uninsured Motorist Coverage in any amount greater than $30,000 per personal injury in any one accident and $60,000 for all persons involved in any one accident.
As well, if Uninsured Motorist Coverage is purchased, then the policy must also include Underinsured Motorist Coverage. California requires insurance companies to offer for purchase Underinsured Motorist Coverage in an amount equal to that purchased for Uninsured Motorist Coverage. Insurers may, however, offer a greater amount of Underinsured Motorist Coverage than the Uninsured Motorist Coverage actually purchased by the policy holder.
California requires liability limits of 12/30/5 which represent $20,000 for bodily injury coverage per person and $30,000 for bodily injury coverage per accident which will pay for medical bills and lost wages. The last number of 5 represents $5,000 for property damage coverage per accident which will pay for repairs and/or replacement of objects damaged or destroyed other than the policy holder's own vehicle.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and No-Fault Coverage are not required by the state.
Adding Collision Coverage as well as Comprehensive Coverage to an insurance policy is optional as well in California.
Cheapest California Car Insurance
Getting car insurance in California is an easy task, but getting a good policy and a competitive price is not that easy. However, with some research you can easily obtain a suitable policy with the exact coverage that you need and with a minimum premium. So, if you are getting your new car or if it is time to renew your previous car insurance policy, read on and get California Car Insurance with great conditions.
Before starting your search for California car insurance, you need to determine which type of coverage you need. There are mainly two types of issues that you need to address at this stage: collision coverage and liability coverage, being the last one the most important one. It is critical to understand these two concepts thoroughly in order to be able to obtain the best deals on car insurance policies but also a proper risk protection. Moreover, California has specific regulations on liability coverage with regulations that are complex and exceed the purpose of this article but you need not worry as all insurance companies are obliged to comply with these standards.
Collision Coverage
Collision coverage will protect you in case your car is damaged due to an accident. Depending on the type of policy and damage that the car suffers, you can obtain an amount high enough to purchase your vehicle in the market, the costs of replacing damaged parts and fixing the vehicle or the actual replacement of the vehicle for a new one. This type of coverage protects the vehicle but does not cover the damages that you may cause with it.
Liability Coverage
Liability coverage protects you against the damages your car causes to property or the injuries suffered by other people due to an accident that your car takes part in. All the costs associated to these risks are covered by the liability coverage of your California car insurance policy. However, the liability coverage has limitations and thus, when you purchase your policy you will decide what kind of protection you desire. The amount of the liability coverage will have a great influence on the value of your insurance premium.
Getting The Right Policy
Taking into account the above concepts, you need to select the policy that best suits your needs. Once you have selected the type of coverage and the amounts that you need to feel secure, you have to find a balance between the costs and the coverage. In order to do that you need to do some research and the best place to do it is the internet. Within the net you will find many insurance companies willing to offer you quotes so you can compare.
California car insurance policies can provide you proper protection against risk in exchange for reasonable premiums if you know where to look for them. The internet is a good place to start but you can also contact the local department of insurance and non profit consumer organizations that can help you determine which California insurance company offers you the best terms and conditions in exchange for a competitive price.
Both Elizabeth Newberry & Lara Sawyer are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.