California law makes driving without car insurance an offense, making driving without coverage both dangerous and illegal. Should an accident occur while uninsured, fines, license suspension and even jail sentences could ensue. A free online car insurance calculator can help determine how much coverage is appropriate and help compare prices from top insurers for the best deal in your area.
MoneyGeek has identified the top California car insurers based on various criteria, including age, gender, driving record and vehicle make/model when ranking their rates. Also considered in their selection are customer service, ease of use and discounts offered.
Age is often the biggest determining factor when it comes to car insurance rates, and young drivers can often pay more due to perceived higher risks as they lack experience driving a vehicle. A 20-year-old can expect to pay 75% more for full coverage than their counterpart at 30.
Gender is another key rating factor, though only in certain states. Women tend to pay less for car insurance than men despite often being involved in more accidents; on average in California female drivers pay 3% less.
Drivers may also see their rates increase based on where they reside. Cities with high populations typically incur higher car insurance costs than rural areas due to increased traffic volume on the road and greater likelihood of accidents; as a result, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland rank among California’s most expensive cities for auto coverage.
Your driving record has an enormous influence on your rates. A clean record may result in lower premiums; if there has been an at-fault accident or speeding ticket in recent times, however, those rates could skyrocket quickly. In California, GEICO provides the lowest car insurance rates for drivers with clean records while Wawanesa provides affordable coverage if DUI is suspected.
Though online car insurance calculators can provide an approximate estimate, their results won’t always match up once you receive an actual quote from a company. Companies typically consider several other factors not taken into account by your initial calculator results such as adding additional drivers or the type of car you own and whether or not you have a clean driving history. It is always a good idea to get quotes from several providers prior to renewal time or whenever adding or changing drivers on a policy; doing this will ensure you find the most cost-effective California auto coverage available!