California Laws to Help You Save on Car Insurance

When it comes to saving money on car insurance, there are some obvious things that will help you out. As I'm sure you heard before, it always makes sense to get more than one quote. That way you can compare the rates from different companies and save. But there is a lot more that will help besides just comparing rates.

Did you know that California has set up laws for auto insurers? These laws are meant to protect drivers from fraud and abuse by insurance companies. The state of California is one of the best states when it comes to protecting its drivers from fraud and abuse from insurance companies.

One recent law to help consumers save is Proposition 103. Proposition 103 was passed in 1988 to change that, but went into affect July 14, 2008. The law states that that auto insurance companies must provide you quotes based on your driving record, not your zip code. Previously, drivers paid their premiums based on their location. So you could have been a better driver (and lower risk) than someone a mile away, but you would have had to pay a higher premium based on your zip code.

Another law meant to protect drivers in the state of California is Assembly Bill 2677. This law was passed in 2005 and says that auto insurance companies in California must provide drivers with the lowest rate available to them. If they do not show you your lowest possible rate, they are violating the law. Be sure to always ask to see the lowest rate available to you.

California has also regulated the rates that insurers can charge to drivers. Recently California mandated that Allstate must lower its insurance rates by 15.9%. Allstate covers roughly 10% of all California drivers, so the mandate was a huge win in helping California drivers save even more on car insurance.

Another benefit to California drivers in need of cheap auto insurance is the California Low Cost Auto insurance program (CLCA). This program is a minimum coverage insurance that helps drivers in dire economic circumstances get affordable car insurance. Through the CLCA drivers can get insurance for as low as $400 a year.

The more you know about auto insurance laws in California, the more educated you will be on your rights as a consumer. Knowing your rights will help you save money. Of course, don't forget to compare your rates.