How
To Insure Your Car
The states
require that you carry a minimum amount of auto insurance if you own
a vehicle with at least four wheels registered in that state, even
if it is not in use. The minimum amounts and types of insurance vary
by state, and whether the state is a "no-fault" state or
"at-fault" state.
No-fault
state: your own insurance company pays for any damages or injuries
to you, no matter who caused the accident.
At-fault
state: the person at fault or their insurance company pays.
Minimum
Amounts by State:
Florida:
$10,000 of Personal Injury Protection (PIP), $10,000 Property Damage
Liability (PDL)
California:
Liability insurance in the amount of $15,000/person and $30,000/accident
for Bodily Injury Liability (BIL), $5,000 for property damage. These
amounts will only cover injuries and damage to the other driver
and their property, not to you. If you wish coverage for yourself
you must buy more insurance.
The amount
you pay for your auto insurance premium (your annual cost) and deductible
the amount you pay out of pocket before the insurance company will
reimburse) will depend on a number of factors, including:
- the
amount and type of insurance you buy
- your
sex
- your
age
- the
number of years you have been driving
- your
city, state and neighborhood
- how
many traffic violations you have incurred over the past five years
- how
many miles you use the car per day
- whether
you use the car for business or pleasure
To read
more about the different types of auto insurance, check out online consumer
insurance guide Insure.com's
guide to basic terms: http://www.insure.com/auto/basics.html
Auto
Insurance Companies
Some of
the most well-known brand names in insurance include:
!When
shopping for insurance, make sure the company you choose is in healthy
financial shape. Insure.com
rates insurers' financial health and includes lists of consumer complaints
and lawsuits against insurers. You can also find an insurer in your
state on their site: http://www.insure.com/auto/top20898.html
You can
also check online insurance quotes at other websites like:
!
Low-Cost
Insurance for California Drivers: The California Low Cost Automobile
Insurance Program (LCA) provides uninsured drivers with liability insurance
that meets state requirements. Policies cost on average between $410
and $563 per vehicle. Applicants must be good drivers and demonstrate
financial need.
Contact the California Automobile
Assigned Risk Plan at:
(800) 622-0954 or http://www.aipso.com/ca.
In order
to obtain car insurance, you will need to bring the following items:
- The
vehicle identification number
- Proof
of Identification like a driver's license or passport
- The
title of ownership
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