Getting your California Auto Insurance Online
Reader’s Question:
What’s the lowdown on shopping for auto insurance online? I’m a stay-home mom here in California, and I’m pretty particular about divulging information online.
Marge
Bakersfield, CA
Hello, Marge! Good day to you. Based on how you reacted, I can tell that you’re a pretty careful individual. I would not blame you if you prefer to talk face to face to auto insurance agents there in California than just input information on the computer. After all, you probably heard of some scams that rob people on the internet. But let me tell you, that is not the case for auto insurance online.
My advice is, use the internet as a tool to get more informed. An agent can only do so much, and, of course, they’re geared to push a specific product every time. So, unless you are friends with them, you might be better off shopping initially on the internet. You can move into conversations with agents once you have got the necessary information about the policies you can get from their respective auto insurance companies.
The internet provides you with a high-speed means to get information from a variety of auto insurance companies. There are auto insurance websites that allow you to see a ballpark estimate of your premiums should you go with the same company. The information asked is easy to give out. These are just based on how many drivers, what kind of car, driving habits or offenses. You won’t even need to enter any of your personal data like a name should you choose not to. And since you can do this on a number of websites, you can get more quotes and compare them all to get the best policy with the cheapest rate at the quickest possible time.
Auto Insurance: Is my Friend Covered if He Drives my Car?
Reader’s Question:
I share a flat with a friend here in California. He usually borrows my car if his is being repaired. What if he gets involved in a wreck? Will my auto insurance cover it even if he’s not listed in my policy?
Julie
San Francisco, CA
In most accident cases and in most states, (that’s including California) when the person behind the wheel is not the owner of the motor vehicle, it’s the car owner’s insurance provider who usually pays for the losses. These include the cost of hospitalization and medical expenses to treat injuries sustained by the parties involved in the accident, and also include the cost of repair or replacement of the other motorist’s car. To cover repair or replacement costs on your own vehicle, you would need to have collision or comprehensive coverage in your policy. If it so happens that you do not have sufficient liability insurance coverage to cover for the medical and repair costs, your friend’s separate car insurance policy may cover any amount remaining. If on the other hand you do not have any auto insurance coverage, your friend’s insurer may cover all the cost. So, there’s really no need to have your friend listed under your policy. But just to be on the safe side, make sure that your friend does have auto insurance and that you both have collision or comprehensive coverage in your auto insurance policies. In an accident, it’s not just the other guy’s car that gets damaged.
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