Online California Auto Insurance For My Lemon Car?
If you want to get a good online California auto insurance quote for a lemon, then you have to keep track of what is going on with the lemon, because for the time that you have the car it will be considered a higher risk because its delicate state will make it more susceptible to damage in the case of a car accident. If you want to make sure you are not overcharged in your auto insurance quote for your lemon car, then you have to be able to prove why you should have a cheaper rate.
Here’s what you should keep track of:
- All of the information that you have from when you first bought the car. This includes that big envelope containing your contract and everything you signed which was given to you by the dealership. You should also have on hand anything about the warranty for your car, as well as whatever ads you saw, if possible, that alerted you to the sell of the vehicle.
- All of your registration stuff. You’ll need to be able to show with your online auto insurance quote in which state the car was registered when it was bought by you, and where it is registered now (California).
- Any documentation you have about repairs. Your online insurance quote about this will get the information from your CLUE report, but in order to get the best deal, you have to make sure that all of the repairs were done by the dealer or manufacturer with OEM parts. You should also make sure that any statements or bills that the repair shop releases should have your version of the damages, because a lot of times the car lots will sidestep lemon laws by playing with words.
- California auto insurance law requires you to tell the dealer that your car is a lemon, so you need to send a letter. Make sure you have a copy of this, as well as the response, and any other correspondence between you and the manufacturer. Also make sure that all letters are traceable, so that you can have proof that they arrived or not.
Should You Tell Your Auto Insurance Company You Bought a Lemon?
Reader question:
I bought a used car. I think it is a lemon. Do I have to tell my California auto insurance company? Should I file a lawsuit?
Laura
Thank you for asking, Laura.
You absolutely can get your lemon car insured through a California auto insurance company. However, since the car is not in good condition, you might find that the California auto insurance company charges you more because it is a higher risk and also less safe than other cars. If you shop around a bit, though, you can find the best price on your car, which can also be done by applying discounts to your policy with your California auto insurance company.
As for filing a lawsuit, unfortunately you are out of luck since you bought a used car. According to California auto insurance law, a lemon is only defined when you are able to deal with it through the original dealer and manufacturer, so it is only a term for new cars. The only way to make sure that you don’t get a used car that is a lemon is to get a mechanic to look at it and determine that it’s in good shape before you sign any papers.
California auto insurance law doesn’t protect you from sneaks and liars, so you have to practice the utmost responsibility on your own part. You should also consider that many used cars are simply run down pieces of junk, and not necessarily lemons. Lemon mostly applies to new cars with persistent problems which couldn’t or shouldn’t have been cause by the standard wear and tear.
However, if you do buy a used car that was called a lemon when it was new, then your dealer is supposed to tell you that it was a lemon. If the dealer does not do so, then you can get something out of it. However, you should check your CLUE report first and make sure that the car is really a lemon.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
Should You File an Insurance Claim In California?
The California car insurance claims process is a difficult one to wade through, at least when you’re the at fault driver. Unlike the more easy filing for when you are not at fault, you are required to do more and deal with the same problems. It’s a good idea to read your car insurance policy ahead of time so that you know what the steps recommended by your CA car insurance company are, and here are a few steps that you can follow as well.
-
Should you, or shouldn’t you?
The first thing to do is determine whether or not to file a car insurance claim at all. Anytime you decide to file a claim on your insurance policy, it will become part of your CLUE report. In the future, other companies who you buy insurance with will see this report, and you will have to pay more for your insurance with them, so you have to be careful.
If the damages are fewer than your deductible and no one else is involved, then there’s obviously no point in calling the insurance company. If you only get into a fender bender and feel you can take care of it alone, then there is no need.
-
Follow the steps.
Make sure you take the correct steps after your car insurance accident to make sure that you have the events properly documented. This way, should there be any controversy down the line as to who is at fault for the collision, you will be able to show real proof supporting your position.
-
Get it done.
If you’re going to file a insurance claim, then you need to file it now. While claims are open and you are able to file it a couple of weeks down the line, the longer you wait, the more likely you are of having your claim denied. It is also possible that if you the at fault driver and there is another person involved, they will call the car insurance company first, and you will be in trouble.
-
Be prepared.
It’s possible that if another driver is involved in the accident, their own insurance company will give you a call. They will do this to get your side of the story. When they call, be sure to keep track of what goes on in the conversation and to write down the name of the person you’re speaking to.
-
Repairs.
Once your claim has been given the go ahead, you will be able to have an adjuster look at your car and the damages. Then you will be able to have your car repaired, and the end of your insurance claim is in sight.
Auto Insurance Claim Filing in California – What To Do Next?
If you’ve gone and decided to make a claim for auto insurance in California, then you should be ready for the consequences. The second you call to report a car insurance accident, even if you do not end up filing a claim for it, that information goes straight to your file, and from your file it will go onto your CLUE report. This report, or something like it, is ordered by any company for auto insurance in California that you are considering getting a policy with, and the information will be used to determine whether or not they want to insure you, and how much they will charge if they decide that they will.
According to State Farm, all the companies for auto insurance in California are doing is trying to fulfill their obligation to you. You pay them every month, or every six months, or every year, or whatever it is, and so they are obligated to pay for your damages if you get into an accident. With their company, getting into an accident, even an at fault one, does not guarantee you an instant raise in your premium for auto insurance premium. Some people will have an accident forgiveness waiver, and others are looked at individually before a premium raise is given for the circumstances.
If you’ve been a good, long time customer, you might not see your rates raise even if you don’t have an accident forgiveness waiver, which are usually only for the first accident. Some things that State Farm and other companies for auto insurance in California consider are whether or not anyone was hurt, or if the damages were significant enough to warrant a huge payout.
Should You Lie To Your California Car Insurance Agent For a Better Rate?
Reader question:
Is it okay to lie about certain things in order to get a good auto insurance quote in California?
Mary
Thank you for your question, Mary.
Like they say, if you tell a white lie, it will turn into another white lie, and before you know it down the line, you will have an entire system of lies that you will need to control and remember. It’s never an idea to lie, especially when money is involved. While it is true that many people get away with it, many more get caught, and when you get caught out telling a lie it often ends up costing you more than you saved.
- Represent, don’t misrepresent.
Normally, car insurance companies have sixty days after they have given you your CA auto insurance quote and you have bought a policy in which they will be able to cancel your policy without any problems. This period gives them to research your insurance background, look at your CLUE report, credit history, and so on so that they can make sure that you are someone they want to insure.
However, if you misrepresent your information, then you can have your policy canceled anytime. For example, if you lie about a previous insurance cancellation, then if your car insurance company that had canceled you does not report it right away, your new car insurance company might not find out about this cancellation during the sixty days that they during which they are looking for your information. After the initial sixty days, though, car insurance companies will usually look at your information again after they have given you your six month CA auto insurance quote, so if they find it then you might not have your policy renewed because of the bad information.
At times, lying to your car insurance company can get you in even more trouble. For example, while members of your household are covered on your policy, if your teenager is driving your car regulalry and you hadn’t added him to the policy to get a higher CA auto insurance quote, then if he gets into an accident you might have your claim denied.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
My Auto Insurance Was Just Canceled – I Need To Get A Better Company This Time
Reader question:
Is it easy to get auto insurance in California after you’ve had your policy canceled?
Margeret
Thank you for asking, Margeret.
Actually, it can be pretty hard to get auto insurance if you have something on your record like a previous cancellation by a car insurance company. This is why it is so important to take care with all of your automobile insurance dealings because if you don’t, then you will have to pay the price. And that price can be as much as a ten percent increase, and that’s only if you can find a company for auto insurance that wants to give you coverage at all.
When you go looking for auto insurance, the company will be able to look at your CLUE report, which aside from containing your claims history, will also have your previous cancellations and nonrenewals. This may influence them to deny your request for coverage, but if they do take you on then they might make you pay your entire yearly premium up front instead of allowing you to do the month by month installment. This can be a good thing for some people, because it is actually slightly more expensive for the installment plan. However, most people don’t have that much money at once.
Another thing that having your auto insurance canceled is that it will affect your credit score. Not all auto insurance companies report to credit agencies, but it is definitely something to think about even if they say you don’t, because most wouldn’t give a straight answer on this. Credit scores are also used hen determining how much you will pay for your auto insurance in California, and if you have a bad credit score, then that price could be pretty high. Even if your driving record is otherwise stellar, it could still hit you hard.
If all else fails, you’ll have to either go to a company for auto insurance in CA that sells policies to customers who are considered high risk. If you do this, you will pay more. And if no one will accept you, then you will have to consider going with the high risk pool for auto insurance which costs even more.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
