California auto insurance rates are pretty high and while they're not the highest in the nation they give some drivers considerable cause for pause. Why are rates for state of California auto insurance so high and what can be done to reduce costs?
California is a very congested state, especially near the larger metropolitan cities. Large cities equal tons of traffic, road rage, and accidents. The closer you are to a large city the higher the likelihood of your rates going up. Move to the suburbs and you'll likely see your insurance rates decrease.
The state of California, in an attempt to reduce insurance costs, recently adopted a "pay as you go" insurance strategy. This strategy, which was approved by the state but has not yet been implemented, would allow state of California auto insurance carriers to submit plans to charge drivers for each mile they drive. Drivers would choose a policy based on the number of miles they drive annually (combined with other factors as we currently use today) and would only have to pay the difference if they went over the amount of miles they purchased.
State legislators hope this type of plan will reduce the cost of auto insurance as well as the amount of traffic on the roads. They believe that people will drive less if they feel as though they're not wasting their money on car insurance by taking alternative modes of transportation.
One of the best ways to find great state of California auto insurance is to start by visiting the state's website for the department of insurance. Every state has one and most will publish important consumer information about carriers they either consider good or bad to deal with. They'll tell you how well these carriers handle their claims processes and how many have received complaints.
Don't assume that the car insurance company you're looking for is great just because there are no complaints in your own state. If you're looking at a large national carrier they may have complaints filed against them in nearby states. Look at the department of insurance websites for those nearby areas as well.
Your best bet for finding great state of California auto insurance is to let us take some of the guesswork out of the process for you. Our site is designed to take your vehicle information, shop it to carriers in your local area, and bring you back the best quotes possible. Let us help you find the coverage you deserve.