The Real O-down: Oakland Insurance
Oakland has always been a little funky-and in the very best way. Back in the 1960s, the reputation was fairly literal: funk music positively exploded in The O, from nationally renowned acts like Tower of Power and Sly & the Family Stone to regional favorites like Cold Blood and Graham Central Station. Oaktown also made ice cream and cocktails a little funkier with the inventions of Rocky Road and the Mai Tai. But there are dangers to living in a booming city, as well as living close to the San Andreas fault. These can strike in your car, at home, or threaten your health. Oakland insurance is one sure way to protect yourself, and there’s nothing funky about making sure you find the best Oakland insurance quotes.
Why Protect Your Home?
The most obvious answer is to be prepared for sudden disaster-and not just the type of earthquake that might, say, delay the World Series. Some pretty surprising disasters occur even in our modern age. One was the firestorm that blazed through Oakland in 1991. A whopping 4,000 homes were destroyed. The silver lining? Insurers rate you for how prone to damage they believe your home is; in turn, you can prove that your home is actually safer than that, and then get lower Oakland insurance quotes. Fires are a perfect example. A home insurance company will assign you a rating based on how far your home is from the nearest fire department and nearest fire hydrant. The farther you are, the higher your Oakland insurance quotes. How do you counter? Install new smoke alarms. Equip each floor of your house with a fire extinguisher. Then shop around, and lower premiums will result.
The Fault line
A basic California home insurance policy will cover “named perils,” which includes theft, vandalism, windstorms, fire-essentially, those dangers that are considered normal. Then there is the “open perils” policy, which increases Oakland insurance quotes but protects you against damage or loss against all perils except those specifically excluded. One peril that will always be excluded is an earthquake. Some insurers may let you add an earthquake rider without a great deal of cost to your premium. Others may not, meaning you’ll need to find a separate policy. Just know these two things: California residents buy more earthquake insurance than any other states; and the U.S. Geological Survey says that the likelihood of a 6.7-magnitude quake hitting the Bay Area by 2039 is 63%. Prepare yourself.
The Costly Side of the Law
It’s easy to look in the mirror and say, “I will not steal anything.” Do you take car insurance just as seriously? Your Oakland insurance quotes will get more favorable returns when you do. For example, a 34-year-old Oakland woman who drives a 2004 Mazda 6S Sedan might pay a premium around $1,295. If she disobeys the law, she’ll quickly add to that cost. For speeding between 11 and 15 miles over the limit, she could add $100 or more. For driving with a suspended license, she might add over $500. Alternately, a great driving record and credit history are two factors that help ensure she receives a good premium. And for drivers 25 and under, or 65 and older, you could ask California auto insurance companies about potential discounts for defensive driving courses. Such a decision could save you lots of money with a simple Saturday morning review session.
Good Judgment
Many Oaklanders are ahead of the curve. According to census data, approximately one-quarter of residents get to work by some means besides driving themselves. To save money, this is unquestionably good judgment. In a similar vein, they would want to go one step further to see which car insurance companies most valued their reduced mileage and offered them lower Oakland insurance quotes. You should also shop around when looking for home insurance or any other California insurance quotes. NetQuote.com can do it for you, and the service is always free. Save that time to indulge in some of your own funky interests instead.
