San Diego Insurance Is the Safe Choice
San Diego isn’t known as America’s Finest City by accident or misprint. Where else can you find that combination of constant sunshine and positive attitudes? Throw in the Ocean Beach parrots, and the local color is pretty tough to beat. But before you get caught up in the moment and head to the beach or a Padres game, take a minute to consider if the life you love is adequatelty protected. The car you drive, your home, the future of your family-all of these are a part of your San Diego insurance quotes, and if you take just that moment to shop around, you can find great coverage for a low price.
Know the Law
Start with legal rquirements. From La Jolla down to Chula Vista, every driver in America’s Finest City must establish financial responsibility, according to California state law. This essentially means that you have to show you’re capable of paying for damages and injuries that result from driving your car. There are different ways to establish financial responsibility, including depositing $35,000 with the Department of Motor Vehicles, but the most common-and easiest-is to purchase an automobile liability insurance policy. If you do so, you must buy minimum bodily injury coverage of $15,000 for death or injury of any one person, $30,000 for all persons in any one accident, and property damage coverage of $5,000 for any one accident. If you can’t provide proof of financial responsibility, you’ll be cited, fined, and possibly have your car impounded-which makes driving to the beach difficult. If you compare enough San Diego insurance quotes, you’ll see that buying a policy saves you money-and headaches-in the long run.
Multiple Solution
A 36-year-old single man in San Diego, who drives a 2006 Audi A4 about 10 miles roundtrip for work daily, will pay around $1,067 for the state-required minimum car insurance. He can save on his San Diego insurance quotes in a variety of ways: less mileage by carpooling or taking public transportation; paying off his car loan; adding a car alarm; marriage. One consistent way to save quite a bit is to put multiple drivers on a single policy. If he gets married, and adds his wife’s 2005 Honda Accord to the policy, his San Diego insurance quotes will be around $1,500-saving him over $400 per driver annually. Just remember, the safer you seem, the less money you’ll pay for a car insurance premium. If the single man got a speeding ticket three months ago, his $1,067 California auto insurance premium jumps to more than $1,300 for him alone.
Home Security
Home insurance isn’t required in the Golden State, but San Diego residents, as in virtually any city, will likely be required to buy a policy by their lenders. The average premium in “the birthplace of California” is about $925. But if you update your home, you can lower your San Diego insurance quotes right away. A new roof or new wiring make your home safer in the eyes of insurers. So do deadbolt locks and a burglar alarm, which might save you close to $100 annually. Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers can increase that savings by about $130. And if you can afford to up your deductible from $500 to $1,000, you may save 25% on the annual premium.
Rumblings
All around California, residents should consider earthquake coverage, and San Diego is no exception. Common California home insurance policies will not cover earthquake damage, as this is considered a highly unusual peril (as opposed to wind damage, fire, etc). Although additional coverage will raise your San Diego insurance quotes, the peace of mind-and potential from recovering your losses-is usually worth it. Consider combining your auto and home insurance policies. This step often saves several hundred dollars per year, which can help offset the cost of additional coverage for your home. A free service like NetQuote.com can quickly compare rates for you so you’ll know the many ways to save. For the right price, great California insurance is invaluable.