First Time Driver Insurance California CA
Reader’s Question:
I’m a first-time driver here in California, and I’m trying to learn about car insurance policies as much as I can. How different is cancellation from non-renewal? These terms confuse me a bit.
Karen
San Francisco, CA
Hey, Karen, I hope the following is helpful.
Cancellation means you have terminated your contract with a car insurance company before the date that it expires. In this case, you have to notify your auto insurance company there in California beforehand. It will then send you a letter of confirmation. When you decide to do this, you will be required to surrender all your certificates of car insurance. This can be a rather inconvenient process especially when you have lost your certificates. You will have to sign a form declaring that you have in fact lost them because not doing so and not turning them over are violations of the road traffic act. Refunds are not very common. Also, higher auto insurance premiums rates would apply because the longer you stay insured with the same company, the lower the premium should be. Terminating you car insurance policy early means your premium rate would end up higher than the rate you were first offered.
Here is another scenario. The car insurance company may also cancel your car insurance coverage if you fail to make your payments. Another possible reason for your contract to be terminated is if you provide the insurer with false information. Any kind of misrepresentation or fraud is a serious matter in this industry. Finally, your car insurance policy may be canceled if your driver’s license was revoked.
Non-renewal, on the other hand, means your car insurance policy will not be renewed after it has already expired. There are several factors to this; It could be no fault of yours. You can even complain to the state insurance department about this if you think it’s unfair. It doesn’t mean you must expect to be quoted higher premiums by the next car insurance provider that you choose.
Tags: auto insurance coverage, auto insurance policy, First time driver car insurance
Automobile Insurance Policy San Francisco California CA
Reader’s Question:
Two months ago, I purchased an auto insurance policy here in San Francisco, California. The thing is I just signed the damn thing without asking everything I need to know from the agent. I want to know if I can add someone other than a relative as secondary driver. My agent asked me if somebody else might drive my car but at that moment I said no. But now I am thinking in case of emergencies, can I add my neighbor who I can trust?
Raymond
San Francisco, CA
Usually, the secondary driver is listed if you have somebody in your household who has a license to drive a motor vehicle. Usually, the wife or teenagers in the house have has passed state requirements and have their own license are designated as secondary drivers. As you have said, you have clearly stated that you live alone, and so that’s why your agent did not ask you for a secondary driver. Going through the guidelines for auto insurance companies in San Francisco, California, I have found that secondary drivers should not be assigned either as a primary to the vehicle in question or as a secondary driver to another vehicle. Your rate will also vary depending on the following risk factors for your assigned secondary driver: His or her safety record, how long has he or she had a license, whether he or she is married, has he or she had driver training lessons, and of course, their academic status. Expect additional on your premiums if your insurance found out your secondary driver appointee is found to be of high risk. Teenagers are definitely high risk. Going back to the guidelines, there was no mention of secondary driver must be a relative. So, I guess, assigning your neighbor will not be violating any legal premises.
Tags: auto insurance, car insurance, car insurance agent
Vehicle Insurance Lapse Concord California CA
Reader’s Question:
If I have a lapse auto insurance in California, what are the penalties?
Anne
Concord, CA
Section 16020 of the California Vehicle Codes states the owner of the vehicle must be able to establish financial responsibility and carry the form of financial responsiblity for the vehicle at all times. If the driver is caught
driving an uninsured vehicle or failed to show proof of this financial responsibility for the vehicle, then this may result in fines or suspension of the license and even impounding the vehicle.
A law was signed in 2004 that requires DMV to inform the customers of the possible suspension of vehicle registration if their car insurance company fails to show the vehicle’s initial registration within 30 days or 45 days after the DMV was notified by an insurance carrier about a cancellation of policy or a change in coverage.
This law, SB 1500, has an initial provision, effective Jan 1, 2006, requiring California insurance providers to report electronically liability policies for vehicles that are privately used, except boats, off-highway vehicles and trailers, to DMV when issued and/orcancelled.
Sarting July 1, 2006, private-used cars can be verified if properly insured using the vehicle registration database by law enforcing officers. Police departments in California are now widely accessing DMV’s registration database to write tickets for car that do not have insurance and to check registration during a traffic stop.
The CA legislatures passed a bill which took effect on October 1, 2006. The law states that when an insurance lapses or is cancelled, DMV will suspend the car’s registration to keep the motorist from cancelling the insurance a few months after it was bought.
Tags: auto insurance lapse, car insurance
Temporary Car Insurance San Francisco California CA
Reader’s Question:
Can I purchase temporary car insurance in San Francisco CA for two weeks?
Robert
San Francisco CA
Auto insurance providers typically only offer car insurance policy terms of 6 or 12 months, so you may have a hard time finding an insurer that will cover you for just two weeks.
There are some specialty automobile insurance carriers that would offer you such a short period of auto insurance coverage.
I suggest that you shop around or you can make a research online to check if you can find a car insurance provider that will allow to cover you for a short period of time or in your case for two weeks.
If you have US registered automobile though that stay in San Francisco California or anywhere in the United States you can obtain a car insurance quote here to get cheap automobile insurance.
Tags: auto insurance, temporary insurance
SR22 Non Owners Insurance San Francisco California CA
Reader’s Question:
I would like to know if my SR22 non owners insurance is enough as a proof of insurance for a vehicle that has no insurance? In other words, can I drive a vehicle with an SR22 non owners even if the car is uninsured? I live in San Francisco California.
Chris
San Francisco CA
It is best that you verify first if the automobile that you are going to operate has insurance and not just rely on your SR22 non owners coverage. The automobile owner is required to purchase insurance on their vehicle. If you have an SR22 non owners insurance, that would be secondary use on the car’s insurance. Your SR22 non owners insurance does not include coverage that would cover the vehicle that you will use such as comprehensive and collision, PIP, PD or UM.
If you borrow a vehicle from somebody and get into an accident while driving that vehicle, your friend’s car insurance would be the primal. However if you are at fault in an accident and the damage to the other party’s property exceeded the liability limits on your friend’s car insurance policy, your SR22 non owners insurance policy would cover the excess.
Tags: auto insurance, non owners insurance, sr22 insurance
Student Automobile Insurance San Diego California CA
Reader’s Question:
Our high school student age daughter is ready to drive. What can we do to control the cost of our auto insurance policy in San Diego California? Thanks,
Bernie,
San Diego CA
Hello Bernie,
Student drivers are not inexpensive to insure. However, auto insurance for student drivers is available and can be controlled. The first thing you need to do is make sure your daughter is a safe driver. Student drivers can qualify for discounts with many auto insurance companies if they are good students and can present a good academic record.
Additionally, student drivers can receive discounts for completing accredited safe driving courses. You should gather this information and present it along with your application.
There are different rates for student drivers with new vehicles compared to student drivers with used vehicles. In either case, you may want to consider raising your deductible. That will definitely lower the cost.
Student drivers should have anti-theft devices on their vehicles and you will get a lower premium rate for an annual policy rather than a short term policy. We suggest that you complete the student drivers auto insurance application on this page. Shortly, you will receive multiple, proposals from competitive carriers in the San Diego area. The best way to reduce the cost of student drivers auto insurance is to get competitive pricing. Good luck to you and your daughter. Bernie.
Tags: cheap auto insurance, Student car insurance, teen insurance
Senior Vehicle Insurance San Francisco California CA
Reader’s Question:
If a senior citizen lost their driving privileges, can he still get car insurance in San Francisco, California?
Vince
San Francisco, CA
Insurance carriers guidelines differ but a senior citizen that has lost their driving privilege should be able to find car insurance in San Francisco, CA to keep on their vehicle so that others may operate them around.
The senior citizen would have to find an insurance carrier that would permit him as the vehicle owner to be excluded from the auto insurance policy, since they do not have a valid drivers license, and instead place on the people that will be driving the vehicle. The insurance carrier can then rate on the driving history of the people that the senior citizen plans to have drive them around.
Always remember while it should be possible to obtain this type of car insurance, obtaining car insurance for a vehicle without a valid driver’s license can be hard because most insurance carriers will require a license since that is one major factor upon which they rate the car insurance policy. Most insurances carrier want the vehicle owner to indeed be licensed.
If you are having a hard time finding the type of insurance you need for this situation try contacting your state’s insurance regulatory body for consumer advice.
Tags: auto insurance, senior car insurance
Automobile Insurance SR22 Baldwin Park California CA
Reader’s Question:
I got a DUI recently in Baldwin Park California. My vehicle registration had expired and I do not have car insurance. What will be the consequences? I live in Baldwin Park CA.
Benny
Baldwin Park, CA
You may want to get legal counsel for your case since you were cited and charged with driving under the influence (DUI), having expired registration and driving uninsured will likely add up to serious penalties for you in court.
Driving without insurance is a serious violation in Baldwin Park and all areas in California. If you fail to show proof of insurance when requested by a law enforcement officer may result in suspension of license and fines. If you are stopped by a law enforcement officer and asked for proof of insurance and you cannot provide it, you may receive a citation.
Since you have been cited for 3 fairly serious violations you may want to seek legal counsel to assist you determine your options and assist represent you in court. As you can see you are facing driver’s license suspension, fines, registration suspension and jail time. It is likely that you will need to attend a DUI program as well.
Normally after a drunk driving conviction in CA to get your license reinstated you must file and maintain a SR-22 for three years. The amount of time the California SR22 must be maintained by a driver may vary depending upon their conviction and if there were other issues involved in the situation, such as driving uninsured, which you were also cited for.
Tags: auto insurance, driving without insurance, DUI, sr22 insurance
Vehicle Insurance Carlsbad, California CA
Reader’s Question:
Is it possible to insure a vehicle without registering it in Carlsbad, California?
Carlo
Carlsbad, CA
Generally, insurance providers in Carlsbad and anywhere else in California will request a current registration for the following two reasons.
- It helps prove somebody has insurable interest in a car. So when loss or damage to the car would cause that individual to suffer a financial loss or other type of losses.
- Some insurance carriers require a car be in a state a set period of time. Registering a vehicle with the DMV helps prove that the vehicle is used and garaged in that state.
To know specifics regarding insuring the vehicle without registering it, you may contact the California Department of Motor Vehicle to verify this information.
Tags: auto insurance
Beginners License San Francisco California CA
Reader’s Question:
Is it illegal to drive by myself going to school with just a permit in San Francisco California?
Charles
San Francisco, CA
Yes, if you only have a instruction permit in San Francisco CA you are not allowed to drive by yourself so therefore you cannot drive yourself to school. You need to have a supervising motorist with you during your learner’s permit stage California has in place for beginning motorist.
According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), with a permit, a parent, guardian, adult 25 years of age or older or a spouse, who has a valid CA driver license, must be with you when you operate a vehicle. He or she must be in the front seat in order to take control of the car, if necessary. Again, it is illegal for you to drive by yourself at any time with only a CA instruction permit.
To get more information on your restrictions as a permit holder you may contact the CA DMV.
Tags: auto insurance, Beginner car insurance, New Driver Insurance, Young driver car insurance