Free DUI Lawyer In California

Reader’s Question:

My dad was judged to be at fault in a car accident here in San Francisco, California. Would our car insurance settle the whole amount of the damages my father needs to pay?

Guine

San Francisco, CA

If you didn’t scrimp on car insurance, you should have at least some level of financial backing from your car insurance provider in paying whatever damages and obligations (this would range from hospital and medical costs, rehabilitation expenses, economic or income loss, property damages and even payment for suffering and pain on the injured party’s end.) that needs to be paid by your father. Whether or not you will be provided the full amount depends on the coverage ceiling set by your car insurance company when you’re father signed the agreement.

There are a lot of people out there are not familiar with how their insurance would work once involved in a car accident. Some think that just because they have “insurance” that they will be covered completely. Normally, most peoples auto liability insurance coverage (which should fall greater than or equal to the minimum required coverage amount by the state of California (that is 15/30/5, $15,000 coverage for injuries per person per accident, $30,000 total limit for all injured person per accident and $5,000 for damages to property) are enough for minor car accidents and injuries. But if you’re father is obligated to pay full in a major car accident than you would want to get in touch with your insurance provider there in Sacramento. If you’re father got an umbrella policy than this should be quite enough to cover him even if it is a major car accident he caused.

Reader’s Question:

We are all doing fine after a serious accident and our vehicle has been declared a total loss. What can I do if the actual cash value of my vehicle according to my insurance company is not what I believe it is and I want to dispute it with them here in Visalia, California?

Bishop

Visalia, CA

To find out your vehicle’s actual cash value (ACV), the claims evaluator from your insurance provider in Visalia, California uses a mixture of value guide books, private party sales, merchant surveys and pricing sites through the Internet. They also include other aspects such as registration, sales tax and title pricing of a replacement automobile to come up with this amount. As business-minded as they are, these various factors are different from one insurance provider to another and also from each state. In the end, what one insurer figures out as the value of your vehicle may be different from another insurer as well as what you have come up with on your own.

So don’t just believe what they say about your vehicle’s ACV and engage yourself in the assessment process. You have to make some study on your own because the higher your vehicle’s worth, the greater your check will be since your vehicle has been declared a total loss. In some occasion like if you have a rare trim level or special edition automobile, you know obviously that your vehicle’s value is more than what they are telling you. Do not be scared to present your case and request them to make a correction. Remember that your auto insurance provider is obliged by law to give you a reasonable price.

Reader’s Question:

What do car insurance providers mean when they talk about liability insurance coverage and limits? I plan to get my new vehicle here in Napa, California insured and I would like to be well informed. Thanks!

Aaron

Napa, CA

Hello Aaron! Liability Insurance is a form of car insurance protection giving you financial coverage from monetary obligations arising from injuries, economic losses, deaths and property damages that you may have caused in a car accident. This is actually one of the most important types of insurance you would want to get for your car there in Napa, California. There are three basic types of liability insurance:

1. Bodily Injury Liability – pays for treatment of injuries you may have caused to another person in an auto accident. This also covers for medical expenses, legal and even funeral expenses as well as lost wages to the other party.

2. Personal Injury Liability – Is a “No-Fault” insurance coverage that pays for treatment of your injuries. Even if you were the one to cause the accident.

3. Property Damage Liability – As stated, this pays for repair or replacement of damages you may have caused to private or public property in a car accident.

Most states that require car owners to have auto insurance coverage also have minimum levels of coverage that you need to get for liability insurance. For California, the minimum requirements for liability insurance is pegged at 15/30/5 ($15,000 compensation for each person injured per accident, $30,000 limit for all people injured per accident and $5,000 for property damages). It is highly advisable that you get as much as you can afford since car accident costs can easily far exceed the state minimum limits which you’ll have to then shoulder out of your own pocket.

Reader’s Question:

I have a very good credit rating but I was told that I have to maintain it because it can affect my car insurance here in El Toro, California. I’m just curious, how will having a bad credit history affect car insurance in general?

Olley

El Toro, CA

Your credit rating can definitely have an influence on your car insurance in El Toro, California. There is a presumption that there’s a direct relationship between your insurance risk score and the probability that you would file a claim. Majority of the States use insurance scores to weigh up stability, which means that if you keep pace on paying your bills and have had similar credit accounts for a lengthy period of time, you will be regarded as more secured than a person who is always behind in paying the bills.

The law does not permit the use of credit rating to figure out a driver’s car insurance premiums in the state of California. But it could have an influence to establish your payment options. This can spell the difference between paying your premiums on a monthly basis and paying the whole insurance plan upfront. So in order to maintain a good credit score so as not to affect your car insurance, you have to pay your bills on a regular basis. If you have a not-so-good credit rating, do everything that you could to make it better. Check your credit rating on a regular basis to make sure that your score is in good shape and there are no errors. If you think that your credit rating is unstable, be ready because your car insurance provider may regard you as higher risk.

Reader’s Question:

My husband and I are under the same car insurance policy here in Santa Clarita, California and we are getting a divorce. I was never interested in going over the policy so I don’t know anything about any coverage. What are the important things that I need to know about car insurance here in California before I get my own policy?

Neha

Santa Clarita, CA

If you will purchase your own car insurance in Santa Clarita, California, you should have bodily injury and property damage coverage. For bodily injury to a single person, you need to have a minimum coverage of $15,000; for bodily injury to two or more people in one accident, you must have $30,000 minimum coverage; and for property damage for a single accident, you need to have $5,000 minimum coverage. It is recommended that you buy more than the minimum amount of coverage so that you will have sufficient protection.

You also need to know certain coverage limitations of your car insurance policy. There could be some instances that your coverage does not apply, such as the following:

–Bodily injury or property damage that happened when the car is used while carrying people or property with a fee.

–Any injury or property damage that is brought about by an intentional act.

–Any injury or property damage on an automobile that is owned by a named driver on your policy but the automobile is not listed in the policy.

–Property that is owned by, leased by, or in the control or possession of an insured individual.

Reader’s Question:

My brother can’t seem to get any car insurance company here in Sacramento, California to give him coverage. He found out that his name is actually on the state Assigned risk program, what does this mean?

Schaffer

Sacramento, CA

Hello Schaffer, the reason your brother could not get automobile insurance there in Sacramento, California would probably be due to a very tarnished driving record, such as getting caught driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI or DWI). Car insurance providers reserve the right to refuse insurance coverage to individuals who fail to qualify or whose records indicate a very high risk of exposure to or involvement in car accidents. It’s a business and car insurance providers would want to avoid as much risk as possible in their end when providing insurance coverage.

Now this doesn’t mean that your brother could no longer get insurance. This is where the State Assigned Risk Program comes in. Most states require you to carry some of form of financial capability when driving, more popularly known as auto insurance, so those who are not able to qualify for one are still given coverage, sometimes at a higher price. There’s no one company providing the coverage for these individuals. In fact, the insurance risks are being proportionally shared and accepted by car insurance providers in your state.

Your bother should focus on building a good driving history by taking defensive driving classes and maintaining continuous coverage for at least a couple of years. Staying under the State Assigned Risk Program will only cost you to pay higher insurance expenses.

Reader’s Question:

I am under my mom’s car insurance policy and I am buying my own car soon. I’ll get my own car insurance as well here in Los Angeles, California and I kinda need help in deciding which car to purchase. What are the factors that I need to consider in terms of car insurance before I buy a new car?

Imari

Los Angeles, CA

Purchasing a new vehicle could be a very thrilling and tremendous experience. You have to be ready on a lot of things so that your shopping experience would be trouble-free and faster. Prior to going to car dealership, create a list of the things that you want to have in a car. While you are creating the list, bear in mind the same things an auto insurance provider will consider when giving an insurance rate quote. Some of these things are the number of passengers that the vehicle would normally hold, how frequent you use your vehicle, how you use it and where you drive. These things would aid in identifying the best car you need and would also lend a hand for you to have cheaper auto insurance rates.

You would also have to create a list of all the attributes and choices that are significant to you such as engine, anti-lock brakes, airbags, security devices, etc. Auto insurance providers usually offer discounts for some of these things and this will save you considerable amount of money on your auto insurance premiums. Once you already have a new car that you need to insure in Los Angeles, California, don’t hang back on getting free comparison quotes from this website.

Reader’s Question:

I have not been involved in a car accident yet, and have no plans of being involved in the future, but I want to be prepared and know how to properly file a claim to my insurance company here in Berkeley, California. Any tips?

Dan Paulo

Berkeley, CA

It’s a good idea to be proactive and know how to properly file a car insurance claim if, and when, you get involved in a car accident. Car accidents may come as a shock to most that they forget to do some necessary process, or gather important information about the accident and the parties involved. Some may even find their car insurance provider unhelpful if they weren’t able to take all necessary information such as license plates, names, etc., during the accident, making filing a claim a bigger hassle than it should be. Here’s a list of the actions you need to take if you get involved in a car accident:

Get all the necessary information.
If a car accident involves others, make sure you note down names, vehicle information such as license plates, contact numbers and addresses. This will assist your insurance company in contacting all the people involved to process the necessary insurances or claims to be made.

File a Police Report.
Get in touch with the police department there in Berkeley, California and file the necessary report as soon as possible. Your insurance company will be looking for this when you file your claim.

Call your car insurance agent.
Ask what are the steps you need to do and documents you need to give or fill out to file for a claim. Also consult your policy to see what kind of coverages and bring this policy with you when you meet up with your insurance agent.

Reader’s Question:

I just got a traffic ticket here in Berkeley last Tuesday for speeding and unfortunately I’m a little drunk at that time. Does my unlawful behavior affect me of getting a cheaper car insurance here in California? Can I get a comparison car insurance quote?

Leigh

Berkeley, CA

First of all, this unlawful behavior is what Insurance Companies there in  California consider in giving you on how much they will offer you for this are the grounds on giving increase to your insurance rate.

With regards to traffic tickets, as long as you get one traffic ticket only for a year. You can just use the deferment program and pay the traffic ticket and your record will be erased and the insurance company will not be able to recognize it. It is easier to get away from traffic violation especially if you haven’t used your deferment program yet. Unlike other unlawful behavior like driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, it is not easy to get out off it which includes a complication in your car insurance. If it is a car accident and it wasn’t your fault you will still have a charge raise for you are in the accident and you are there to complete it and that makes you still a part of the accident. And if it is your fault the more you will have a problem especially if you have been drinking. Not only that you are going to have problem with the law but also with the unstoppable increase of your insurance.

Reader’s Question:

As much as possible, I want to have cheaper car insurance because I think I am overpaying for my premiums. Is there a way that I can reduce the premiums that I pay for my car insurance here in California?

Nico

San Diego, CA

There is definitely a way that you can have cheaper car insurance in  California; all you have to do is to know and understand the right questions to ask and to follow some steps. The first thing that you could do if you have two or more cars is to insure them with one insurance provider so that you may have multi-car discount. You may also inquire about multi-line discount if you could have your life and home insurance under the same provider. Also, if you have older car, you can think about cancelling your collision and comprehensive coverage.

Installation of security devices such as anti-theft, as well as airbags and anti-lock brakes can have discounts on your premium rates. You may also increase your deductible or at least choose the highest possible deductible you could afford. Also, if you have younger drivers in the household, be sure that they take driving courses and have them use less valuable car. You can also get ‘good student discount’ if your young driver has an average of ‘B’ or above in school.