Free DUI Lawyer In California

Reader’s Question:

Will I be able to get cheap car insurance company here in California if I get the help of an insurance agent?

Marcel

Modesto, CA

Remember that a car insurance agent represents only a single company so it could be that you won’t get a cheap car insurance company in California with the help of just an insurance agent. Working with a car insurance agent won’t give you so many choices but the plans that are available with the car insurance company that the agent represents.

If you would really like to get cheap car insurance company, you have to work with a car insurance broker. A car insurance broker does not represent only one car insurance company; instead they can be able to deal with different insurers. What a car insurance broker can do is that he/she can look into numerous offers from various insurers and choose a cheap car insurance company that can give you the coverage that you want.

Not only that a broker can find a cheap car insurance company, but also you will have an insurance consultant who will explain to you what you really need for your car insurance coverage. If you have other queries or something that you don’t understand concerning car insurance, a broker could be able to help you. Should there be any other issues that come up, you can simply get in touch with the broker and you’ll surely get the help that you need.

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:

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 daughter is already away at college and I don’t know if I should keep her on my car insurance policy. What should I do about it and what would I do in case I get into an accident here in Lompoc Valley, California?

Cherrie

Lompoc Valley, CA

If your daughter is away for college or if any other member of the household will no longer drive your vehicle for any reason, you don’t have to keep them in your car insurance policy in Lompoc Valley, California. Insurance coverage for young motorists could be too high so do not put them anymore on the policy unless you really have to do so. In any case, you have to inquire about the claim process before you sign the agreement, not if you already got into an accident.

If you are involved in an accident, you have to call the insurance agent as soon you can. Do not leave for later because you could only have as little as 48 hours to file your claim. Maintain a good record of your claim and take note of every detail, especially at the site of the accident. Note names, automobile number, everything anyone says and anything that could help you later on. Do not waste time and go after the insurance provider because they tend to move real slowly so you have to harass them.

Reader’s Question:

I got convicted for DUI in New Jersey in February 2005. I now live in San Diego, CA. How long will that DUI remain on my driving record and affect my insurance rates here in California?

Tori

San Diego, CA

With respect to your permanent NJ DMV driving record, your DUI conviction will remain permanent. You should check with the CA Department of Motor Vehicles to find out if they have placed this DUI or any other offenses that were previously on your NJ record on your new California driver’s history.

California has a new law effective January 1, 2007 which extends the reporting period for DUI offenses from 7 to 10 years for all public requestors, including insurance companies. Under this new law, you may not qualify for a good driver discount again until 10 years from you DUI violation.

A DUI may have been considered by an insurance company for premium surcharges for a period of seven years up until 2007. However, it can be considered in California for 10 years.

You may want to contact the California Department of Insurance, which is the insurance regulator for CA, since your DUI was out of state for you to be able to find out how long an insurance company in CA can rate you on your NJ DUI from 2005.

It is better to contact your insurance agent if you have any additional questions on your insurance premiums.