What is the Average Cost of Car Insurance in Fremont?
Are you planning to move or have you recently moved to Fremont, CA? Maybe you are receiving a state driver’s license for the first time? Whatever your situation, it’s important to be familiar with the state’s driving and insurance laws.
If you own and plan to drive a vehicle in California, you will need to purchase some level of auto insurance. Unfortunately, this state is not known for having the cheapest options available, but it is still possible to find coverage that fits your needs and your budget. Finding the best rate possible starts by gaining a better understanding of the factors that impact the cost of insurance and researching possible solutions thoroughly.
Insurance companies consider a number of different elements when establishing coverage costs. Some pertain directly to you, such as your driving history and credit score. Others are potentially important factors include location, population density, average commute times, and the number of reported auto thefts in the area.
Most insurers look at a city’s population density when establishing auto insurance rates. Because drivers in rural areas tend to have fewer accidents, they may be covered by insurance for less. Conversely, areas with denser populations usually have more traffic and accidents, which results in higher premiums. As a general rule, insurance companies increase rates when there are more than 5,000 people per square mile. With an overall population of 241,110 in 2019, Fremont, CA, has approximately 2,763 people per square mile. Based on this information, drivers in this area may see less expensive auto insurance premiums.
The commute time for drivers is also significant. Insurance companies sometimes offer lower rates when travel times are shorter because less time on the road means fewer opportunities for accidents to occur. While this does vary, residents who live in cities with commutes that exceed 26.6 minutes, the national average, often have higher insurance premiums. The average commute for individuals 16 years and older in Fremont is 35 minutes. It’s likely that this significantly longer commute could offset any potential benefit from the city’s smaller population per square mile.
There is, however, little risk of auto theft in Fremont, which may help to keep insurance costs lower. In fact, the city is not even included in the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICBs) 2018 Hot Spots Report Map.
How Much Auto Insurance Coverage is Needed for Fremont Drivers?
In California, all drivers involved in an accident are responsible for filing claims through their insurance companies, even if they did not cause it. The state also requires everyone to maintain a minimum amount of insurance. While drivers are encouraged to secure additional coverage, they are required to have:
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage
Drivers must have a minimum of $15,000 of coverage per person injured and $30,000 of coverage per accident for injuries.
Property Damage Liability Coverage
Drivers must have a minimum of $5,000 of property damage coverage per accident.
It’s important to realize that liability insurance does not cover bodily injuries or property damages sustained by you, your passengers, or your vehicle if you are responsible for the accident in question. Without additional uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance, you could be financially responsible for any resulting medical bills and/or auto repairs.
Choosing to maintain only the minimum amount of auto insurance puts drivers, passengers, and their property at a higher risk. Consider your situation carefully and select coverage that best suits your unique needs.
Most Expensive and Least Expensive Insurance Rates by Zip Code
Cheap Car Insurance in Fremont by Insurer
Some companies are known to offer lower rates than others in California. It may be worth researching these options first to see if they can provide the coverage you need. Local rates may vary, but Geico tends to be the cheapest solution throughout the state. It’s important to consider options holistically, however. Every driver wants to find a good auto insurance rate, but picking coverage based solely on the cost is never a good idea. For best results, consider a combination of factors including the insurance provider’s service ratings, customer reviews, and rates. You should certainly request multiple quotes.
Are you looking for a cheap car insurance quotes? Compare rates for all companies here.
Low Cost Auto Insurance for Bad Credit in Fremont
Do you have bad credit? Fortunately, drivers who have a bad credit history in Fremont, CA will still be able to find coverage at a reasonable price. Unlike most other states, California does not permit insurance companies to use credit scores in order to determine insurance premiums. As a result, providers often set prices based on other factors, such as customer driving records and the number of miles driven per year.
Check out this bad credit guide to help get lower auto insurance rates.
Difference Between Liability and Full Coverage
Liability Only Insurance Coverage
Liability-only policies cover any damage you do as a driver, or which results from your automobile. These policies meet the minimum requirement for drivers in Fresno, California and are generally the cheapest. That is because the policy does not cover your car. Thus, if an uninsured driver hits your car, and is at fault, any damage you incur must be repaired at your expense. You will also be unable to make a claim if your car is damaged due to weather or as a result of some other non-driving incident.
Why You May Want Full Coverage Car Insurance
Full coverage is not a category used by insurance companies. Rather, it is a colloquial term used to describe policies that cover both you and other drivers. Thus, if you are in a collision with an uninsured motorist, you can make a claim to repair damage to your car. If your car is injured by some other sort of accident or even vandalism, you can claim those repairs, too.
When you purchase a car on a financing plan, your lender will probably insist that you cover the car with a comprehensive policy that will cover any damage. Even if you purchase a car outright you might want to purchase a comprehensive policy so that your beautiful car remains pristine for as long as possible.
Difference Between the Two Types of Coverage
So, liability-only insurance coverage will pay for what you did to the neighbor’s bumper when you backed into it while rushing to work. It will pay for the hospital visit by a bicyclist you hit who has a broken leg. Liability-only only insurance will pay for the utility panel you hit at the RV resort when you had trouble backing in.
Collision will pay for any damage you did to your own vehicle when you backed into that utility panel at the RV resort. Comprehensive will pay for the damage your vehicle suffered when a tree fell on it in intense rains that weakened the soil.
The difference between liability and full coverage insurance policies is that liability only covers other people and their vehicle if an accident should occur where you are at fault, but, with a full coverage insurance plan, you and your vehicle would also be covered along with other’s and their vehicle as well.
Another difference between the two is that a deductible is associated with full-coverage insurance, but not with liability. There is also a difference in price, where full coverage will cost more than liability insurance.
Average Annual Car Insurance Rates in California by City
Ways to Lower Your Insurance Premiums
Find additional ways to save on your Fremont car insurance premiums with these insurance discounts:
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Avoid Accidents
Each time you are at fault in an accident, your insurance company must pay out to cover your liability. Thus, your rates are definitely going to rise any time you cause an accident. The longer you are able to maintain a driving record clean of accidents, the more favorable your policy will be in the eyes of insurance companies.
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Don’t Speed
Insurance rates are set relative to the risk you pose as a driver. Since speeding is positively linked to accidents, and thus to insurance claims, your tickets will also result in higher insurance rates.
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Shop Around
Insurance is like any other business and so some will charge lower rates in order to gain more customers. Before you purchase a policy from the last company you saw on television, do some homework and determine which policy is the best for you, even if it’s not the least expensive.
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Comprehensive Insurance Packages
Typically, insurance companies insure multiple asset types. They write policies for homes, boats, renters, and they can also cover your health. If you package your automobile insurance with your home, boat, and health insurance, you will likely pay a bit less for your car insurance.
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Multiple Vehicles
If you have more than one car, combine them on the same policy. The more cars you add, the lower your rates will be on a per-car basis.
What are the Factors that Affect Your Auto Insurance Premiums?
Your car insurance rate in Fremont is based upon many factors. You will be charged more or less on your policy based upon your age, marital status, and your number of moving violations and accidents. You will also be charged by the carrier based upon the type of vehicle you drive, whether it is paid for or not, and whether you decide that it is cost effective and prudent to have collision insurance or not. Also, insurance agency rates are highly variable, based upon the company and what area of the country you live in. Those in rural areas often pay less, while people in large, metropolitan cities often pay more. Armed with knowledge and by shopping around, you overcome some of these factors and save substantial money each year on auto insurance.
Compare insurance company rates for drivers with a bad record here.
Check Out Car Insurance Companies in Fremont and Reviews
Helpful Fremont, California Vehicle Resources:
Live Traffic and Accidents
https://www.localconditions.com/weather-fremont-california/94536/traffic.php
DMV (Find Locations, Vehicle Registration, Titles and Insurance Info)
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/field-office/fremont/