Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates in Hayward?

Hayward is located in the East Bay area of California. As of 2019, its population was around 159,200. Hayward is only about 27 miles from San Francisco and many of the residents of Hayward find work in that city.

The transportation time between home and work for all workers 16 and older averages around 33 minutes, which is six minutes more than the national average. Car thefts numbered 5,160 in 2018 in the whole San Francisco area, including Hayward. The area ranked #115 in car thefts in the US for that reason, which isn’t terrible, but does represent an increased risk for insurance companies.

For this reason and others, insurance in Hayward may be expensive. Even knowing this; given the number of natural disasters that hit the state, it’s probably not a good idea to buy the cheapest insurance you can find. There are some quite inexpensive insurance policies available, but these may not cover everything you need paid for if you are in an accident or if a natural disaster strikes the San Francisco-Hayward area. The state requires a minimum insurance policy for drivers, but with only this coverage, you run the risk of having to pay out of pocket for anything beyond your deductible.

What Insurance Coverage is Needed for Drivers in Hayward

California, like nearly every other state in the US, has a specific minimum it of car insurance that it requires residents to hold continuously. This is not to protect yourself, but to protect other drivers if you cause an accident. If you are interested in paying for insurance that protects you in case someone else causes an accident, then you may want to look into collision or comprehensive insurance coverage.

The minimum coverages required in California include bodily injury liability coverage in the amount of at least $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident and property damage liability coverage in the amount of $5,000, minimum. These are quite low compared to other states, so you may be able to find a low premium and be covered. However, you may still want to look into higher levels of insurance, especially considering the possibility of damage outside of an accident, such as a storm, fire, or theft. If you only get the minimum coverage, your vehicle will not be covered in these incidents.

Most Expensive and Least Expensive Insurance Rates by Zip Code

Cheap Car Insurance in Hayward by Insurer

Knowing that you must purchase vehicle insurance, you’ll still want to keep your monthly bill as low as you can. It’s tempting to go with the lowest annual premium you’re able to find—but keep in mind that, if your car is damaged or if it is totaled after a storm or earthquake, you may end up paying for a good portion of the damages along with your deductible. If you aren’t able to pay for comprehensive coverage, you’ll want to choose the company that offers lower premiums for liability and full coverage and purchase those.

You should also look into each company you consider buying from. If the company is known for taking a long time to pay out an insurance claim or having terrible customer service, it might be worth it to pay a little more in order to get someone who will work with you if the worst happens.

Check out our guide to find cheap auto insurance rates close by.

Low Cost Auto Insurance for Bad Credit in Hayward

California is one of the few states that limits or prohibits the use of credit scores in determining customers insurance premiums. Because of this, you will not only be able to find car insurance premiums for drivers with bad credit, but you won’t even have to think about it.

Our bad credit guide can help you find low cost auto insurance rates close by.

What is the Difference Between Full Coverage and Liability?

What is Liability Only Coverage?

Liability insurance covers the possible cost of damage you cause to others while driving. This could mean the cost of medical care for those injured in an accident or repair costs of the damage you have caused to other vehicles.

With liability insurance, there are 3 key numbers: injury coverage per person, coverage for total injury per accident, and property damage coverage per accident. Each state has different requirements for car insurance minimums. In a policy that has coverage for 15/30/25 means $15,000 per injured person, with a maximum of $30,000 for all the people who are injured in an accident, and $25,000 in coverage for property damage.

Full Coverage Auto Insurance

While liability insurance covers other people and vehicles in an accident where you were the one considered at fault, full coverage insurance can also cover you and your vehicle as well. Full coverage includes two different types of coverage combined into one insurance plan; comprehensive insurance and collision.

Comprehensive coverage is for the damage of other vehicles that are outside of driving situations such as weather damage, fire, or theft.

Collision coverage is basically to pay for damage that you caused while driving such as an accident with another vehicle, hitting an object, or driving off the road.

The difference between collision and comprehensive is, if a tree were to fall on your car and damage it, comprehensive insurance would cover it, however, if you were driving and hit a tree causing damage to your car, then it would be covered by collision.

What are the Major Differences Between Full Coverage and Liability?

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

Additional cities in California you can check out.

Palmdale

Rancho Cucamonga

Ways to Lower Your Insurance Premiums

There are many car insurance discounts and ways to save on your policy in Hayward:

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

Use this guide to find discounts here.

What are the Factors that Affect Your Hayward CA Car Insurance Premiums

Hayward drivers are likely to see their insurance rates change over time. There can be many factors, both positive and negative, that impact your regular premiums. One key thing that all drivers face is aging. As you mature as a person and as a driver, your insurance rates are likely to fall. Typically, older drivers are safer drivers. They are less likely to drink and drive, speed, or take unnecessary risks on the road.

Your rates are also dependent, in part, on the type of car you drive. Drivers who love high-powered sports cars will likely spend more for automobile insurance than those who drive less-exciting SUVs and sedans.

Rates are also tied to the deductible on the policy. If you carry collision or comprehensive (full) coverage and opt for a higher deductible, your premiums could be lower. That is, if a tree hits your car, you will pay more up front for the damage to offset the lower premiums you’ve been paying over time.

How to tickets and accidents affect your driving record and insurance?

Helpful Hayward, California Vehicle Resources:

Live Traffic and Accidents
https://www.localconditions.com/weather-hayward-california/94541/traffic.php

DMV (Find Locations, Vehicle Registration, Titles and Insurance Info)
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/field-office/hayward/

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