Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Rates in San Bernardino?
San Bernardino is a mid-sized city in the state of California, with nearly 215,800 residents as of 2019. The town is growing at a slower rate than the national average, having grown 2.5% between 2010-2019 compared to the United States’ overall population growth of 6.3% in the same time. San Bernardino’s percentage of population between the ages of 18-65, where the majority of drivers fall, is 61% and the percentage of people in the workforce above the age of 16 is 58%.
San Bernardino’s median household income between 2014-2018 was $43,136, and the average commute time was 28.5 minutes. As of 2019, San Bernardino had 2,078 counts of reported vehicle theft, which translated to 958.9 vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents. This is almost three times higher than the California state average of 358.8 and much higher than the United States national average of 219.9.
These statistics are important because insurance companies use these and more data points to make a risk assessment based on the driver and the place where the driver lives and spends time on the road.
How Much Car Insurance Coverage Do I Need in San Bernardino
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has stated that all drivers looking to register vehicles in the state must have minimum insurance coverage of $15,000 for injuries or death caused to one person, $30,000 for injury or death of multiple individuals in a single accident, and $5,000 for property damage. A driver’s liability insurance will focus on covering costs to those involved in an accident other than the policyholder. This will help cover any expenses incurred due to property damage or physical injuries resulting from the crash.
Also of note is the fact that all insurance companies in California will report private-use vehicle insurance information to the state, which is required by law. Those without proof of insurance will have their vehicle registration suspended until the state can verify that they have purchased car insurance. Most drivers should purchase insurance plans that cover more than the minimum, as the California minimums are not likely to be enough in the case of more serious crashes. For instance, the $5,000 property damage would likely not cover damages caused by the collision of one or multiple expensive vehicles, while the death or injury coverage would not be enough to cover many cases where a crash causes individuals to be hospitalized for an extended time, or worse.
Most Expensive and Least Expensive Insurance Rates by Zip Code
Cheap Car Insurance in San Bernardino by Insurer
Don’t worry about finding affordable car insurance in California, as there are many insurance companies that operate in the state and nationally and offer appropriate coverage. Even though the minimum car insurance necessary to register a vehicle in the state of California can be pretty affordable, be sure to consider your own specific coverage needs when selecting a policy. Additionally, be sure to do a bit of research into your intended insurance company’s customer service reviews in your area, which can save you a lot of headaches in the future should you need to deal with representatives from the company after an accident.
Low Cost Auto Insurance for Bad Credit in San Bernardino
California does not allow car insurance companies to discriminate based on a driver’s credit, so all drivers will have access to the same insurance policy rates regardless of if they have bad credit or not. While some states allow insurance companies to increase premiums for drivers who have major issues with their credit, due to perceived increased risk, California ensures that all drivers are treated equally, no matter what their credit report says.
Learn more on finding low cost car insurance rates with poor credit.
Differences Between the Two Main Coverages
What is Liability Only Insurance Coverage?
Liability-only coverage is the cheapest option for automobile insurance. This coverage level only covers vehicles that are not at fault in an accident. Thus, if you carry liability-only coverage and cause an accident, the other driver will be covered by your policy. Any damage done to your car must be covered out of pocket, if at all.
What is Full Coverage Car Insurance?
Liability-only insurance is the least amount of insurance that one can purchase. This satisfies your legal requirement to drive and register your vehicle in California. For many people, this is not sufficient coverage because it does not cover their losses if they are at fault and do damage to their own vehicle or if they sustain damages in a hit-and-run or from an uninsured driver.
Collision covers when one is at fault and their own vehicle is damaged. If you have a car that is worth more than a few thousand dollars, it is often a wise investment to buy collision insurance each year. However, collision insurance coverage is pricey and will increase your insurance cost per year quite drastically.
Comprehensive covers those oddball things that happen that you cannot control, like damaged windshields and collision with animals on the road. It also covers your loss when someone purposely damages your vehicle in an act of vandalism. In addition, comprehensive covers theft of your vehicle, fire and weather, or acts of nature. An example of the latter would be if your car was crushed under a tree that fell in a wind storm.
What You Need to Know About the Differences Between the Car Insurance Types
Liability coverage kicks in when you back up and hit a kid on a skateboard you did not see. It will also pay for a gate you run into and damage.
Collision insurance pays out when you back into a large rock at a campground, denting your pickup’s tailgate. It will pay to get the tailgate repaired.
Comprehensive coverage will pay for the repair costs when something flies out of the back of a semi-truck and you end up with a cracked windshield.
Average Annual Car Insurance Rates in California by City
How to Lower Your Insurance Rates Policy
Find additional ways to save on your San Bernardino car insurance premiums with these insurance discounts:
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Shop around
As you can see from the quotes, there are wildly different prices for auto insurance for the same driver demographic by carrier. We found a thousand or more dollars of difference in most cases.
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Keep your driving record clean
If you can drive really defensively, you are going to save money. People with a lot of accidents and moving violations on their record have trouble getting insured at any rate.
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Look for discounts
Most auto insurance carriers have discounts for good driving and some student discounts. Sometimes, the agent will not automatically apply the discount. Look on the website to see what discounts they offer.
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Drive an older vehicle you maintain well
Since newer vehicles usually require full coverage because you are making payments on the vehicle, you can save considerable money on insurance if you drive an older vehicle that is not worth much money. You won’t need full coverage, although comprehensive insurance is advisable and cheap. This is especially true for young drivers in the family. If they drive used, well-maintained vehicles, they won’t need to pay for full coverage insurance. This can amount to a savings of one or more thousands of dollars each year in insurance costs.
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Choose a higher deductible for collision insurance
A higher deductible equates to a lower rate on expensive collision insurance, since you are footing more of the bill in the event of an accident.
We can help you get the best auto insurance discounts to lower your coverage costs here.
What are the Factors that Affect Your San Bernardino, CA Car Insurance Premiums
Because of the traffic issues in the area, “State” car insurance rates can be quite high based on the area you live in. The risk factors are higher where there is more traffic, so the area is one important factor in your auto insurance rates. As we have seen, other factors that affect your car insurance rate include your age, marital status, how many cars and drivers you have in your household, your driving record, what type of coverage you need, the age and type of your vehicle, the insurance agency, and the average mileage you drive each year. These factors can make huge differences in how much money you have to spend each year on automobile insurance.
Since insurance rates can fluctuate from company to company, it is important that drivers thoroughly educate themselves about automobile insurance and shop around in order to find the very best deal. You literally can save a thousand or more dollars per year by getting quotes from several carriers.
Use this guide to find low cost rates with accidents from the top insurance companies.
Check Out Car Insurance Companies in San Bernardino and Reviews
Helpful San Bernardino, California Vehicle Resources:
Live Traffic and Accidents
http://cad.chp.ca.gov/traffic.aspx?__EVENTTARGET=ddlComCenter&ddlComCenter=INCC
DMV (Find Locations, Vehicle Registration, Titles and Insurance Info)
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/field-office/san-bernardino/