I live in Los Angeles CA. I am just wondering if your drivers licese has been suspended, will you be required to get an SR22 insurance?

Jane

Los Angeles CA

In Los Angeles California, a person may be required to get an SR-22 for different reasons including after a license suspension for a DUI/DWI and for reinstating a driver’s license after a license suspension for driving uninsured or not having any type of financial responsibility on your automobile.

Since you did not mention the violation, I am unable to tell you whether you would need a SR-22 actively on file through an insurance provider.

I suggest that you contact the You CA Department of Motor Vehicles to know if you are required to carry an SR22. You can search the CA DMV website or contact them at 1-800-777-0133 during normal business hours (Between 8-5, Mon., Tues., Thurs., & Fri. Between 9-5 on Wednesdays). They will be able to tell you if you need to carry this SR22 auto insurance and for how long.

I have a California driver’s license and received a speeding ticket while I was traveling in Wisconsin. Is an on-line course available that could help me remove the ticket from my record? By the way, the fine was already paid.

Lowe

Hayward, CA

Driver’s License Compact requires member state, which includes California, to inform the traffic violation of their licensed motorist that is received out of the state, to other state members. Not being a DLC member will not mean that the state of Wisconsin will not report to CA DMV of the speeding ticket you received.

Because you have paid the fine, it appears that you were already convicted of the violation for speeding. This information on violation will appear on your driving record. In this regard, no type of WI traffic school
or driving course can remove the ticket from your record. In CA, an out-of-the-state speeding violation is equivalent to 1 point.

An approval from the clerk of the court or another judicial officer to attend a traffic school in CA could be an option if you received the speeding ticket within the CA state’s county and not out of the state.

You can also contact the CA DMV to find out if there is another way to remove the points from your CA driver’s license.

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance, traffic school, traffic violation

I just moved to Los Angeles, California from Texas. Is anyone aware of what the minimum insurance coverage is for automobile insurance? I have a compact car. Does that make a difference?

Casey

Los Angeles, CA

From what I know, every state in the United States has its own rules for the minimum coverage in vehicle insurance. Last time I checked, the state of California was using the 15/30/5 rule. Los Angeles, CA should be using this also. This would just mean that the law will require you to have a 15,000 minimum amount of liability for bodily injury to a person, with a maximum amount of 30,000. The 5 in the equation stands for the minimum 5,000 Property Damage Liability. Of course this is just the minimum requirements. You are more than welcome to get an insurance policy with higher payoffs just to make sure you have enough coverage. They are also using the tort system in this state. This simply means that somebody has to be found to be at fault in a situation. The party found to be at fault would then have to shell out the cash for whatever repairs, or payments will need to be made.

As to the type of vehicle, I do think that this is factored in when the insurance companies come up with a policy. You’re fortunate to be driving a compact car as this would generally have a lower premium compared to, say, a sports car or SUV.

Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance premium

Reader’s Question:

Am I required to purchase uninsured motorist coverage in Los Angeles California?

Francis

Los Angeles CA

No, you are not required to purchase uninsured motorist coverage in Los Angeles California. The state of California require car insurance providers to offer Uninsured and Underinsured (UM/UIM) coverages with every car insurance policy. Policyholders may choose to add it on their car insurance policy or reject the extra coverages.

In the state of California Uninsured and Underinsured (UM/UIM) coverages provide liability insurance when the driver at fault does not have the state required minimum liability coverage, or the minimum liability coverage is not enough to cover the injuries received in the accident. Uninsured motorist property damage covers possible reimbursement for damages your automobile sustains.

The minimum liability limits of car insurance in the state of California is $15,000 of bodily injury for injury or death per person up to $30,000 per accident and Property Damage of $5,000 for any one accident.

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance

Can my grandfather, a senior citizen, get car insurance if he lost his driving privilege in Carlsbad, California?

Jeremy

Carlsbad, CA

Insurance provider rues and guidelines differ but a senior citizen that has lost their driving privilege (or voluntary turned it in) should be able to get car insurance to keep on their automobile so that others may be able to operate them.

The senior citizen would need to find an insurance provider that would permit the senior citizen vehicle owner to be excluded from the car insurance policy, since they do not have a valid drivers license, and instead put on the licensed drivers that will be driving the automobile. The insurance provider will rate on the driving record of those that the senior citizen would like to drive them around.

While it is possible to obtain this type of car insurance, acquiring auto insurance without a valid driver’s license can be hard since most insurance providers will require a drivers license since that is one major basis upon which they determine the car insurance rate of the car insurance policy. Most insurance provider want the vehicle owner to be licensed.

Tags: auto insurance, senior car insurance

Is it required to have uninsured motorist insurance in Los Angeles California?

Karen

Los Angeles, CA

No, uninsured motorist insurance is not required as part of your car insurance coverages in Los Angeles California. The state of California does require that insurance carriers must offer Uninsured and Underinsured (UM/UIM) coverages with every car insurance policy though policyholders can reject it and therefore not place it on their car insurance policy.

In California UM/UIM coverages provide liability insurance when the at fault party does not have the state required minimum liability coverage, or the minimum liability coverage is insufficient to cover the injuries sustained in the incident.

The CA Compulsory Financial Responsibility Law requires every motorist and owner of a car to be financially responsible for their actions. The minimum limits of liability car insurance in CA are 15/30/5 which means Bodily Injury for $15,000 for injury or death of any one person, per accident up to $30,000 and Property Damage of $5,000 per accident.

Tags: auto insurance

I am planning to move from Los Angeles Ca to New Haven, CT and I would like to compare insurance rates in in both locations? Will my traffic violations in CA affect my car insurance rate in CT?

Ron

Los Angeles, CA

There are differences between the mandatory state insurance requirements in California and Connecticut. You are required to have bodily injury of $15,000 up to $30,000 per accident and property damage of $5000 per accident in California.

The state of Connecticut requires liability limits of $20,000 up to $40,000 for bodily injury per accident and $10,000 for property damage per accident. The state of Connecticut also requires a minimum of $20,000/$40,000 of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Since Connecticut has more and higher insurance requirements than the state of CA their state average for car insurance is higher. I was unable to find city averages but in the state average for Connecticut was $981 while the state average in California was $821.

Your moving violation in Los Angeles CA might affect your insurance rates in CT since insurance carriers that you apply for insurance with will check your driving history as part of their rating factor.

Tags: auto insurance, cheap auto insurance

In Bellflower, California, how many hours in a week can an occasional driver in my insurance policy drive my vehicle?

Williamson

Bellflower, CA

An occasional driver is the individual who is not the primary or principal driver of the car and the definition for principal driver is the individual who operates the vehicle most often.

Some insurance company suggest as a rule of thumb that an occasional driver is not found to be driving the car in question no more than once a week.

The requirements for a person to be termed as an occasional driver vary by insurance provider in Bellflower, CA and possibly by state so it is best to verify with your insurance agent for your specific insurance carrier’s requirements.

Generally insurance carrier permit coverage for the occasional driver provided that driver does not reside in your household and the car is parked in your house at the end of the day.

Tags: auto insurance

Im in the process of moving from Washington State to Los Angeles California. Is it true that that the state of Washington has higher car insurance compared to the state of California?

Watson

Los Angeles, CA

Generally, in the state of Washington car insurance rates are higher than the State of California. According to the NAIC the average expenditure of car insurance in in California was only $487 while in Washington the average cost was $541.

Always remember in urban areas motor vehicle insurance is more expensive due to the higher density of traffic, increased likelihood of vandalism and theft, and greater incidence of fraud. Therefore, Los Angeles, CA comes up with an average cost of $3027 and ranks within the top five most expensive cities to insure a car.

Tags: car insurance cost

My daughter will be attending college in the state of Arizona. She has found a vehicle in Arizona that she would like to purchase. Can we keep the Arizona registration for her vehicle and still insure her under our insurance policy in Los Angeles CA?

Allen

Los Angeles, CA

You will have to change over to AZ auto insurance and not be able to put your daughter’s Arizona registered vehicle on your CA insurance policy.

Your insurance company in Los Angeles CA will not likely permit you to insure a vehicle that is registered, driven and garaged out of state with your daughter. Since she is a college student though your California insurance carrier may permit him and the vehicle to be on your insurance policy. Insurance carrier’s guidelines vary so you would have to verify with your insurance company to check what your insurance company’s guidelines permit for this kind of situation.

Even if your insurance company’s guidelines would permit you to insure a vehicle in Arizona for your daughter attending school, the fact that the vehicle is registered in AZ does not permit you to use out of state insurance to cover it.

Tags: automobile, car insurance, teen insurance