Bakersfield Car Insurance: Some Advice

When shopping for Bakersfield car insurance it is wise to know what you really need so you can ignore all the extra stuff that car insurance companies will try to sell you. Just like car dealerships, car insurance companies make a lot of their money by convincing people that they need something when they really don't. Drawing the line between a "need" and a "luxury" is, along with shopping around for car insurance are the main ways you can save money on car insurance. Although I can't clearly define what you personally need and don't, I'll get you going in the right direction...

The minimum car insurance you must have actually has nothing to do with car insurance at all. It's all about liability insurance. For the state of California you are required to have $15,000 in insurance for bodily injury liability for one person in an accident, $30,000 in insurance for bodily injury liability for all people in a potential accident, and $5,000 for property damage liability. What does this all mean? Bodily injury liability covers the medical expenses of people involved in a car accident, whether those people are in your car, in another car, or pedestrians. Assuming you only have the minimum requirements the insurance company would pay you up to $30,000. Property damage liability covers damage when you are at fault for damaging something, whether it is another car, a bus shelter, a garage door, etc. Although the aforementioned numbers are the minimum, it is in your best interest to go above it. Just looking at the $5,000 in property damage liability...Most cars on the road are worth around $18,000, so $5,000 is way to small of coverage. How much more coverage should you get? It all depends on your situation. If you feel that you will have the money in your pocket to pay for medical expenses and property damage, which can really add up, then you can go for a lower premium. If, like most people, you aren't so sure you'll have the money, get more liability protection.

Although, in the state of California, you are not required to have Personal Injury Protection (PIP), it can be in your best interest to get it. The aforementioned liability insurances do not protect you, but PIP does. Even if you already have decent health insurance, in the event of an accident, you can get both PIP payments and payments from your health care provider.

You should also know about collision and comprehensive insurance. Collision insurance, unlike property liability, mentioned earlier, protects your car in case of damage. Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car when it has nothing to do with a car accident. This would include things such as theft or weather.

Another thing to consider is GAP insurance, which protects you in the event that your car is stolen or damaged beyond repair. If, in the unfortunate event this happens to your car, GAP would cover the difference between what your insurance company would pay you and the total amount you owe to the loan company.

For tips to save money when shopping for Bakersfield car insurance or car insurance for any city, check out Auto Insurance Discounters: You Are Your Own Discounters!.