I got my auto insurance here in Los Angeles, California for the heck of having one because my relatives said I should get one. But I learned that I can shop for insurance quotes for me to choose among insurance premiums with the same coverage. How will my auto insurance history matter when I shop for insurance quotes?

Melisa

Los Angeles, CA

Even if you do not have any reasonable grounds for having your current auto insurance policy there in Los Angeles, California, it is good that you keep a copy of that when you shop for auto insurance quotes. You can compare your existing insurance premiums with other quotes you get with the same coverage. With your current policy, at least you have an actual basis for comparison. But remember comparing the costs of insurance quotes with a significant difference in the amount of deductible, say $1000 and $500, means that these quotes also have very different premium payments.

The length of your subscription to an auto insurance policy provided to you by a single company also matters. Some insurance companies give discount opportunities to clients with five-year subscription to them. Some give discounts for as early as three years of subscription. You need to be familiar with this because if you are currently under an insurer for years, you can also compare the discounted rate you can get and the auto insurance quotes you shopped.

However, your auto insurance history does not matter that much at most during the time you shop for insurance quotes. But the importance of your current insurance policy and its history arise when you decided to actually subscribe for another policy.

Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance quotes, car insurance policy

I am up for a renewal on my car insurance here in Los Angeles, California and I have a different insurer for my home insurance. I’m not quite sure if there is something like a combined discount for having my home and car insured in one company. Also, do insurance companies have renewal discount for long-time customers?

Bob

Los Angeles, CA

You could be able to get a lot of savings if the insurance provider on all of your vehicles is the same insurance provider that covers your house. You may ask your current insurance company if they offer some kind of combined discount or what is commonly termed as multiple line discounts. This could lessen the premiums on your auto insurance and have your home insurance rates more affordable as well.

A lot of auto insurance providers also have renewal discount so it is very essential to make sure that you get that kind of discount also. This is a price reduction that is given to individuals who have been a constant customer of the same insurer for quite a while. Your current insurance provider in Los Angeles, California is fond of you if you have been with them for a number of years and you never had a single accident. Reflect on this: You pay your insurer a great deal of cash and they don’t have to do anything but just send you bills. Although they are prepared to do something in case you get involved in an accident, you never get into an accident. For that reason, they are so pleased and would like to have a continued business with you. A renewal discount is probably a great encouragement for you not to go with another company.

Tags: auto insurance discounts, car insurance

I have never been in an accident and hopefully won’t ever be but no one knows what might happen. So in case of my car’s total loss due to an accident, how will my car insurance company here in Los Angeles, California determine the value of my car?

Neo

Los Angeles, CA

Car insurance companies say that they have three instruments to find out the value of a vehicle if it has been declared as “totalled.” These are computerized merchant quotes, value books and a market investigation of the local area. But the local area is not particularly specified and an auto insurance company could not be able to find a replacement vehicle within your locality. If an auto insurance company was able to come across a replacement vehicle out of your residing area, the assessment of your car’s value could be affected.

Since you live in the state of California, the amount of replacing your vehicle would be higher in the main cities than in the rural areas and suburbs. Your auto insurance provider in Los Angeles, California would take into account quotations from those suburban municipalities as practical estimates. Insurance companies say that their objective in totalling an automobile is to let the insured driver to buy, within their market, the same vehicle they lost in the accident. However, even if they state that they could use one, two or three instruments to find out the value of your vehicle, you may not be certain what value you will end up with.

Tags: auto insurance company, car, car insurance

I usually do things online because I find it comfortable to use. Now, I am also shopping for car insurance online to find affordable rates. What are the things that I need to know when looking for insurance quotes online for my car here in Los Angeles, California?

Paulina

Los Angeles, CA

If you are searching through the web to look for car insurance quotes, be sure that the website you use has the updated details about the car insurance company’s premium rates. You may find it very annoying to see a good auto insurance quote only to know that the services being offered and the given quotes by the insurer are already obsolete and no longer available. If you use a stable insurance provider that keeps their site and their car insurance quote calculating tools up to date, this could never happen. These car insurance providers are there to give quality service and they do their very best to make you feel right when you select them to provide you coverage.

You should keep several things in mind when you’re shopping for insurance online for your car in Los Angeles, California. You have to look through different quotes and review thoroughly the total premium amount, the level and quality of coverage and other things being offered. All of these have some importance on the amount every time your premium will be collected. Also, if you look at several quotes, you can be sure that you’re having the best possible car insurance coverage at affordable rates.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance online, car insurance quotes, car insurance rate

My husband just got a classic car from his father in his latest birthday. Will we be able to get a discount on the auto insurance here in Los Angeles, California?

Paloma

Los Angeles, CA

Considering the fact that a classic car is not an everyday car, most car insurance providers realize that these cars would not cost them as much as other cars. Because of that, they would be kind enough to give your husband a discount on your classic car insurance in Los Angeles, California. He could even find an insurance carrier that would offer him ‘agreed value’ coverage. This kind of car insurance policy would cover the full insured value of the classic car in case anything happens to it. The ‘agreed value’ is different than the standard car insurance policy. The actual cash value is the amount in replacing the car less the depreciated value that the insurance provider has determined.

Your husband wouldn’t have to worry about having an appraisal for your classic car with most car insurance providers unless the car that he has is very rare and very expensive. If he already has insurance for his regular car, it won’t hurt him to ask his insurance agent if he can have any other type of discount on his classic car insurance.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance discounts, classic car

I have to take care of my auto insurance now after my drunk driving conviction here in Los Angeles, California. How will the insurance company handle my policy if they find out about my DUI?

Kevin

Los Angeles, CA

You have faced penalties such as fines, driver’s license suspension or revocation and possibly, jail time when you were convicted for DUI in Los Angeles, California. You are also facing other consequences and one of them is your auto insurance problems. Because of your drunk driving conviction, you are considered to be a high risk for auto insurance providers. To keep your automobile/s covered and to protect themselves, they usually cancel or raise the premiums for people convicted for DUI. When you apply for a new policy or once in three years, insurance providers normally check your driving history.

It is possible that your drunk driving conviction could escape your auto insurance provider’s attention. However, if they find out about it, they usually handle it in one of two ways. They could raise your insurance rates and tag you as a high-risk driver. They can also just decide to cancel your insurance policy or non-renew it. In any case, you can always shop around for the best auto insurance after your DUI and you may very well start by getting a quote from this website.

Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance quotes, drunk driving insurance, DUI, DUI conviction

My mom got arrested for drunk driving in Los Angeles, California and we are being asked for a large amount to pay for bail. We cannot afford such amount for her release, are there any other options?

Cherry

Los Angeles, CA

There several options should an arrested person for DUI cannot afford to pay the bail for temporary release. One option is what they call a “Bond”. This is implied as a substitute of full amount payment. It is a written agreement that the entire bail amount will be paid if the arrested person fails to appear on court proceedings. You may consult a Bond Agency in Los Angeles, California, but some bond agencies may require collateral before posting the bond because they will be responsible in paying the entire amount if the arrested person jumps out of bail or fails to appear as agreed.

Another option is “Own Recognizance Release”. This may be granted by the court and no bond is needed. The arrested person may be released after signing an agreement promising appearance in court for upcoming proceedings. The court may impose certain conditions and considerations when granting own recognizance release such as the person’s DUI record and/or criminal history, gravity of the DUI offense and ties of the arrested person to family, community and employment. Failure to appear in court after own recognizance release on the other hand may lead to an immediate arrest thus revoking any chances for bail. Getting arrested for DUI is a serious matter as the local government of Los Angeles, California imposes stricter DUI laws. I also suggest that you seek for an attorney knowledgeable in DUI cases to defend your mom. Once everything gets better, I suggest you also try to check out appropriate auto insurance after DUI.

Tags: auto insurance, DUI, DUI arrest, DUI lawyer

I have a DUI conviction here in Los Angeles, California and my ultimate concern now is my auto insurance. How do auto insurance companies handle things such as DUI convictions?

Marcelo

Los Angeles, CA

Your ultimate destiny with regard to your auto insurance after your DUI conviction in Los Angeles, California rests with your auto insurance company. Let’s take an instance like one auto insurance company’s action concerning your DUI depends on which subsidiary you’re with. The auto insurance company would review rate-increase decisions on a case-to-case basis. If you currently have a preferred policy with your insurer and you receive a DUI, the auto insurance company will likely move you to its standard policy for riskier drivers and higher rates.

On another auto insurance company, you may not face a cancellation or non-renewal because of your DUI, but you may face a rate increase. They will also review rates on a case-to-case basis, with multiple factors such as gender, your vehicle model, age and driving history going into your rate. Not only that you will have increased rates because of your DUI conviction, but the premiums on your life insurance may be affected, too. Get an online rate quote now from this website and I am sure you’ll find out great deals for your auto insurance.

Tags: auto insurance, DUI, DUI conviction

My brother was charged with DUI here in Los Angeles, California and his DMV hearing is in three days. What are the things that are involved in this kind of hearing and where is this held?

Renz

Los Angeles, CA

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) hearing of your brother’s DUI case in Los Angeles, California would take place in a closed room at one the local DMV Drivers Safety Offices. A DMV hearing officer would preside at the course of this hearing. Your brother will be required to be present, along with his DUI lawyer and any witnesses that may be called by either side. The hearing officer should decide three things, all of which should be true before the driver’s license could be suspended. They must prove that your brother was driving a motor vehicle, he was lawfully arrested and his blood alcohol content was at or above a .08% at the time of driving.

Normally, a DUI lawyer would provide the hearing officer with a written legal motion as to why a license suspension should not be imposed. In appropriate cases, the DUI lawyer may call the arresting officer, the defendant and/or their own toxicologists to testify. Questioning the arresting officer at the DMV hearing would generates a transcript that could be used later to negotiate the case with the prosecutor, and/or to prepare the DUI case for a possible trial.

Tags: blood alcohol content, DMV, driver’s license, DUI, DUI lawyer

My father was recently charged with DUI here in Los Angeles, California and I heard them talking about enhancements or something. What does this mean and how is this related to his DUI charge?

Leslie

Los Angeles, CA

What you heard is probably about the possible penalties of your father if he gets convicted for his DUI charge in Los Angeles, California. They might be talking about sentence enhancements on his DUI case. If certain things exist in the DUI case of your father, the law would require more severe minimum penalties. This is what we call sentence enhancements in a DUI case and this includes several factors.

The factors involved include refusing to submit blood alcohol test, speeding over 20 mph on surface streets or 30 mph on highways (which has a minimum jail sentence of 60 days), transporting a child under the age of 14 while committing the DUI offense or having one or more prior convictions within the last 10 years. Also, if the person suspected for DUI has one or two earlier convictions, the amount of jail time and the length of driver’s license suspension are increased considerably. Three or more prior DUI convictions would change the crime from a misdemeanor DUI to a felony DUI which could have state prison sentence.

Tags: drunk driving laws, DUI, DUI lawyer