Roseville Auto Insurance
Roseville is more than just home to Galleria Mall. While it is a city full of large retail shops and smaller local shops, it's more than just that.
Located just 10 miles east of the capital on highway 80, Roseville is the largest city in Placer County with pedestrian-friendly communities like WestPark and family-friendly communities like Sierra Gardens.
No matter how pedestrian and bike-friendly Roseville is, a majority of residents still own vehicles. In fact, a Cal Trans survey has found that residents statewide own an average of 1.8 cars per household.
Since there's still a heavy reliance on vehicles all throughout the state, it's important that you research Roseville auto insurance before making a move or a vehicle purchase.
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Here's a guide that can help you build a policy and compare quotes:
When do you need to register your vehicle when you relocate to CA?
If you're new to the state of California as a whole, you have 20 days to transfer your registration and get new license plates.
Since there's only one Department of Motor Vehicles located on Galilee Road that serves the entire community of Roseville, it's important to prepare ahead of time. You'll need the following documents before you visit the DMV office:
- Completed Application
- Certificate of Title
- Out-of-state registration
- Vehicle identification number verification at the DMV site
- A California smog certificate that's been issued within the last 90 days
- Registration fees
- Bill of sale if the ownership is changing
- Odometer reading
Do you need insurance to register your vehicle?
It might be surprising that you don't see proof of auto insurance on the list of documents that you need to get an in-state registration in California.
DMV representatives don't ask you for proof, but under state law, you're required to have insurance or another form of financial responsibility (FR) from the moment that you are given California plates.
What is the Compulsory Financial Responsibility Law in California?
The Compulsory Financial Responsibility Law says that you must carry evidence of financial responsibility with you at all times when you're driving a registered vehicle on public roads.
Not only do you need to provide evidence to law enforcement officers, you also need to provide evidence of financial responsibility when you're in an accident or when the DMV asks.
Many people who are new to Roseville and other areas throughout California assume that financial responsibility means insurance, the term expands to other types of evidence that are acceptable to replace insurance.
This is why California is not classified as a state with mandatory auto insurance laws even though it has a tort auto insurance system.
What does it mean to say tort auto insurance system?
You might think that some of the terms that are thrown around don't really matter much, but it's important to understand what it means when you're living in a tort state.
States with tort systems will hold at-fault drivers accountable for causing an accident. If you're responsible for a crash, you must pay for the other party's medical and property damages.
When you're coming from one of the 12 no-fault states in the nation, this can be a bit of a shock.
Under no-fault systems, drivers make claims for their damages under their own policies even when they're not to blame. In California, being 51% or more at fault for a loss means that you're liable to pay for the victim's medical and property damage bills.
How much insurance are you required to carry?
If you're like most Californians, you'll purchase auto insurance to comply with the CA vehicle code. You have the option to buy a bare minimum policy or a policy that provides a greater level of protection. Basic policies satisfy state law but don't offer much protection.
The minimum amount of coverage required is:
- Bodily Injury - $15,000 per individual, up to $30,000 per accident
- Property Damage - $5,000 per accident
Do you need higher limits of liability coverage?
Liability is a third-party coverage that reimburses victims in an accident but doesn't reimburse you.
While the coverage doesn't pay your bills, it does help to protect assets that could be up for grabs if a claimant decides to sue you. That's why it's in your best interest to look into carrying higher limits than what's legally required.
Looking into the costs for things like healthcare in Roseville can help you determine how much it might cost for a claimant to be treated.
While the city has great amenities, employment opportunities, and housing costs, the healthcare cost index is higher than the national average. This creates a need for higher limits.
Alternatives to Buying Auto Insurance
If you're extremely wealthy and you're not worried about leaving your assets vulnerable in today's litigious society, you don't necessarily need a certificate of auto liability insurance.
Instead, you can choose to file an alternative form of financial responsibility. Your options include:
- Post a cash bond in the amount of $35,000 with the Treasurer
- File a surety bond in the amount of $35,000 that's secured by equity in property and issued by a surety company licensed in CA
- Qualify for a certificate of self-insurance if you own more than 25 vehicles
Are there uninsured drivers in Roseville?
There are more than 24.4 million vehicles registered in the state of California. In Placer County alone, 410,948 vehicles with an active registration. With so many cars on the road, you better believe that there are drivers without evidence of financial responsibility.
Based on the latest statistics released, about 14.9 percent of drivers don't have insurance.
This means about 4.1 million cars are going up and down California roadways without any type of coverage. If you do the math, that means that about 61,200 cars in Placer County are putting you at-risk each day. That's why you need extra protection.
How can I protect myself against uninsured drivers?
You can't stroll down the street asking people if they have insurance. Not only will you get strange stares, you won't get very valuable information.
Since you can't check the status of every driver's policy, the alternative would be to protect yourself with an add-on policy provision. That's why you should carry Uninsured Motorist Protection.
What does Uninsured Motorist Protection pay for?
Uninsured Motorist, also known as UM, pays for your medical treatment and lost wages when you're involved in a crash with someone who doesn't have insurance. Most companies will only pay you a UM claim when you're not at fault for the loss in question.
With this being said, having UM is a lot like carrying Bodily Injury for yourself.
Do you need full coverage?
Full coverage isn't just a box that you can check. With most companies, full coverage means that your policy includes at least comprehensive and collision for your vehicle. If you're currently making lease or finance payments, you need full coverage. If you're the paid owner of your car, you're free to decide.
Deciding if you should drop full coverage after you pay off your car can be difficult.
You can save a pretty penny on your premiums it, but you're on the hook to pay for losses to your car all by yourself. The best rule of thumb is to compare the cost for collision coverage to the value of your car. If the premiums are 10% or more of the value, it's wise to drop it.
Is comprehensive worth the premium?
The average cost to carry comprehensive in California is only about $97.67 per year.
If you calculate that out to a monthly cost, you're only spending about $8 per month for the protection. That's justifiable if your car still has some value and you don't want to pay for claims all by yourself.
Considering that your chances of being a property crime victim are 1 in 41 in Roseville, comprehensive is recommended.
How much will you pay for auto insurance?
It's really difficult to pinpoint how much you'll pay for insurance because premiums are so penalized.
Your zip code, your driving experience, your record and the vehicle that you have all have an impact on rates. That's why you need to physically get quotes when you're budgeting your entire insurance expense.
You can get auto insurance quotes in a number of different ways. You can call agents, visit a broker office, or do the whole process online. If you want to find the best deals from the best insurers in California, use an online rate comparison tool.
By using just a single platform, you can price shop and get the best deal from a reputable Roseville insurer.