Car Insurance in Oakland

They just do things bigger in California, and that certainly includes cities like Oakland. In fact, Oakland has the distinction of being the eighth most-populated city in all of California!

Local residents love this sprawling city because it often seems like an adventure is around every corner. But if you’re not careful, what might be waiting around the corner is an unexpected car wreck!

It’s essential to protect you and your vehicle, so it is important to have the correct levels of auto insurance coverage. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about car insurance in Oakland!

Quick Facts

The driving conditions in every city are different. In order to stay safe while driving through Oakland, you need to know more about the annual traffic fatalities as well as investments in road infrastructure.

How Many Fatal Accidents Happen in Oakland?

It’s important to know how safe it is to drive in any given city. The number of car accidents and fatalities affects the cost of your car insurance premium and the general safety of driving around in the city.

In Oakland, it’s important to have enough insurance coverage because the roads are getting more dangerous for drivers. Between 2012 and 2016, there was a 76% increase in severe or fatal injuries. And in 2019, there were 32 car accident fatalities from 29 fatal accidents.

How Are the Road Infrastructure and Bridges in Oakland?

Obviously, other drivers play a big role in how safe any city is. But another factor you need to consider is the city’s commitment to improving infrastructure.

Fortunately, Oakland is highly committed to improving and expanding existing infrastructure. And this has resulted in several exciting projects that local residents will benefit from.

These projects include building mixed-use development spaces, the Fruitvale Transit Village, the Brooklyn Basin project. And this is on top of an ongoing remediation and redevelopment plan to demolish contaminated buildings and remediate the affected areas.

So far, our guide has touched on both full coverage car insurance and minimum car insurance requirements. While full coverage insurance includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, minimum coverage only provides liability insurance.

Before driving in the state, make sure you memorize these minimum insurance coverage requirements:

You now know that your zip code and even your age can affect the cost of your car insurance. But do you know what other factors may play a role in how much you pay?

Throughout the state, insurance carriers are allowed to consider the following factors when pricing your insurance:

Want to save money on your car insurance payment? You can take a few steps that range from bundling insurance plans or paying annually up to switching to a new carrier. But the easiest way to lower your payment is to contact your carrier about car insurance discounts.

Different carriers have their own discounts for safe drivers and drivers who take extra measures to protect their car. Below is a partial list of possible discounts. You will need to call your insurance carrier to see which specific deals they have to offer.

It is legally required for California drivers to have the minimum insurance coverage. But what if you don’t have enough coverage or don’t even have insurance?

In that case, a first-time offender may pay a fine between $100-$200. There may be other fees and penalties beyond that, depending on the discretion of the court.

Suppose you have a second offense within three years of the original offense, the fine increases and will range between $200 and $500. Once more, the court may assign additional penalties and fees as they see fit.