If you’re planning to move from California to Nevada or from Nevada to California, you may wonder if there will be any differences in your insurance coverage or rates. The state you live in may be the most important of the many factors influencing your rates. Additional aspects will include your driving record, age, vehicle type, and more. We know that moving can be stressful and are here to help make at least part of the process easier. If you’re comparing car insurance in California versus Nevada, the following information can help you learn more about each.
Main Types of Insurance Coverage
Before diving into what it will cost you to insure your car in California or Nevada, it’s essential to know about the different types of insurance coverage. Here are some of the basics:
Liability Coverage
In most states, including California and Nevada, liability coverage is a legal requirement to drive your vehicle on the roadway. Liability insurance helps to cover damages for bodily injuries and property damage for others if you’re responsible for an accident.
Collision Coverage
Collision insurance coverage will help cover damage to your vehicle if you’re involved in an accident with another vehicle or object, such as a fence. It helps to cover repairs or replace the vehicle. Collision coverage requires a deductible and is optional unless your lending institution requires you to carry it to protect the vehicle.
Comprehensive Coverage
Comprehensive coverage covers damages due to certain weather events, vandalism, and animal collisions. You also have a deductible for comprehensive, and it’s optional unless required to protect your lease or lien.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Most drivers carry coverage in case they’re involved in an accident where the other driver doesn’t have coverage or lacks adequate insurance coverage.
Other types of insurance include rental car reimbursement, medical payments, personal injury protection, and gap insurance. High or full coverage means that you carry not only the state minimum liability requirement but also comprehensive and collision. It can also include other types of insurance.
Car Insurance Laws in California
California drivers are required to carry the following insurance coverage policies at a minimum:
- Bodily injury liability: $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $5,000
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury: $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist property damage: $3,500
Keep in mind that these are only the minimum coverages required by California, and everyone has different insurance coverage needs.
Average Cost of Insurance in California
The cost of insurance in California varies greatly depending on where you live. Those in more densely populated cities will also pay higher premiums than less populated towns. According to U.S. News & World Report, you can expect to pay between $1,159 and $2,032 per year for minimum insurance coverage. Your annual insurance premium for high or full coverage will be between $1,373 and $2,466. These prices vary greatly depending on your driving history, age, credit score, and zip code. For example, if you live in Los Angeles, you can expect to pay around $818 more than in Fresno.
Insurance in California may cost you more than in other states, but for most drivers, it will cost less than coverage in Nevada. Having proper coverage is essential for many reasons, including that California is a no-fault state, meaning that if you’re in an accident, you can be sued by the other driver. Driving without proper coverage is illegal, and you can get a ticket or even have your license suspended if you choose to drive without it.
Car Insurance Laws in Nevada
Like California, Nevada drivers must carry insurance. Proof of coverage must be available to display to law enforcement officers if they request it. The following minimums are what is required by law in the state of Nevada:
- Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $50,000
You may choose not to carry uninsured motorist coverage if you wish. These are only the state minimums required by Nevada, and you may decide to add more coverage to protect yourself in an accident.
Average Cost of Insurance in Nevada
Nevada is known as one of the most expensive states for auto insurance. Your rate depends on factors such as your city, age, credit, and previous driving history. For minimum coverage auto insurance, U.S. News & World Report states that you can expect to pay between $1,019 and $2,617. You can expect to pay between $1,332 and $3,250 for high or full coverage. Those who live in Las Vegas or North Las Vegas may have to pay rates up to 33% higher than the state average, while those who live in Carson City or Elko may pay rates up to 25% lower than the state average.
Tips to Lower Your Insurance Rates
While you can’t control your insurance rates or every factor that’s considered when determining your rates, you can do a few things that may save you money.
- Drive carefully. Avoid at-fault accidents and speeding or other traffic tickets.
- Raise your credit score. If you prove that you’re financially responsible, you may qualify for lower rates on your insurance.
- Bundle insurance policies. Many insurance companies offer discounted rates if you have your automobile and homeowner’s or renter’s policy through them.
- Look for discounts. Many policies offer discounts for good drivers, good students, and specific safety equipment.
- Increase your deductible. As a general rule, the higher your deductible is for comprehensive and collision, the lower your annual premium will be.
- Carry minimum coverage. If you only carry the state-required minimum, you can expect to pay less for your auto insurance.
Insurance coverage is essential regardless of whether you live in California or Nevada. Take the time to research several insurance companies by requesting quotes for both minimum and high coverage. You may find the difference between the two isn’t as much as you expected, and high coverage offers you more protection. Insurance can range by hundreds of dollars between various companies, so getting several quotes is imperative to ensure you’re getting the best value.
At FIXD, our mission is to make car ownership as simple, easy, and affordable as possible. Our research team utilizes the latest automotive data and insights to create tools and resources that help drivers get peace of mind and save money over the life of their car.
