Searching for the best Fairfield car insurance coverage? Drivers looking for auto insurance coverage in Fairfield will get the best deal if they first understand a little bit about the Fairfield car insurance quote shopping process. Whether you are looking for Fairfield CA car insurance, Fairfield CT car insurance, Fairfield NJ car insurance, or Fairfield OH car insurance you can simply enter your zip code above to start comparing Fairfield auto insurance quotes from multiple companies online.

Fairfield, California is a smaller city located near San Francisco and Sacramento, California. With about 107,000 residents, Fairfield is one of the fastest growing cities in the state of California. There are 39,000 registered vehicles in Fairfield and about 50,000 licensed drivers over the age of 16. According to the 2000 census, the average commute time for drivers in Fairfield is 29 minutes.

Fairfield was established in 1858 after the big gold rush of 1848. It took nearly 50 years for Fairfield to grow enough to consider themselves a city, but they finally did just that in 1903 as it grew to an area of 36.7 square miles. There are currently about 2,900 people per square mile in Fairfield and it continues to grow. That growth means there are plenty of drivers and passengers to think about.

History of Fairfield Car Insurance Laws

The first license plate was issued in Fairfield, CA in 1914, but it was not until 1948 that it became the law for drivers to show proof of financial responsibility before they were allowed to drive. However, even though it was not the law to carry auto insurance in 1948, many drivers already did as auto insurance has been available in Fairfield since the late 1890s.  A lot of drivers understood the value of auto insurance even then.

The ‘horseless carriage’ appeared in Fairfield and across California in 1897 to mixed reviews. Californians loved the idea of being able to travel further away and faster than they could with their horses, however not everyone could afford an automobile (at $500 with no financing options) and the vehicles were so noisy that they constantly caused horses to bolt in terror. Many people hoped that the horseless carriage would simply be a fad and would fade out, but as history shows, they were there to stay.

By 1901, automobiles were dotting the California landscape and quickly becoming the primary form of transportation, however there were problems that needed to be addressed. With no traffic laws and no speed limits, there was constant confusion in the streets. The State of California started licensing vehicles in 1914 and laws were put into place requiring that drivers pass an exam before they could get a driver’s license. Age restrictions were also placed on drivers at the same time. It is interesting to note that it was only $2 annually to register a vehicle and that money was used for the building of paved roads for easier transportation.

For some time the state treasurer managed the driver’s license and license plate registrations. However, as the numbers of drivers increased the responsibilities were split between the California highway patrol and the state treasurer. In 1931, the Department of Motor Vehicles was formed and it took over the distribution of driver’s licenses and license plates.

In 1949, the point system was initiated in California and any driver who accumulated more than 4 points in a year had their driver’s license suspended. In 1958 laws were passed that required all drivers to carry a driver’s license with a photo attached and licenses expired every four years on the licensed driver’s birthday rather than on the date of issuance. The state also reserved the right to not license a driver for any reason. Typically, a warrant or lack of insurance were the primary reasons for refusing to give someone a driver's license.

Since then, many laws have been passed regarding the rules of driving and insurance. As more incidences occurred, new laws were enacted to protect drivers, passengers and pedestrians and insurance laws were designed to protect drivers from uninsured motorist and to prevent drivers from driving without protection.

Fairfield Car Insurance Requirements

The minimum requirement of insurance in Fairfield is based on the average cost of an accident in California. However, the minimums do not represent the cost of every accident and you should consider the type of vehicle that you drive, the type of accidents that occur in your neighborhood and the length of your commute when you determine how much insurance you should purchase for your vehicle.

The minimum requirements for auto insurance in California are $15,000 bodily injury for one hurt person, $30,000 bodily injury per accident and $5,000 property damage coverage. When purchasing your Fairfield insurance, you should consider a couple of facts from your area. According to FARS there were 35 traffic fatalities in 2008 in Fairfield. The good news here is that this is 31 less fatalities than in 2007, so the numbers are decreasing. There were also 34,000 injuries caused by auto accidents in Fairfield as well (this includes passengers and pedestrians).

When choosing your auto insurance in Fairfield, you should consider increasing your minimum insurance to cover at least the total cost of a current model vehicle (national average of $22K). Otherwise, as California is a tort state, if you cause an accident and your insurance does not cover the total cost of damages or injuries, you will be financially responsible for the difference.

How Insurance Companies Determine the Cost of Fairfield Car Insurance

In most states, the cost of your auto insurance is determined by the driving statistics for the zip code area you live in, the amount of auto insurance claims in your area as well as your driving record.

However, California state law prevents insurance companies from using where you live as a determination of your auto insurance costs. This is good news for Fairfield residents as before the law was passed the average cost of auto insurance was about $3,000 annually. Since then the average is about $1,700, which offers Fairfield drivers great savings. However, other factors can cause your insurance rates to increase. For example, if you have received a moving violation or have caused a car accident you will see an increase in your auto insurance rates.

It can be more difficult to save money on auto insurance in Fairfield because, due to California laws, insurance companies are more reluctant to offer deep discounts to customers. However, you can put yourself in a better bargaining position by purchasing a car that is safe to drive, such as the Audi Q7, Mitsubishi Outlander, Volvo XC900, Saturn Vue, and the Mercedes-Benz M Class. These are the cars which Forbes has named the safest cars to drive in America based on their crash safety tests.

Also, consider purchasing a vehicle with safety features like crumple zones, which causes the vehicle to become damaged in specific way that protects the driver if an accident should occur. Other safety features to think about are airbags, latch child seat anchors, anti lock brakes, electronic stability control, brake assist an OnStar assistance. Of course, you will also want to use quote tools to ensure you are getting the lowest rate available. You can find these online and independent of any single insurance provider. You've got some choices, so make sure you find out what is out there before making a decision.

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