Obtaining the best and cheapest auto insurance can be a time consuming and bewildering task. Below you will find some comprehensive cheap auto insurance tips that are simple enough for everyone to benefit from and will help you when choosing a policy.

The main purpose of auto insurance is to ensure you have adequate cover in case you have an accident. As the insured party, you do not want to have to pay any more for your policy than necessary, so follow these cheap auto insurance tips and you will reduce your premiums. There are advertisements everywhere these days telling you that you can save money, but they never tell you how. Even by using the various search engines to find quotes you will find vast differences in the prices that pop up on your screen, which still leaves you with the question of how to find the best policy.

First determine how much coverage you need and then decide exactly what you want your policy to cover. Review your driving record and your current policy. If you have any speeding tickets, have made a claim on your existing policy, or have a bad driving record it is always going to push your premiums up. However, if points on your record are due to expire you should shop around for a policy with that in mind.

Review the premiums of your current policy both monthly and annually, as you will be receiving quotes in both formats. Check to see if there are any hidden credit charges on your premium if you pay monthly and compare quotes taking that into account. Use one of the many online search sites that will check several policy quotes at the same time to save you having to continually having to input your details.

If you are unable to find a suitable policy online it is always worth contacting a company by telephone. Sometimes speaking to a person can actually get you a discount at the same time, especially if you have your other quotes as a comparison at hand.

Once you have found a quote you are happy with, you should check out how the company performs. Check the consumer complaints against the company to see how they rate the services offered. Look up customer satisfaction surveys and check out forums on the internet.

Before signing the dotted line and starting your new insurance policy you need to check your existing company will not penalize you, if terminating your policy prior to the renewal date. Some companies may operate a penalty clause if you terminate a policy before renewal. You also need to give your existing insurer notice that you plan to terminate your policy rather than just stop paying your installments.

Other cheap auto insurance tips include opting to pay a higher excess on your policy and fitting your vehicle with an approved immobilizer. If you have low mileage per year remember inform your insurer, opt for a car with a smaller engine, and refrain from modifying or customizing your car. Finally, park your car off road or in a garage over night to lower premiums.

It's no secret, California is a big state with millions of drivers puttering around on a daily basis. With such volume comes a certain number of accidents. That is why the State of California has made it mandatory for everyone operating a vehicle to have car insurance.

However, auto insurance can be tricky business. If a potential buyer isn't careful, they could end up paying extremely high premiums for very basic coverage. Nearly 25% of drivers have either inadequate or no car insurance whatsoever.

Enter the CLCAIP

Commonly known as the CLCAIP, the California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program was setup to give people who are financially struggling the opportunity to get a decent coverage plan at a very affordable rate. Currently, people can start be covered for as little as $22.00 per month through the CLCAIP.

The numbers are astounding. In 2009, the program received around 7,000 applications, which was 1,000 more than the year before. In 2011, the program received over 25,000 applications which indicates exponential growth.

Why California needed the CLCAIP

When the financial crisis hit in 2008, a lot of people lost the ability to afford their current premiums. Steve Poizner, the Insurance Commissioner, saw this as an opportunity to start a service that could help people get proper coverage at a rate most families could afford. Its goal is to offer allow people to be legally insured for less than a 15% down payment alongside minimal monthly payments.

However, to be accepted into the program, an applicant must meet certain requirements. They are easy to meet and consist of:

Must have a clean driving record. The applicant cannot have more than a single at at-fault accident

Must not have any driving related felonies or misdemeanors arrests in the past 3 years.

The eligibility limit for a single person is $27,075. For two people its $36,425 and for a family of four its $55,125.

The car being insured cannot be valued at over $20,000

Despite the growing number of applications, the CLCAIP is in danger of being closed down. Accord to governor Schwarzenegger's office, the program isn't popular enough to keep funding and vetoed a bipartisan legislation increasing the program's yearly budget due to a low rate of participation.

The fate of the program remains unknown, however, the need for such a program remains. It's illegal to drive without insurance and offering people the chance to get full coverage at an affordable rate is something that Californians should keep benefiting from.