Car insurance can be one of the most expensive parts of owning a vehicle if you do not search for the best rate. Whether you are looking for the mandatory state minimum amount of insurance or full coverage on your vehicle, it is always best to search for the lowest price from a trusted company.

There are many different insurance companies that will give you a price quote for your insurance online. They will ask you for a lot of information that is essential to get accurate affordable auto insurance quotes. Some of it may seem unnecessary, but it is important that you answer all of their questions.

Companies that are giving you a quote for your automobile will take into consideration many factors. Some companies have different qualifications than others. Age, marital status, number of accidents and past moving violations are all part of the criteria they use to make a decision about your quote. The insurance company will also ask for the year, make, model, and possibly the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of your vehicle.

Insurance companies will also check your credit score. People with a low credit score tend to be involved in more accidents than people with good credit. Insurance companies will base your insurance quote partly on what your credit score is, the higher the score the lower your insurance rate will be.

Many people are concerned about a potentially negative impact to their credit when they request affordable auto insurance quotes. What these people are unaware of is that the report that the insurance companies run is considered a 'soft' hit on your credit. This type of hit on your credit will not negatively impact your credit score, no matter how many vehicle insurance quotes you might request.

There are companies who offer customers the benefit of representing several different insurance companies. Therefore, if you're looking for affordable auto insurance quotes, the one company can get quotes for you from several different insurers and save you a lot of looking. Of course, if you find a company who is offering you a very low rate, check into the reputation of the insurance company before buying.

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.