Prop 103 mandated California auto insurance companies to base their rates on driving records first, not zip codes. But they continue to use zip codes, and Dept of Insurance commissioner Chuck Quackenbush, who is very cozy with the insurance industry, lets them get away with it. Apparently it made too much sense to get adopted by the Legislature. The car makers who have maintained the most brand loyalty are Ford, Toyota and Chevrolet, in that order. The Western Insurance Information Service has just put out a reminder that home insurance is a hidden cost that home buyers need to factor in to the cost of buying a home.
Some insurers also offer discounts for non-smokers.
Many also discount the price of insurance for new construction, offering discounts of 8 to 15 percent if the home is newly built. A home built on certain types of soil may carry a higher premium for earthquake insurance, while a home located near a fire hydrant may receive a discount on its fire premium. End of quote. In our opinion, the cost of earthquake insurance in California is too high, but much of that is the fault of Congress failing to make it available nationwide the same way they make affordable flood insurance available for folks in the Midwest. Now a case has gone to the U.S. Supreme court challenging banks' efforts to keep credit union membership limited.