Quote-ready checklist
A quote is only as good as the facts behind it. Get one fact wrong — a ticket you forgot, the wrong address, a household driver nobody listed — and the price changes after you have already decided. Tick off what you have ready; each item shows why California's rating rules need it.
Your checklist
Why California asks for exactly these things
Proposition 103 put three rating factors into the Insurance Code, in order of importance: your driving safety record, the miles you drive each year, and your years of driving experience (Insurance Code 1861.02(a)). A short list of optional factors — where the car is kept, how it is used, the type of vehicle and a few others — comes after them (10 CCR 2632.5). Almost every question on a California quote maps to one of those.
Two things that cannot be held against you: your credit score, which is not on that list, and not having had insurance before — the absence of prior coverage, by itself, cannot be used to decide your rate or whether you can be insured (Insurance Code 1861.02(c)).
Sources (official)
- California Insurance Code section 1861.02 (the three required rating factors; prior coverage)
- California Code of Regulations, title 10, section 2632.5 (mileage estimates and optional factors)
- California Vehicle Code section 16028 (proof of insurance)
What a particular company asks for varies by company. This list covers the facts California's rating rules are built on, so most quotes will need them.
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What information do I need for a car insurance quote in California?
For each driver: license number, when they were first licensed, and any tickets or at-fault accidents in the last three years. For each car: the VIN, where it is kept overnight, how it is used and your estimate of the miles it will be driven in the next 12 months.
Why does the insurer ask how many miles I drive?
Annual mileage is the second of California's three required rating factors. It is your estimate for the next 12 months, and the insurer may ask for the current odometer reading to support it (10 CCR 2632.5(c)(2)).
Do I need proof of prior insurance to get a quote?
No. The absence of prior coverage, by itself, cannot be a criterion for rates, premiums or insurability in California (Insurance Code section 1861.02(c)). Some companies offer credits for continuous coverage with them; that varies by company.
Why does a quote change after I apply?
Usually because the facts behind it changed: a ticket or accident that was not mentioned, a different garaging address, different drivers or mileage. The insurer checks your record with the DMV before issuing.