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Any factors I should consider when choosing between car insurance companies besides price and coverage?

I've heard people mention company reputation to see how likely they are to pay claims without delaying and underpaying. However I don't need collision or comprehensive since I can just buy a new car. Or personal injury protection since I have health insurance. And I'll take my risks suing people and garnishing wages instead of uninsured motorist insurance. So I would only have liability insurance, so the insurance company would be paying the other person in the accident not me. So insurance company reputation wouldn't matter? I am in California, an at-fault state.

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    I had kids who broke their wrists this year. My health insurance company specifically wanted to know the details and whether it was someone's fault. I assume so they could recoup their costs from the other person/company/whomever.
    – mkennedy
    Jul 17, 2022 at 18:55
  • @mkennedy Um. I don't see how that is related.
    – roobee
    Jul 17, 2022 at 19:51
  • Your car insurance company is not just going to pay out claims. If it's not your fault, they're going to want the responsible party to pay or their insurance company pay.
    – mkennedy
    Jul 22, 2022 at 23:49
  • @mkennedy I still don't see how that is related. Unless you are saying they will only pay claims from my liability insurance if it was my fault?
    – roobee
    Jul 24, 2022 at 3:33

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However I don't need collision or comprehensive since I can just buy a new car.

Most people aren't in this situation unless their car is very old. They also need this if they have an auto loan.

Or personal injury protection since I have health insurance.

Make sure that you will be covered the way you expect. If you have health insurance you can have deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance. The auto insurance can help cover those deductibles and other expenses.

And I'll take my risks suing people and garnishing wages instead of uninsured motorist insurance.

That might take years, and they might not have the money. Therefore no amount of lawyers can help you.

So I would only have liability insurance, so the insurance company would be paying the other person in the accident not me.

Except they can also mess up the paperwork, so that the DMV thinks you are uninsured. They can be slow in dropping the old car when you sell it. Or even worse covering the new car when you try and add it. If you are at fault and your insurance is incompetent, then you risk that person will want to call one of those lawyers that advertise on TV...

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  • What happens if the DMV thinks you are uninsured? If they are incompetent they lose money when the person hires a lawyer and demands compensation. I don't think they would be incompetent for that reason.
    – roobee
    Jul 17, 2022 at 21:52
  • From dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/insurance-requirements/… "Registered vehicle owners are required to insure their vehicles. If the DMV doesn’t receive proof of insurance for a vehicle, it will suspend the vehicle’s registration, and until proof of insurance is submitted, the vehicle may not be operated or parked on public roadways." If you are pulled over for any reason and DMV thinks you are uninsured, then you will be given additional tickets which have to be addressed. Those take time to address.
    – mhoran_psprep
    Jul 17, 2022 at 22:22

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