FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to what people ask Kevin most often. For anything specific to your case, the fastest path is a phone call.
General
How QualitySpace works
What states does QualitySpace serve?
California directly (Kevin Vu, CDI #4037122). New Jersey and Pennsylvania via licensed partner producer Sean Vu (Allstate). Coverage in other states isn't available right now; refer-out only.
Do you speak Vietnamese?
Yes. Kevin is fluent in Vietnamese and English. Documents go out in English. Phone, email, and in-office conversations happen in whichever language your household prefers, including reading the dec page line by line in Vietnamese.
How fast can you bind a policy?
Same day for most California auto cases when you call during business hours. SR-22 cases bind within an hour if you have the DMV Order to Comply, license number, and vehicle VIN ready. Home insurance takes 2 to 3 business days because carriers run replacement-cost estimators.
What's the difference between an agent and a broker?
A captive agent (State Farm, Allstate when you go direct, Farmers when you go direct) represents one carrier. A broker like QualitySpace represents multiple carriers and shops your case across them. You get one quote from a captive, three or more from a broker.
Do you charge fees?
No broker fee to you. We're compensated by the carriers we place policies with, typically as a percentage of premium. This is standard in independent insurance brokerage.
Can I get a quote without giving my SSN?
For a preliminary quote, no SSN is required. For policy binding, most carriers want either an SSN or an ITIN. Non-standard carriers (Bristol West, Aspire General, Kemper) accept ITIN or sometimes passport in place of SSN for AB60 drivers. See the AB60 page.
Auto, AB60, SR-22
California driver questions
I just moved to California. How long do I have to switch to a CA policy?
Establish California residency (more than 10 days, non-tourist) and you must get a CA driver license within 10 days under Vehicle Code §12502. Your out-of-state auto policy may not cover you once you're a CA resident. We re-bind with a CA carrier as soon as your CA license is issued, sometimes day-of using the temporary paper license.
What's California's auto insurance minimum?
As of January 1, 2025, the minimum is 30/60/15 (Vehicle Code §16056). That's $30,000 bodily injury per person, $60,000 per accident, $15,000 property damage. Higher than the old 15/30/5 minimum but still light. Most households with assets should carry 100/300/100 and add a $1M umbrella.
Will a parking ticket affect my insurance?
No. Parking citations are non-moving and don't appear on the DMV H6 driving record carriers use for rating. Moving violations (speeding, red light, stop sign) do appear and typically affect rating for 3 years.
Does California use credit score in auto rating?
Less than other states. Under Proposition 103 and Insurance Code §1861.02, credit score cannot be a primary rating factor. The three mandatory factors are driving record, years of experience, and annual mileage. Credit is a secondary factor; its weight is capped.
How long does an at-fault accident stay on my record for insurance?
3 years for California rating purposes. The DMV H6 record tracks the accident for a longer window, but carriers usually rate it as a surcharge for 36 months from the accident date. After that, premium drops back closer to the clean-record tier.
Can I add my teen driver to the family policy and not double the rate?
Yes, sometimes. Mercury's Good Student discount, Mercury Drive telematics, and assigning the teen as the principal driver of the lowest-value vehicle in the household typically claws back 25 to 40% of the teen-driver surcharge. We run the math both ways at intake.
Deeper: auto insurance · SR-22 · AB60
Home and bundling
Property and multi-policy
My carrier just non-renewed my home insurance. What do I do?
Send us the non-renewal letter and your current dec page within 24 hours. We need at least 30 days to shop properly. Don't panic-shop online or settle for the FAIR Plan if an admitted carrier would accept you. The fix is usually possible if we have lead time.
How much homeowners coverage do I actually need?
Dwelling coverage (Coverage A) should equal rebuild cost, not market value. For most OC homes in 2026 that's $400 to $600 per square foot. So a 1,800 sq ft Westminster home runs $720,000 to $1,080,000 in Coverage A. Liability (Coverage E) should be at least $300,000 with a $1M umbrella on top for households with real assets.
Will bundling auto and home actually save money?
Usually. At Mercury and Travelers, bundling typically drops the combined premium 15 to 25%. The math depends on whether the carrier writing your auto is competitive on your home (or vice versa). We run both options (bundled vs split) at intake and show you the winner.
Deeper: homeowners · family bundle
Health and life
Covered California and life insurance
When does Covered California open enrollment run?
Annually November 1 through January 31 (typical window). Outside that, you need a qualifying life event (marriage, divorce, baby, job loss, move to California, immigration status change) for special enrollment, with a 60-day window from the event.
I'm self-employed. Can I get health insurance through Covered California?
Yes, and the subsidies are based on your business's net income (not gross revenue). For sole proprietors and LLC owners, this often produces meaningful premium tax credits. Bring your prior Schedule C to the conversation.
Should I buy term or whole life insurance?
For most working-age households whose goal is replacing income during the working years, term is significantly more efficient. Whole life and IUL cost 5 to 10 times the equivalent term coverage, and are right for specific estate-planning or business-succession purposes. Be skeptical of agents pushing permanent for replacing income.
Deeper: health insurance · life insurance