Category: Car Insurance

Tennessee Car Insurance

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

Tennessee Car Insurance – Unlike most other states, Tennessee does not require vehicle owners to provide proof of insurance when they are registering a vehicle with the DMV. Requiring drivers to provide proof of insurance before registering a vehicle has proven to be one of the most effective methods in the county in forcing people to abide by car insurance regulations but Tennessee has opted to use other methods of enforcement in order to make sure drivers carry car insurance. Despite the fact that proof of insurance is not required to register a vehicle in Tennessee drivers are still required to be able to prove financial responsibility while operating a vehicle on public roads. If a driver is pulled over or involved in an accident they will have to provide proof of financial responsibility or risk being penalized for driving without insurance.

The purpose of financial responsibility is to ensure that drivers either have the resources or necessary insurance to pay for any injuries or property damage that occurs as a result of their driving. For most Tennessee residents the purchase of an insurance policy that meets state requirements is the easiest and most affordable way to secure proof of financial responsibility. For a car insurance policy to meet the minimum requirements established in Tennessee, it must include at least $20,000 in per person bodily injury liability coverage, $50,000 in per accident bodily injury liability coverage and $10,000 in property damage liability coverage. Liability coverage is the only type of insurance coverage required in Tennessee and while most states require multiple types of coverage Tennessee’s at-fault system functions to make sure that at a minimum every driver has the ability to pay for injuries and damage they cause to other parties in an accident. If a Tennessee resident wishes to add coverage that will pay for their injuries and property damage as well they are free to do so. Maintaining car insurance in Tennessee also protect the policyholder from any legal ramifications should their vehicle be involved in an accident. Tennessee’s car insurance system is based on tort law which allows private individuals to sue other individuals for damages relating to a variety of situations, including car accidents. If a driver fails to pay for the cost o an accident after being ordered to do so by the court it then becomes a criminal matter and the offending party can be punished with fines, suspensions and even possible jail time. If a Tennessee resident does not wish to purchase an auto insurance policy that meets state regulations the only other viable option afforded them is the purchase of bond or deposit in the amount of $50,000. After the deposit is made the drive must then fill out a form certifying that they have the money on deposit and submit it to the DMV as proof of financial responsibility. Failure to supply proof of insurance or financial responsibility on request is considered a Class C misdemeanor in the state of Tennessee and can be punished rather harshly.

Although Tennessee does not require proof of insurance to register a vehicle the state uses a variety o other effective methods in order to make sure as many people as possible meet Tennessee’s financial responsibility requirements.  For instance, Tennessee requires all insurance companies that do business in the state to notify the DMV any time there is a cancellation, lapse or a non-renewal. This allows the DMV to act quickly when a driver and vehicle become uninsured instead of waiting for them to be involved in an accident or pulled over. Tennessee car insurance law also requires drivers to supply proof of insurance every time they are pulled over or involved in an accident, regardless of why they were pulled over or who was at-fault. Failure to supply proof of insurance or financial responsibility on request is considered a Class C misdemeanor in the state of Tennessee though punishment for such an offense is rather light compared to other states that treat driving uninsured as a misdemeanor. In most cases, an uninsured driver that is discovered by police will be slapped with a maximum fine of $100 and the mandatory suspension of the driver’s license. In some cases, such as ones involving a repeat offender, a driver can have their license suspended immediately but it is more common for the suspension to be delayed until the offender is allowed to have their day in court. If a Tennessee motorist can prove that they had insurance at the time the citation was issued the license suspension will generally be canceled but the driver will still have to pay the fine for failing to provide proof of insurance. If a driver has their license suspended in Tennessee for failing to maintain auto insurance they will have to pay a $20 reinstatement fee in order to have the suspension lifted and may even be required to obtain an SR-22 from their insurance company as proof of future insurance.

Find Smog Check Stations Near Me

To stay in compliance with the State of Tennessee’s smog check requirements, Tennessee-registered drivers must get their vehicles to pass a vehicle emissions test if they live in certain regions of the state. Check out our DMV & Emissions Testing Locations in Tennessee pages below to find a DMV office or testing location in your area.

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Massachusetts Car Insurance

Last updated on November 9th, 2017

Unlike most states, which allow drivers to prove financial responsibility in a variety of different ways, such as purchasing an indemnity bond or self insuring, Massachusetts only allows residents to satisfy financial responsibility requirements in one way and that is purchasing minimum levels of liability coverage. In the state of Massachusetts vehicle owners are required to maintain minimum amounts of liability coverage on every vehicle they own. If a vehicle is not covered by minimum levels of liability insurance required by the state it cannot be legally driven on a public road. In Massachusetts minimum coverage levels set by the state currently sit at $20,000 in per person bodily injury coverage, $40,000 in per accident bodily injury coverage and $5,000 property damage coverage. Massachusetts law also requires that vehicle owners purchase at least $8,000 in personal injury protection. This personal injury protection is meant to cover medical expenses and lost wages resulting from an auto accident, regardless of who is at fault. When a car insurance policy is purchased in Massachusetts it automatically include levels of coverage that meet the state’s minimum requirements though policy owners can purchase extra coverage if they so desire.  Massachusetts car insurance companies also offer a variety of optional forms of coverage for residents of the state, including collision, comprehensive and medical payment coverage. Unlike liability coverage, most of the optional coverage offered by car insurance companies to Massachusetts residents is payable directly to the policy holder and does not require fault to be placed on a driver before the money is paid out. Even if a policy holder with one or more of the above mentioned forms of optional coverage is at fault in an accident they are still eligible to receive the money paid out from the insurance company.

In Massachusetts, if a vehicle owner allows their insurance coverage to lapse or cannot provide proof of insurance when requested they risk being penalized for failure to maintain coverage as dictated by state law. In addition to the cost of the violation itself, receiving a citation for lack of insurance can also cause insurance premiums to rise. The mandatory fine for driving without car insurance in Massachusetts is a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $5,000. The amount of the fine a driver receives for driving without insurance will largely depend on whether or not they have been caught driving without insurance before. In some cases a driver without insurance can also be penalized by up to a year in jail if they cannot pay the fine. Drivers caught without car insurance also risk having their license suspended for up to 60 days by the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Additionally, the tags and registration of a vehicle could also be suspended, which will result in the driver having to pay more fines to have their driving privileges reinstated. In most cases the fees and fines a driver will incur for driving without car insurance will more than exceed any potential savings they saw from not paying insurance premiums.

Recently, the state of Massachusetts has done away with its old fixed car insurance system that managed competition between insurance companies and required companies to apply certain surcharges to their customer’s insurance premiums for different types of traffic violations. Now, car insurance companies licensed to sell insurance can decide what surcharges they charge their customers for traffic violations, known in Massachusetts as a merit rating plan. This allows car insurance companies to set their own surcharges as well as credits in the form of a safe driver insurance plan. This plan rewards drivers to having a clean driving record and not having any accident and penalizes drivers that have a checkered driving history. Although insurance companies are free to determine their own rates based on a drivers history Massachusetts law prevents insurance companies from using anything older than six years when calculating the premiums for a customer. The way insurance companies calculate premium rates in Massachusetts also makes it extremely beneficial for residents to shop around for a policy. Since insurance companies in Massachusetts are allowed to calculate premiums based on the factors they determine to be important, such as a driver’s age or driving history, a motorist in Massachusetts can easily get five different quotes from five different car insurance companies. Even if two car insurance companies use the same criteria to determine insurance rates they are still likely to weigh the criteria differently, resulting in different rates for the same driver. Unfortunately for residents of Massachusetts, legal restrictions make it rather difficult for a vehicle owner to easily receive car insurance quotes from multiple auto insurance companies, primarily because there are a variety of restrictions on providing insurance quotes on the internet. Because of this, if a driver in Massachusetts wants an official quote they will more than likely have to call the company or visit a local agent in person.

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Louisiana Car Insurance

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

Vehicles registered in the state of Louisiana must meet or exceed state requirements regarding car insurance. Because Louisiana is a tort state, which means that every time there is accident involving two or more vehicles one of the drivers must be found at fault for the accident and it is the at fault driver that is required to take on financial responsibility for all injuries and damages caused by the accident.  As of 2010 minimum Louisiana car insurance requirements are set at $15,000 in individual bodily injury liability coverage, $30,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident and $25,000 in property damage liability coverage. Louisiana’s minimum property damage coverage makes it one of the few states that requires resident to purchase more property damage coverage than individual bodily injury coverage since in most states these two amounts are either the same or the property damage coverage is lower.  In addition to vehicles that are not designed to be driven on the highway and vehicles that are nonoperational, vehicle that are owned by the state and buses owned by individual municipalities, such as cities, are not required to meet minimum state car insurance requirements.

In Louisiana motorists are legally obligated to provide proof of insurance to a law enforcement officer upon request. Proof of insurance requirements can be met by producing an insurance card issued by the insurance company, though the declaration page from the policy or a written statement from the insurance company will suffice as well. If a driver is not able to provide proof of insurance upon request they will be in violation of Louisiana car insurance law and will likely be penalized accordingly. When a motorist is found to be driving without insurance in Louisiana state law permits immediate seizure of the uninsured vehicle or the vehicle’s license plates and requires the placement of a yellow sticker on the vehicle to indicate that it does not have insurance. In order to get the vehicle or license plates back the vehicle owner must present proof of insurance and pay any necessary fines. The first time a driver is caught on the road without insurance they will be hit with a fine ranging from $75 to $100; subsequent offences can result in fines as much as $700.

The state of Louisiana also has a rather unique law called “no pay no play.” The no pay no play law prevents uninsured drivers from collecting the first $10,000 in injury or property damage benefits paid out by an insured driver’s policy. In other words, if an uninsured driver is involved in an accident, even if they are not considered to be at fault in the accident, they will forfeit their right to be reimbursed for the first $10,000 that they would otherwise be owed. Under this law an uninsured driver that is involved in an accident and sustains $12,000 in property damage would only be allowed to collect $2,000 from the insurance company and will still be penalized by the state for driving without insurance.

Louisiana state law also dictates when an auto insurance policy can be canceled. If a policy has been active for at least 60 days a policy can only be canceled for certain reasons. Most of the most common reasons for cancelation, such as failure to a pay insurance premiums or the suspension of the policy holder’s license, typically allow the policy holder a grace period ranging between 10 and 30 days before the policy is actually canceled by the insurance company.

Louisiana is one of the few states that operate an automobile insurance plan, which helps high risk drivers obtain an insurance policy. If a driver has too many negative marks on their driving record or has a history of accident or drunk driving they may not be able to find a car insurance company that is willing to voluntarily insure them, even at an inflated cost. If a Louisiana resident is unable to find a car insurance company that is willing to write an auto insurance policy for them they can request an automobile insurance application from any insurance company licensed to sell insurance in Louisiana. As part of the application process the applicant must certify that they have been unable to find an insurance policy over the last 60 days. The application will be sent to the automobile insurance plan office and, if approved, the driver will be assigned to an insurance provider that will be legally required to write them a car insurance policy. Once on the automobile insurance plan the insurance company will be required to insure a driver that is placed with them for at least three years, after which the driver must re submit another application if they still are unable to find an insurance company to sell them car insurance in Louisiana.

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Colorado Car Insurance

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

When buying Colorado Car Insurance Policy there are a variety of requirements that must be met in order for the policy to satisfy Colorado State law. The most obvious requirement that drivers in Colorado have to meet is maintaining minimum levels of liability coverage on their vehicle. These minimum levels are set by the state government and are mandatory for every Colorado resident that wants to operate a vehicle on a public road. The liability coverage required by the state of Colorado consists of three different categories, bodily injury to a single person, bodily injury for a single accident and property damage. The minimum required coverage for bodily injury to a single person is $25,000 while the single accident minimum is set at $50,000. The property damage minimum required by the state is the lowest of the three and sits at $15,000. While there are other types of insurance coverage available to Colorado drivers only the liability coverage, which protects the policy holder from financial liability if they are responsible for an accident, is required by Colorado State car insurance law. In addition to minimum coverage requirements the state of Colorado also requires its residents to carry proof of insurance with them at all times while driving a vehicle. If a driver is pulled over or is involved in an accident and cannot provide proof of insurance to the officer on the scene they may be issued a citation as well as other penalties. There are a few different documents that will satisfy Colorado’s proof of insurance requirement, including an insurance card issued by the insurance company, a copy of the insurance policy itself, the declaration page from the policy or even a letter from the insurance company on company letterhead verifying that a vehicle is covered. All acceptable forms of proof of insurance in Colorado must include the VIN number of the vehicle, the make, model and year of the vehicle as well as the period of coverage.

The penalties for not adhering to state regulations regarding car insurance in Colorado tend to be rather severe in comparison to many other states. For first time offenders caught driving without car insurance on their vehicle the penalty in a mandatory $500 fine in addition to four points being attached to the driver’s license. While the monetary fine is larger for first offenders in most states the points that are attached to the driver’s license can also have a significant financial impact since they will result in higher insurance premiums. A second offense will carry an even heavier penalty in the form of a $1,000 fine and a four month suspension of the driver’s license. A third offense will also result in a $1,000 fine though instead of a four month suspension the driver’s license will be suspended for 8 months and the driver will be order to serve 40 hours of community service as punishment. With each offense the insurance premiums for the offending driver will continue to increase substantially, resulting in an even heavier financial burden.

In addition to minimum car insurance requirements the state of Colorado also requires insurance companies to offer certain other types of insurance to drivers even though the law does not require the driver to actually purchase the type of coverage. For example, Colorado insurance law requires insurance companies to offer their customers both uninsured and underinsured motorists coverage in the same amount of the bodily injury coverage they have. If a driver purchases $100,000 in bodily injury coverage the insurance company will be required to offer them t least $100,000 in uninsured and underinsured motorists coverage. Starting in January of 2009 car insurance companies that do business in Colorado are also required to offer their customers at least $5,000 in medical payments coverage. Every time an auto insurance policy is purchased in Colorado this coverage is automatically added to the premium unless the driver actively opts out of the coverage and has it removed from their policy. Collision coverage, which covers the policy holder’s vehicle from damage sustained in an accident, is another type of coverage that the state of Colorado requires insurance companies to offer.

Colorado car insurance law also covers many subtleties often over looked by drivers, such as the cancellation of the insurance policy and the potential grace period. Many states require insurance companies to allow their customers to have a grace period during which their insurance remains active even if they have not paid the bill. However, in Colorado there is no legally required grace period and unless the premium payment is received before or on the date it is due the insurance company is within its right to deny coverage for any accident that results immediately afterwards. Colorado also regulates the cancellation of car insurance policies before they expire. The only way a policy can be canceled before the term is up is if the policy holder is found to have lied on the application, they have failed to make a payment or if their license has been suspended.

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Texas Car Insurance

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

When it comes to car accidents involving two or more drivers Texas Car Insurance law requires the driver that caused the accident to pay for any injuries or property damage sustained by other parties. Since the costs of even a minor accident can place unbearable financial burden on many motorists the state of Texas operates under a financial responsibility law that requires drivers to prove that they have the ability to pay for any damage or injuries they cause before they are able to legally drive on a public road.  The easiest way for Texas residents to prove financial responsibility is to purchase an auto insurance policy that includes the minimum amount of coverage as required by state law. In the state of Texas the only type of insurance that is legally required to be maintained on a vehicle is liability insurance. The state mandates that every auto insurance policy purchased in the state should include at least $30,000 in bodily injury or death benefits for an individual person and $60,000 in bodily injury or death benefits per accident. These benefits are only to secondary parties involved in an accident with the policy holder and cannot be paid out to the policy holder or passengers in the policy holder’s vehicle. In addition to bodily injury and death coverage Texas State law also requires auto insurance policies to include a minimum of $25,000 in property damage liability coverage which can be used to pay for the property damage caused by the policy holder. Because the costs of medical care and property damage can be so high, even in a relatively minor accident, Texas recommends that vehicle owners purchase liability coverage in amount that’s exceed state minimum requirements. Purchasing extra coverage will also help reduce the chance that the policy holder is sued by another party because their liability coverage did not cover the full cost of the accidents. According to Texas law at-fault drivers are responsible for the entire cost of an accident and even if they have insurance they could still be personally liable for a portion of the cost if their insurance does not cover everything or if the other driver attempts to sue for punitive damages. Although liability coverage is generally described as bodily injury or property damage coverage it can actually cover a much wider range claims. Liability coverage for instance can be used to pay for punitive damages if they are awarded to the court and it can also help pay for  policy holder’s attorney fees if they are sued because of an accident and will even pay $250 toward bail if the policy holder or driver of the insured vehicle is arrested.

Liability coverage on a vehicle also covers more people than just the policy holder or the person that happens to be driving the vehicle. The liability coverage included with most policies covers the policy holder’s immediate family and any other people living in the policy holder’s home. If a Texas vehicle owner wishes to have auto insurance coverage that will pay their injuries or property damage most Texas car insurance companies will allow them to purchase comprehensive and collision coverage. Comprehensive and collision coverage typically covers pretty much any physical damage done to the insured vehicle no matter how it was caused and who was at-fault for the damage. Some residents may also wish to purchase uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage which will be activated if the insured vehicle is involved in an accident and the at-fault driver does not have enough coverage to pay for the injuries to all parties involved in the accident.

In order to enforce state car insurance requirements Texas residents are required y law to present proof of insurance in a variety of situations Like many other states Texas requires a vehicle owner to provide proof of insurance when they register a vehicle with the DMV or when they receive or attempt to renew their drivers license. Drivers are also required to provide proof of insurance when they are pulled over or involved in an accident. Failure to provide proof of insurance to a law enforcement officer upon request will often result in a traffic citation and other potential penalties if they are convicted of driving without insurance. For a first offense an uninsured driver will be fined anywhere from $175 to $350 and for a second or subsequent offense a Texas resident could face a fine as large as $1,000 and will also have their license suspended and their vehicle impounded. If an uninsured driver is involved in an at-fault accident that results in serious injury or death to the other driver they will receive a minimum $4,000 fine and could potentially be sentenced to up to 1 year in jail. Driving uninsured in Texas will also result in a black mark on the driver’s record that could result in increased insurance premiums.

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Alaska Car Insurance

Last updated on November 9th, 2017

When it comes to car insurance laws and policies the state of Alaska is a good deal different from most other states due to its unique environmental, geographical and socioeconomic characteristics. Perhaps one of the most unique aspects of the state’s car insurance law that sets it apart from the from other states is that while Alaska has a slew of laws concerning Alaska car insurance, and there are certain towns and regions in the state that are exempt from these requirements. These areas that are exempt from the state’s laws on car insurance are typically isolated from the outside world and have rather small populations, both of which can make minimum car insurance requirements an undue burden on the community. In addition to vehicles that are operated in the specified areas, vehicles that are designed to go off-road and vehicles that are non operational are not required to adhere to Alaska’s minimum car insurance requirements.

For those that are not exempt from Alaska’s laws governing car insurance a rather strict mandatory coverage limit must still be met in order to operate a vehicle legally. The state of Alaska requires that every vehicle be insured with at least $50,000 for injuries to a single person, $100,000 for injuries to multiple people and $25,000 for property damage; all three of which are designed to cover those that are not at fault in an accident. These amounts are higher than in any other state in part because Alaskan officials want to minimize the lawsuits that are a common result of accidents where the minimum insurance carried by the at-fault driver is not enough to cover the damages from the accident. If a driver has accrued more than 6 points on their license in a 5 year span they will be required to meet these limited liability insurance requirements established by the state of Alaska even if they live in an area that is normally exempt from such requirements. Like most other states Alaska also requires that the driver of a vehicle keep proof of insurance in the vehicle at all times. Failure to provide proof of insurance when it is requested by a police officer or an authorized representative of the Department of Public Safety could result in the vehicle being confiscated and impounded until such proof is provided and all fines have been paid. In addition to routine traffic stops proof of insurance is also required if a driver is involved in an accident that resulted in bodily injury, death or damage of property over $501. Alaska is also one of many states that will legally require a driver to carry full coverage on a vehicle that was purchased with a loan. In some states this is left up to the lenders and car dealerships but Alaska has had regulations in place for many years that ensure that all new vehicles purchased with a loan will carry full coverage auto insurance so that if the vehicle is totaled in the first year or two neither the owner or the lender are left holding a worthless asset.

Although car insurance laws in Alaska may seem somewhat lax, especially in their allowance of people that live in certain parts of the state to disregard the legal requirements, when it comes to enforcement of the car insurance laws on the book not many states are as unbending as Alaska. If a driver is pulled over in Alaska and fails to show proof of insurance minimum 90 day suspension of the driver’s license will the punishment handed out and based on the driving record and prior infractions the suspension could be as long as a year. Alaska state law also stipulates that any driver that is involved in an accident and fails to provide proof of insurance, regardless of who is at fault, will have their license suspended for a similar period of time. No matter what the case or how it is discovered, if the DMV is notified that someone is driving a vehicle without proper auto insurance they are required by state law to immediately suspend the license of the owner of the vehicle and/or the person that is driving the vehicle. Failing to provide proof of insurance in Alaska will also result in a hefty fine of $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent infraction.

In instances where someone that does not have insurance on their vehicle is responsible for an accident that caused property damage or bodily harm the state of Alaska still holds the uninsured driver responsible for paying all damages to the injured party within a period of three years. If the matter is not settled within that time frame the driving privileges of the at-fault uninsured driver that failed to pay for the damages will be revoked for a period of three years.

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Alabama Car Insurance

Last updated on November 20th, 2017

Alabama Car Insurance – The state of Alabama has a variety of different laws and policies in place regarding car insurance and while many are fairly common there are a few laws which are quite unique. In Alabama, as in most other states, a majority of the laws concerning car insurance establish minimum amounts of coverage that must be obtained in order for a car to be legally driven. The minimum amount of injury liability coverage for instance is set at $25,000 for a single individual and $50,000 for multiple people. The injury liability coverage required by Alabama covers injuries received in an accident caused by the person with the insurance policy and does not typically cover the person with the insurance policy. Alabama state law also dictates that a registered car must also have a minimum of $25,000 in property damage coverage. As with the injury liability coverage, the property damage coverage is meant to pay for damage caused in an accident by the at-fault driver and does not cover the damage done to the at-fault driver’s vehicle. This type of “at-fault” car insurance is common in most states and is intended to make sure that the person that causes an accident is the one that ends up paying for it. Although these are the minimum levels of coverage set by the state of Alabama, insurance on some vehicles, such as those that are purchased new, may have more minimum requirements in addition to those set by the state. The purchase of a new car for instance typically requires that complete coverage be placed on the vehicle for the period of the loan though since this is a minimum requirement set by the loan company and not the state it is not considered to be illegal to carry less than the required coverage even though it may affect the terms of the loan.

In addition to laws concerning minimum coverage the state of Alabama also has a law in place that requires drivers to keep proof of insurance in the vehicle at all times. While this law tends to be a bit dated considering that police officers can access the status of a car’s insurance by running the license plate it is still enforced on occasion. There are a few different types of proof of insurance that will satisfy this requirement by the state, the most common of which is a basic insurance card that most insurance companies issue. In lieu of an insurance car a receipt for the insurance policy, or the insurance policy itself, can be used to satisfy this requirement under Alabama state law.

In order to enforce its car insurance laws concerning minimum coverage the state of Alabama has a variety of penalties in place for those that fail to meet state requirements for car insurance. Being caught without insurance or insurance under the minimum levels in the state of Alabama, which is known as a MLI violation, typically results in the suspension of the license plate registration. First time offenders can get their license plate unsuspended for a fee of $100 but are also required to show the court proof that the car is legally insured before the matter can be resolved. Repeat offenders are penalized a bit more harshly by the state as they are required to wait four months before being able to lift the suspension and the fine is $200 instead of $100. In addition to these penalties drivers caught driving without car insurance in Alabama could also face a separate $500 fine for the first offense and a $1,000 fine and a six month suspension of their license for subsequent offenses.

While the state of Alabama does require that drivers maintain a certain level of insurance coverage on their vehicle there are a few situations where a driver may not have to meet the minimum state car insurance requirement. The main way a driver can avoid having to meet the minimum car insurance requirements is by purchasing a motor vehicle liability bond, which the state of Alabama has set at $50,000, or be able to prove that they have $50,000 in the bank they are willing to use in order to reimburse someone if they are involved in an accident that they caused. Both the vehicle liability bond and the $50,000 in cash, which may need to be turned over to the state treasurer, are essentially forms of self insurance. By purchasing the bond or handing the cash over to the state treasurer a driver is basically setting aside the $50,000 minimum coverage amount required by the state and acting as their own insurer. While this practice is not especially common it is used on occasion by the wealthy and people with tarnished driving records that would make monthly insurance costly over time.

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Florida Car Insurance

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

Florida Car Insurance – The state of Florida is one of only a handful of states to have a no-fault insurance laws whereas most other states are tort states, or states that place blame for a traffic accident on one person or another and it is the at fault driver that is financially responsible for all damages. Tort states typically require liability insurance which serves to protect the policy holder from financial liability in an accident but because Florida is a no-fault state, and Florida Car Insurance laws are a bit unique. Like every other state, Florida still requires its residents to meet minimum liability car insurance requirements in order to legally drive a vehicle. As of 2009 these requirements were set at $10,000 for bodily injury to one person, $20,000 for bodily injury to two or more people and of course $10,000 in property damage coverage. These coverage minimums are established by Florida’s Financial Responsibility Law which states that a drive must have the previous mentioned coverage when one of the following situations arise

 

-The policy holder is involved in a crash that is their fault

-The policy holder’s license is suspended because too many points were accrued

-The policy holder receives a citation for a DUI and their license is suspended

-The policy holder loses their license because they are a habitual traffic offender

-The policy holder has their license revoked for any reason

 

In addition to its financial responsibility law the state of Florida also operates under a no-fault law which requires anyone that has resided in the state at least 90 days during the last year to meet certain insurance requirements. These requirements included a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection as well as a minimum of $10,000 in property damage liability coverage.  The personal injury protection insurance is meant to compensate the policy holder if they are in an accident and they sustain injuries and/or miss work due to those injuries. The property damage liability coverage on the other hand is intended to help pay for property damaged sustained in an accident by someone other than the policy holder.  Unlike property damage coverage, which is typically placed on a certain vehicle, personal injury protection in Florida is purchased for individuals and is not limited to a certain vehicle, meaning that even if the policy holder is a passenger in a vehicle they do not own when they are involved in an accident the coverage is still in place and can be used if the other driver does not have the required insurance.

Although underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage is not required by the state of Florida in order for a vehicle to be legally driven it is one of the many forms of coverage that Florida residents have the option to purchase. In fact, any insurance company that does business in Florida is required by law to offer underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage to their customers. If a driver decides not to purchase underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage as a part of their policy the insurance company is required to issue a declaration page with the policy stating that the policy holder willingly opted out of underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage.

If a driver is found to be driving without the minimum required amounts of car insurance  on a vehicle they risk facing a fine and could even have their license and registration suspended for a period of up to three years.  If the registration of a vehicle is suspended the owner must pay a mandatory $150 reinstatement fee and provide proof of insurance to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles before it can be reinstated.  The $150 reinstatement feel will continue to increase for subsequent offense and can reach s high as $500. In the state of Florida there is very little chance for drivers to skirt the system and avoid purchasing the minimum amounts of coverage as required by state law due to the many different ways the state government has of locating uninsured drivers. In addition to traffic stops and car accidents an uninsured drive can also be found when they are reported by the insurance company. Florida Car Insurance law requires that insurance companies notify the HSMV when a customer cancels a car insurance policy or allows it to lapse. If a driver is reported as having canceled their policy and the state does not receive any updated policy information they will directly request proof of insurance from the driver.  If the driver does not provide this information immediately they are at risk of having their license, registration and tag suspended for a period of up to one year. While the HSMV may allow for a small grace period for the Florida driver to provide proof of insurance legally all three items can be suspended after just one day of a reported lapse in coverage.

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Mississippi Car Insurance

Last updated on April 26th, 2018

Mississippi Car Insurance – The state of Mississippi has had compulsory car insurance in some form or another since the 1950’s. Despite over 60 years of requiring residents to maintain car insurance on their vehicles, Mississippi has the second worst uninsured motorists rate in the country, behind only New Mexico. As of 2012, the uninsured motorist rate for the state of Mississippi was an astounding 28 percent, twice the national average, underscoring a problem the state has had with car insurance enforcement for the last decade. As recently as February 2012 state lawmakers have attempted to get uninsured motorists under control by proposing new laws that would aid in the enforcement of Mississippi car insurance regulations.  Introduced in 2012, House Bill 480 will require all vehicles to have proof of insurance before they can be registered with the DMV. If passed the bill will also create a database of all vehicles registered in Mississippi and their current insurance status which will e used by law enforcement officers to instantly check if a vehicle has insurance during any traffic stop or after an accident. The database system is in use by many states and has proven to be quite effective, especially in Georgia and Wyoming, and because it is linked directly to insurance companies the insurance status of a vehicle would be updated instantaneously. If it is signed into law House Bill 480 will also establish a series of fines intended to penalize drivers that are caught driving uninsured. The proposed fines would cost a driver $300 for a first offense, $400 for a second offense and $500 for a third offense.

Although Mississippi has a high rate of uninsured drivers, car insurance is still required by state law, even if the methods of enforcement have not yet been put entirely in place. According to Mississippi, car insurance law drivers must obtain minimum levels of liability insurance on a vehicle before they can take it on a public road. These minimums are currently set at $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability insurance as well as $25,000 in property damage coverage. If a Mississippi resident does not want to purchase an auto insurance policy that meets these minimum levels of coverage set by the state they always have the option to post a bond or make a deposit in cash or securities with the state. A bond or deposit made with the state in lieu of purchasing a car insurance policy must be in the same amount as the combined total of bodily injury and property damage insurance required by the state. In addition to required liability coverage, when purchasing a policy in Mississippi drivers also have the option to voluntarily purchase a variety of other types of insurance coverage for their vehicle. One of the most common types of coverage that Mississippi motorists add to their car insurance policies is collision coverage. Collision coverage will pay for any damages to the insured vehicle should it be involved in an accident in which the driver of the insured vehicle is at fault. If the driver of the insured vehicle is not at fault the at-fault driver’s property damage coverage will pay for any damage. Comprehensive coverage is also popular with many drivers because it covers all sorts of damage to a vehicle not caused by another car, such as hail or debris on the road. Drivers also have the option of purchasing personal injury protection which will cover any medical payments as well as lost wages that result from injuries sustained in a car accident that was not the policy holder’s fault. Because Mississippi requires liability coverage and other forms of coverage are available to driver there is not much need for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage in the state.

Until House Bill 480 passes the penalty for driving without insurance in Mississippi will remain the same as it was ten years ago. If a driver is pulled over for a traffic violation or involved in an accident they may be required to provide proof of insurance to law enforcement. If this proof cannot be provided the uninsured drive could face a fine as high as $1,000 and the registration of the vehicle could be suspended for up to 1 year. If the driver can provide proof of insurance or some other proof of financial responsibility at the time of their court hearing they could have their fine reduced and be permitted to reinstate their registration. Although these penalties are considered adequate the establishment of a complete database that can be consulted by law enforcement officers any time and anywhere should greatly increase the enforcement of current Mississippi car insurance laws. Such a database would allow an officer to know before he even pulls a vehicle over whether or not the vehicle meets the state’s financial responsibility requirements.

Find Smog Check Stations Near Me

Even though Mississippi drivers are not required to pass any smog check requirements, Mississippi-registered drivers can get a voluntary vehicle emissions test done. Check out our DMV & Emissions Testing Locations in Mississippi pages below to find a DMV office or testing location in your area.

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New Mexico Car Insurance

Last updated on November 20th, 2017

New Mexico Car Insurance – The state of New Mexico’s car insurance system is based on the principals of an at-fault system in which a driver can be found to be at-fault for an accident and will thus be financially liable for all injuries and damages sustained in the accident. In order to protect state residents from the financial burden of having to pay for an accident out of pocket, as well as to protect state motorist from having to pay for injuries or damages caused by another driver, New Mexico requires that all residents purchase a few different types of mandatory coverage. Bodily injury coverage tends to be the most important of all the types required by New Mexico car insurance law due to the fact that it will pay for the injuries of other drivers and their passengers involved in an accident in which the policy holder is at fault. The state requires that every vehicle maintain at least $20,000 in per person bodily injury liability coverage and $50,000 in per accident bodily injury liability coverage. Per person or individual bodily injury coverage is the amount that the insurance company will pay for the injuries sustained by an individual whereas per accident bodily injury coverage is the maximum amount that the insurance company will pay out in order to cover all of the injuries of sustained in an accident. Another type of coverage that is required by New Mexico is property damage liability coverage, which will cover any damage that the policy holder causes to the property of other drivers in an accident. New Mexico requires that every vehicle be insured with at least $10,000 in per accident property damage coverage. If a New Mexico wishes to, they will generally have the option to purchase more coverage than is required by the state. Purchasing larger amounts of liability coverage may increase the price of the insurance policy premiums but it will also reduce the risk of the policy holder having to personally satisfy any financial obligations that extend from an at-fault accident.

In addition to liability coverage, which is the only type of coverage that is required in New Mexico, drivers also have the option to voluntarily purchase a few other types of coverage that will increase the overall financial protection they receive if they are in an accident. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is a popular type of optional coverage with many New Mexico residents because it protects them against uninsured and underinsured drivers. New Mexico residents with uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage stand to receive financial benefits if they are involved in an accident and the at-fault driver is uninsured or does not have enough coverage to pay for all of the injuries or damage that they caused during the accident. Collision and comprehensive coverage is another type of coverage that is often added to insurance policies in New Mexico. Although from a legal standpoint collision and comprehensive coverage is optional most vehicles that are purchased with financing will be required to maintain a certain amount of collision and comprehensive coverage in order to satisfy the insurance requirements of the lender. Collision and comprehensive insurance is similar to property damage liability coverage except that it covers the physical damage to the policy holder’s vehicle and not the vehicle of another party involved in an accident. A less common type of coverage for New Mexico drivers is medical payments coverage, which will cover the medical payments for the policy holder and any passengers in the policy holder’s vehicle that are the result of an accident. Unlike most types of insurance coverage medical payments coverage is not fault based, meaning that is can be used regardless of who was at fault in an accident.

If a New Mexico resident does not wish to purchase an insurance policy that will satisfy state standards they always have the option of providing self coverage. In the case of New Mexico, drivers that want to self insure must be able to prove that they have at least $60,000 available with which to pay for any damages or injuries resulting from an accident that is their fault. If a driver in New Mexico cannot prove financial responsibility, either through an insurance policy or a self insurance certificate, when pulled over or involved in an accident they will susceptible to various penalties allowed under state law.  The most common penalty for driving without insurance in New Mexico is a fine up to $300. In some cases, such as a second offense, a New Mexico resident that is caught driving without car insurance and cannot prove financial responsibility through other means could also have their vehicle’s registration suspended. If an uninsured driver goes to court and cannot prove that they had insurance at the time of a traffic stop or accident they could be charged with a misdemeanor and face increased penalties.

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