Automobile Liability Insurance For Your Financial Protection
January 29, 2010 – 11:17 pm
The state laws of every state in the USA require that you carry Car Liability Insurance on your vehicle. This coverage pays for damage that you cause to persons or property in an automobile accident when you are at fault. The laws regarding this insurance are determined by the individual states. This means that the requirement varies by state. In some states you will find that the state minimums are lower than in other states.
Liability insurance is required by law, but it also protects other assets that you own. If you were to have an accident that caused major damage to persons or property and your insurance coverage were inadequate, it is possible that the persons suffering the loss could file a lawsuit and take properties that belong to you. They could even file a lien against your home which could prevent refinancing of your home and would need to be satisfied before selling the home.
Many times you will hear liability referred to using three numbers such as 25/50/25. The first 25 refers to the amount of money the policy would pay for medical expenses and other personal injury expenses ($25,000) for any one person that was hurt in an accident. The 50 is the maximum amount payable to all persons hurt in the accident ($50,000) and the second 25 is what the policy would pay for property damage ($25,000).
It is common for a states limits to be lower than the actual amount of insurance than is needed. A good insurance agents can help you to know the correct amount of insurance to protect you other investments.
If you are unsure of the required amount of liability insurance that is required by your state, you should check with your department of motor vehicles. They can let you know the requirements for your state. In addition, you should check to see what the penalties are for driving without insurance. In many states, the insurance company is now required to report to the DMV if you insurance lapses for even one day.
The penalty for allowing the insurance to lapse even one day is cancellation of the registration of your vehicle or of your driver’s license. You will have to show proof of insurance and pay an administrative fee or fine to have them reinstated. The penalties grow progressively higher with each time the insurance lapses and some states will confiscate your vehicle on the third offense for six months. You are responsible to pay for the state to store your car.
If you do not have liability insurance, you can get quotes using your home computer and the internet. Compare those quotes in order to find the best prices and coverage for your vehicle. There may be several hundred dollars per year difference in the same coverage from different companies.
The best way to keep the cost of liability insurance low is to learn to drive defensively. Defensive drivers save in two ways. They are able to avoid many accidents as well as traffic tickets. Both of these actions keep the cost of your liability insurance low.
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