Drivers of automobiles are required by state law to have automobile liability insurance in every state of the United States. The purpose of this coverage is to cover the cost of damage caused to other vehicles in an auto accident when you are at fault. Every state has its own requirements for the amount of that is needed. Some of the state have a low amount of insurance requirement that is required. Other states have adjusted the minimum to account for inflation as it applies to medical bills or property damage.
In addition to being required by your state’s laws, liability insurance also protects other properties that you may own. When damage is done or injuries are caused in an accident, if your insurance coverage is found lacking, you can be held personally responsible and your personal property can have liens placed against it. These liens can prevent your from getting a loan or must be satisfied before the property can be sold.
Liability insurance policies are often referred to in an abbreviated form. For example, 5/10/5 liability insurance would mean that the policy would offer $5,000 insurance for any injury to the person with a limit of $10,000 personal injury per accident and $5,000 for property damage. Although these limits seem very low, they are the limits that are in effect in some states.
The requirement in most states is too low to give adequate protection to your personal and real property. Often you can purchase much more adequate insurance at a very small difference in price. The insurance agent should be able to give you a very good idea about the policy that would best suit your needs.
To find out how much insurance is required in your state you should talk with the state’s DMV. This department can give you both the amount of required insurance as well as the penalty for allowing your insurance to lapse. Some states are requiring that your insurance company make a report to the DMV any time that your insurance lapses at all.
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.
Learning to drive defensively is one of the best ways to lower the price you pay for liability insurance. Defensive driving will keep you from having accidents and will also keep you from having traffic tickets. If you do not already drive defensively, then you should consider taking a defensive driving class to learn some new techniques.
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