Auto insurance » Minimum Coverage

Auto Insurance Advice For Drivers in Missouri

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:38:45 +0000

If you currently live in Missouri or you’re planning to move there, auto insurance is something you’ll definitely consider if you plan on owning an automobile. Auto insurance covers you in case you cause damage to any person’s property or body, and it is absolutely required in order to register and drive any vehicle.

Each state has its own laws and regulations when it comes to auto insurance, so it might be a good idea to visit Missouri’s Department of Motor Vehicles website to get full details of exactly what you need. In general though, there is a minimum liability insurance that you need to be covered for. In the State of Missouri, this is as follows: $25,000 minimum coverage for bodily injury per person, $50,000 minimum coverage for each accident, and $10,000 minimum property coverage f or each accident. It’s good to know this information when shopping around for car insurance so you’re better informed and can get the policy that’s best for you.

Liability insurance, which is manditory in Missouri, does not cover the policy holder in the event of an accident. This type of insurance only covers third party drivers and property. To insure yourself and your own car, you should consider collision and comprehensive coverage. If you want even more peace of mind, you can opt for uninsured or underinsured driver insurance, which protects you in case someone hits your car and is uninsured or underinsured.

When searching for the best car insurance rates in Missouri, the best advice is to shop around and compare at least 5 different insurance companies. You might be surprised to see how much policy rates differ between different companies, even for same or similar coverage options. That’s why it’s important to shop around and compare multiple car insurance rates.

Even if you’re currently insured, you might be able to save hundreds of dollars a year by switching auto insurance providers. You can compare multiple quotes online in a matter of minutes, so you’ve got nothing to lose, however you could end up saving a lot.

The Missouri Insurance Information Service says more than 20,000 vehicles were reported stolen in 2008, nearly half of them in St. Louis and Kansas City. This would make sense considering these are two of the largest cities in the state, however this is bad news for residents of St. Louis and Kansas City as this means that they will probably be paying higher insurance rates due to the high auto crime rate. The five most commonly stolen vehicles in Missouri are the Dodge Intrepid, Ford Taurus, Pontiac Grand Prix, Dodge Stratus and Oldsmobile Cutlass, so you might want to avoid these cars to keep your car insurance rates as low as possible.

By: Samantha S

Auto Insurance – The Questions You Ask

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:08:39 +0000

Once you own a car, it becomes mandatory by law that you get a minimum insurance cover at least to ensure the safety of other road users. Since it is compulsory, you need to note some these facts.

You need to first know the types of car insurance.

The first is Liability coverage which is actually compulsory because it protects other road users. You can in addition to this take up a collision coverage which pays you for damages to your car caused by accidents. You can also decide to take up a comprehensive coverage to take care of any damage to your car. Adding a personal injury coverage will ensure that whatever injuries sustained in an accident would be taken care of.

You need to decide exactly what you want and then look at the types of coverages that are available and pick policies that soot your need.

Next know the implication of your deductible. What is this?

This is the amount you are required to come up with before the insurance company would make good on your claim. The rule for this is simply this. The higher the deductible you choose, the lower the rates you pay and the lower the deductible you choose, the higher the rates you pay. A lot of people rush into choosing the lowest deductible possible thinking they have a wonderful deal. You would likely be better of with a higher deductible and a lower premium.

Find out what is the minimum coverage for the state you live in as the minimum vary from state to state. Knowing this, you can the decide if it is okay for you or need to get more.

A lot of people pay a lot more than they should pay simply because they did not take enough time to compare several quotes before committing to one.

Free quotes are one of the most effective tools for getting the best deals on your insurance. Many don’t believe until they have tried it.

Try it, get and compare as many quotes as you can before making a commitment and you would testify to how it saved you a lot of money.

Don’t take my word for it, get free online quotes now and decide for yourself if it is worth it. What do you loose, since it is absolutely free of charge and obligation.

In fact, start with these two.

By: Chimerenka Odimba

California Auto Insurance – Simples Steps to Help Lower Your Auto Insurance Rates

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:48:34 +0000

California auto insurance is compulsory for all drivers in the state. California is a tort state, which makes you financially responsible for injuries and damages in auto accidents. Maintain a good driving record with higher deductibles to arrive at affordable California auto insurance with sufficient coverage. Of course, other factors like number of miles driven each year, driving experience, etc. play prominent roles in deciding your insurance rates.

What decides my financial responsibility?

You can prove your financial responsibility in any one of the following ways:
Have an automobile liability insurance policy Surety bond for $35,000 from insurance company to do business in California Self-insurance certificate of DMV, if you own more than twenty-five vehicles Cash deposit with DMV for $35,000

What is the minimum coverage available?

California auto insurance offers minimum liability insurance of $15,000 for physical injury or death per person per accident, $30,000 for all persons affected in an accident, and $5,000 for damages to property per accident. Your insurance coverage should have this minimum coverage; otherwise, you should provide alternative methods of paying for damages due to any accident. California law does not make other coverage like collision, comprehensive, medical payments, uninsured motorist, etc. compulsory.

How you can acquire auto insurance?

There are many insurance companies in California offering different insurance rates for their policies. Different companies calculate their rates according to their experiences, expenses, losses, etc. You need to scout around for various insurance companies, agents, brokers, etc. to get a fair idea of different rates in same geographical region. You can take help of the Internet or call up different insurance companies to gather information. Thereafter, you can choose the most suitable insurance company, which offers necessary coverage at rates affordable by you.

What if no company is willing to insure my vehicle?

It is possible that no California auto insurance company is willing to provide you coverage. You can then receive liability coverage through California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP). You need to approach such agents or CAARP directly. They then assign your application to any licensed insurance company. All such insurance companies have to accept CAARP applicants and there can be no broker’s fees or charges. You can take up a regular insurance from standard companies after three years of clean driving record.

By: Austin Davis

What Are The Auto Liability Insurance State Minimums For My State?

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:28:12 +0000

As you shop online for the best auto insurance deals you may begin to ask yourself what exactly is required by law when it comes to auto insurance. Fortunately this article outlines the auto liability insurance state minimums that you are required to have in order to legally drive in the United States. No matter what state you drive in all of them have financial responsibility laws and require motorists to purchase minimum amounts of auto liability insurance except for Tennessee, Wisconsin and New Hampshire.

Many websites and advocates of insurance (to include myself) recommend having a minimum of $100,000 for bodily injury protection per person and at least $300,000 for property damage costs and physical injury costs. The main reason for this is due to the increased amount of money needed to rectify an accident is usually more then what the states declare as the minimum amount of insurance coverage needed.

I have compiled the following information from the American Insurance Association, the Property Casualty Insurers Association, and the Insurance Information Institute. It shows the auto liability insurance state minimums as required by each state. In order to understand the numbers you must know what the mean. The first two numbers are for bodily injury liability and the third number represents the minimum amount of property damage liability.

As an example my home state of Missouri shows the following – Missouri 25/50/10. This means Missouri requires as a minimum coverage up to $50,000 for all persons injured in an accident, subject to a limit of $25,000 for one individual, and $10,000 coverage for property damage.

Alabama 20/40/10 Alaska 50/100/25 Arizona 15/30/10 Arkansas 25/50/25
California 15/30/5 Colorado 25/50/15 Connecticut 20/40/10 Delaware 15/30/5
D.C. 25/50/10 Florida 10/20/10 Georgia 25/50/25 Hawaii 20/40/10
Idaho 25/50/15 Illinois 20/40/15 Indiana 25/50/10 Iowa 20/40/15
Kansas 25/50/10 Kentucky 25/50/10 Louisiana 10/20/10 Maine 50/100/25
Maryland 20/40/15 Massachusetts 20/40/5 Michigan 20/40/10 Minnesota 30/60/10
Mississippi 10/20/05 Missouri 25/50/10 Montana 25/50/10 Nebraska 25/50/25
Nevada 15/30/10 New Hampshire 25/50/25 New Jersey 15/30/5 New Mexico 25/50/10 New York 25/50/10 North Carolina 30/60/25 North Dakota 25/50/25 Ohio 12.5/25/7.5
Oklahoma 10/20/10 Oregon 25/50/10 Pennsylvania 15/30/5 Rhode Island 25/50/25
South Carolina 15/30/10 South Dakota 25/50/25 Tennessee 25/50/10 Texas 20/40/15
Utah 25/50/15 Vermont 25/50/10 Virginia 25/50/20 Washington 25/50/10
West Virginia 20/40/10 Wisconsin 25/50/10 Wyoming 25/50/20

Remember these figures only represent auto insurance liability state minimums. Many experts agree that more insurance is needed in order to fully protect yourself in the event you’re involved in an automobile accident.

By: Tim Gorman

Alabama Auto Insurance Minimum Coverage Requirements

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:17:03 +0000

Are you new to the State of Alabama? If so one of the most important aspects of moving to any new state is to determine what their car insurance regulations and requirements are. Are you maybe just looking for some Alabama car insurance basics in hopes of finding a low cost policy? The following information will provide you with basic information regarding what is expected of you as a licensed driver in the State of Alabama. Car insurance is required in AL so read on to find out what the State minimums are and then see if maybe you can put these basics to work in saving you some money.

Minimum Insurance Requirements

All drivers within the state of Alabama must have liability coverage when operating a vehicle within the state. The minimum amount of acceptable coverage is $20,000 for individual liability, $40,000 per accident, and $10,000 for property damage per accident.

Proof of Insurance

If you are driving within the state of Alabama you must have proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times. Types of proof that are acceptable are as follows: a permanent or temporary card from your insurance carrier; a premium receipt or binder; the declarations page of your current policy or the actual policy itself; or a recent proof of purchase of the vehicle, within the past 60 days, along with an up to date insurance card from your prior vehicle. Acceptable proofs of purchase are bills of sale if the vehicle was made before 1975; and if made after 1975 then your copy of the application for title. If you are driving a rental car then you must have a copy of the rental agreement showing the insurance coverage.

The penalty for failure to have your proof of insurance is suspension of your vehicle tag registration and a reinstatement fee of $100. Your tag registration will remain suspended until you present proof of insurance to the proper authority. After the initial suspension, if you are caught again driving without proper proof of insurance you will then face a mandatory four month suspension of your vehicle tag registration and have to pay a reinstatement fine of $200 upon providing proof of up to date insurance.

Alternate Forms of Coverage

Instead of carrying liability insurance you can get a motor vehicle liability bond or deposit of cash. In either case the minimum amount is $50,000. The bond is issued on the condition that it will be payment for any judgment against the holder with or without his consent as a result of any injury or damage committed by him. The bond must be executed by a surety company that is licensed to issue bonds and you as the driver must keep your Motor Vehicle Liability Bond Certificate on you as you would proof of insurance.

A cash deposit certificate is issued when you deposit the required $50,000 with the State Treasurer. You would also carry this certificate as you would any proof of insurance. If at any time this money is used to satisfy a judgment you would have 30 calendar days to reinstate your $50,000 balance with the State Treasurer.

Alabama Car Insurance Quotes

Be certain to compare Alabama car insurance quotes from at least 5 different companies before you purchase.

By: James J. Robinson