Need Car Insurance For My New Car
Reader’s Question:
I’m from Montana and just bought a new car. What do I need to do next?
Desiree
Billings, MT
Before acquiring car insurance, it is important to know that every state has its own insurance laws. Every state demands that its motorist have financial accountability in case they cause vehicular accidents.
The State of Montana requires its motorists to have minimum liability coverage. This insurance covers $25 thousand in medical expenses for a single car occupant, and pays up to a total of $50 thousand in medical costs for all occupants in the car. While for property damage, an amount up to $10 thousand is covered by the car insurance.
Car insurers cover repairs for damages to public properties or the other motorist’s car. Since medical and repairs cost are steadily rising, minimum liability coverage may not be enough. And since the one at fault will shoulder all the expenses to repairs done to his or her own car, it would be smart to carry collision coverage. This section in your policy will assist in paying for your car repairs.
While car insurance is mandatory in all states, some motorists drive without any coverage at all. For this reason, uninsured motorist insurance is also very advisable. This will cover for your medical costs following an accident if an uninsured driver causes it.
Shop around. Get quotes from many car insurance companies. It is best to talk with an agent who represents various companies to save time. You can also visit the websites of car insurance companies in Montana. Knowing all your options will prove to be useful financially.
If you have decided on a company, always remember to deal with a legitimate local agent. Ask for a proof of license. Do not make cash payments. Either pay by check or money order made out to the company. Do not forget to ask for a copy of the policy within a reasonable amount of time from purchase. Read your policy carefully especially the fine print. Knowing the coverage type and its limitations is very important.
Auto Insurance Question – Do I Just Need Basic Liability Coverage?
Reader’s Question:
I am a flight stewardess, and I travel a lot because of the nature of my work. So, I really don’t use my car that much, and I just leave it in Naperville, Illinois, where I actually live. When I am away for long periods of time, can I suspend my auto insurance?
Gayle
Naperville, IL
The answer to your question is not really that easy. You will have to take a lot of things into consideration.
When you we say automobile insurance, it does not necessarily mean that we are having ourselves and our vehicle protected from damages only when driving. The automotive insurance coverages that we may need if we constantly use our car are collision coverage, the basic liability coverage required by most states, uninsured and underinsured (UM/UIM) motorist coverage, and the coverage for medical payments.
But what if your car just stays at home and gets damaged for numerous reasons, like vandalism or theft or fire? Comprehensive coverage is the one that is going to pay for these kind of damages which do not necessarily involve a collision. I think, what you can do is suspend just a part of your whole automobile insurance policy and not cancel it entirely.
Another matter that you need to be aware of is that all states in this country require vehicle drivers to carry a certain amount of insurance coverage. Most motorists avail of the basic liability coverage. If you are to suspend your auto insurance policy, they might also cancel your registration. If this happens, when you get back, you will be faced with all the troubles of having your car registered and reinstating your automobile insurance.
In any case, you will still have to correspond with your auto insurance carrier to be really sure about this. If you are 100% sure that your car is not in danger of getting damaged or stolen there in Illinois, while you are away, you might want to suspend just a part of your coverage. But never just stop paying your premium without talking to your auto insurance company because this will just give you more trouble.
High Performance Car Insurance Coverage
High performance car insurance coverage is like a maze, full of terms that normal people don’t use and that can be confusing, especially for people who are not accustomed to dealing with the car insurance business. The type of coverage you choose will have an enormous impact on how much you end up paying for your high performance car insurance premium, and not only that, but it will also impact how much you end up getting if you ever get into a car insurance accident. For those reasons and more, when you are about to choose what type of high performance car insurance coverage you need, you should figure out what exactly the terms mean first.
- Liability coverage.
There are two types of liability coverage, although both are required by law. These coverage categories are property damage liability and personal injury liability. Most states require liability coverage in the area of ten or fifteen thousand dollars per type of coverage, with an additional coverage category for the injury or death of more than one person which requires an additional thirty thousand or so. This is not the number for all states, but it is typical. However, in a really bad accident, damages can come up to much more, so most car insurance companies recommend paying for around a hundred thousand dollars of coverage or more for each category if you don’t want to have to pay for a lawsuit.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
This is to protect you from people driving out on the road who do not have auto insurance, or who do not have enough to cover the damages in case of an accident. It is important to have this coverage because even if you are a safe driver yourself, if someone else causes an accident and they don’t have insurance, then you could be in serious financial trouble.
- Personal injury protection.
This type of coverage is required in most no fault auto insurance states. Personal injury protection provides a lot of things, from the payment of medical bills to coverage for funeral expenses and wage loss. If you already have health insurance and life insurance, then you might not even need personal injury protection. To find out, look at your state’s laws and consult with your car insurance company.
- Collision coverage.
This is for when you yourself cause an accident. It covers any property damages that happen to you, such as any damages to your car, or if you back into your own mail box, then it covers that. While the other driver is covered by your mandatory liability car insurance coverage, it is a good idea to get collision if you want to not have to worry about paying should you cause a car accident.
- Comprehensive coverage.
This is for when a car is vandalized or when it is stolen. It also applies to natural disasters when a car might have been damaged by flooding or by fire or some other type of disaster. This kind of insurance coverage is something that I really highly recommend to owners of high performance cars.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
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