Automobile Liability Insurance To Protect Your Assets

28 January, 2010

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 not only required by law, it is needed to protect your other properties. If you have an accident that causes major damage to persons or property and you are inadequately insured, the person suffering the loss can file a lawsuit against you. If they prevail, then a judgment can be filed against you. A lien can be filed against any of your properties to satisfy that judgment. This lien can prevent you from refinancing your property and if you sell the property, the lien must be satisfied before you receive any money for the property that is 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.

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.

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.

States are finally penalizing persons with more than a slap on the hand for driving without a license. Many states will cancel your registration for the lapse in insurance until you can prove that you have insurance and pay an administrative fee. With subsequent incidents the penalties become larger. Some states will impound your vehicle for six months and charge you for storage.

If you need to purchase liability insurance, request quotes by using the net. Many companies offer instant quotes for the insurance that you need. Compare the quotes to find the coverage needed for your vehicles and at the best possible price to pay for insurance.

If you want to keep the cost of your liability insurance low, learn to drive defensively. This can save you money in a couple of ways. If you drive defensively, you are less likely to get a traffic ticket. In addition, you will avoid accidents. In addition to saving money you may save your own life or the life of family members.

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