Ray,

Houston, TX

Hi Ray,

I own a collector car as well and had a hard time getting a carrier to cover it without charging an arm and a leg.   Progressive was who I eventually decided to hand over my hard earned money to.  You can compare them and others from this site, and that might be the best way for you to start.  Be prepared to get a few phone calls from agents….so make them work for their commission and get you the best rate.

Dave

How will I know if my local auto insurance agent is legit?

Marie

El Paso, TX

Faulty insurance claims have been very rampant in the last ten years. Millions of dollars are lost from auto insurance companies because of this. And if you think that you are not affected in any way, then think again. Auto insurance payments soar every single year as companies offset their financial losses after getting defrauded.

And that is why we should take the extra precaution to protect ourselves from insurance fraud. Firstly, investigate on the licensing status of your local auto insurance agent by calling the Texas Insurance Commissioner’s office. Provide them with the name and license number of the agent. Once you have verified this, remember that paying for your auto insurance policy should be made through money order or check. And the policy should be delivered after a reasonable amount of days from purchase. Be sure to report if you have not received a copy of the policy after a week. When behind the wheel, be defensive and safe in driving to avoid getting into accidents. The most common insurance fraud is done by staging a car accident. If you do get into one, be wary about individuals contacting you to suggest a specific lawyer, medical clinic or doctor as they may be a part of a larger insurance fraud ring.

Will a California DUI arrest affect my application for local auto insurance if I transfer and live permanently in Montana?

Victoria

San Diego, CA

The United States government has devised an efficient way to maximize all of its law enforcement activities concerning traffic violations. The formation of the Driver License Compact (DLC) in the year 1960 has made sharing of valuable traffic information between states possible. The states of California and Montana are members of this compact. This means that any traffic violation in California will be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles in Montana and vice versa. Any traffic citation from the seemingly harmless parking ticket to the serious offense of driving under the influence (DUI) of any controlled substance such as alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescribed drugs that impair the driver’s ability to safely control the vehicle will be reported to the offender’s licensing state.

The 45 member states of the DLC utilize the National Driver Register (NDR). This is an online database of “problem” drivers. Those who have had their licenses canceled or suspended will be listed in here. Additionally, drivers who have DUI citations or other severe traffic violations will have their names listed here. So, if you have had a DUI arrest and/or conviction in California before, the State of Montana will definitely know about it. You may also have a hard time finding a local auto insurance provider in Montana to approve your application if you have been found guilty of serious traffic violations before. Or if you find one, you can expect a very high assessment of premiums since you will be considered an unfavorable insurance risk.

I will be buying my very first car soon. Is auto insurance required to have the car registered in Minnesota?

Jonathan

Minneapolis, MN

Every car owner is required to obtain auto insurance coverage based on the financial responsibility laws of Minnesota. Likewise, for a car to be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), a proof of insurance needs to be presented for the car to be registered. Failure of any motorist to obtain auto insurance coverage may result to a driver’s license suspension. Moreover, thousands of dollars will have to be paid for statutory fines, attorney’s fees and driver’s license reinstatement fees. The car in question may also end up in the state impound.

With all these possible consequences, it is more practical to just comply with the auto insurance requirements. Not only will you be protecting your property and sanity, but other people’s safety, as well.

The State of Minnesota strictly adheres to the no-fault policy. This law has been adopted to cut back on lawsuits and extend prompt and necessary financial assistance to persons involved in a traffic accident. This law dictates that the insurer will be the one shouldering all the costs for medical treatment of its policyholder. It is for this reason that Personal Injury Protection (PIP) needs to be in effect at the time of the accident. All drivers also need to purchase the minimum liability auto insurance. This kicks in when the insured is liable and the other driver’s coverage was not enough to pay for medical care and repairs to the damaged vehicle.

If I get into an accident here in California, who am I supposed to call?

Karl

Sacramento, CA

The plan of action after any accident really depends on what kind of trouble you’ve gotten yourself into. It depends on how serious it was. Basically you have to file a bunch of reports to three places.

First, you should make contact with your auto insurance company. Promptly reporting the accident is important in times like these. You might be required to submit what’s called a Notice of Loss. If you are unable to do this promptly, this might be used as a reason to deny you of auto insurance coverage. So, if I were you, I wouldn’t take that chance. The reason is that it is necessary for your auto insurance company to collect as much information as they can, as soon as they can. You might be asked to sign some kind of authorization for them to be able to record the accident.

Next comes the police report especially when one of the two drivers or any of their passengers have been injured. You will also be required to file a police report when there is significant damage on any or both of the vehicles and it exceeds a certain amount set by the state. Basically, what you will be asked to do by the police will depend on the extent of the damage and injury. Call the authorities right away, so they can tell you how to proceed.

Finally, you must contact the California DMV or the Department of Motor Vehicles. If the total cost of the damage including injuries to people goes over $500, you will be asked to file an SR-1, 5 to 10 days after the accident happened.