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Fun, Fast Facts about Liability Car Insurance

liability car insurance

Did you realize the state you live in will determine how much liability car insurance you carry? Or did you know that if your car is financed you will probably have to carry more than liability coverage? Believe it or not, there is a lot to know when it comes to liability auto insurance. The key to being a smart consumer and a protected river is being aware of all of this.

The first thing to know is:

liability car insurance

  • Some states require liability auto insurance and others require PIP (Personal Injury Protection) or no fault coverage. Either way almost every state requires some level of auto insurance coverage to drive legally. Get caught without it and you could end up with penalties, points against your license and hefty fines. Not to mention when you do go to get a policy in place, it could be a great deal more expensive.

With that out of the way, you should probably be aware of some other things about liability insurance coverage. Don’t take this lightly though. Drivers caught without the required state minimum car insurance coverage could also have their license suspended. The worst part is if you are the driver at fault in a collision and do not have insurance, you could be looking  at very serious legal and financial issues. In fact even if you are not at fault and are in a collision you may not be covered because you will be considered an illegal driver.

The bottom line is not to take chances when it comes to your auto insurance.

Other Interesting Facts about Liability

Sure, car insurance may not be your number one choice as a topic to read up on, but if you need a policy you realize the importance of learning what you need to in order to get the coverage required. You are probably wondering who needs liability car insurance. Here is a basic run down:

  • If you do not have a car that is financed, are not borrowing someone else’s car and have health insurance, liability may be your best bet.
  • However, if you lack medical coverage you may need better car insurance in case you are in an accident and end up with injuries.
  • Also, if your car is financed, the lender will require you to carry more than a basic liability insurance policy. In fact the amount of coverage you may need can get a bit complicated, not to mention costly.
  • In addition, if you have a vehicle with any blue book value, you may want to carry more than a basic liability policy. The reason is you will have to buy a new car if yours is totaled in a collision you cause.

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Cheap Liability Auto Insurance for New York Drivers

Cheap Liability Car Insurance for New York Drivers

To be a legal drivers license holder with a state registered vehicle for almost every state you need a minimum amount of car insurance. The amount of the minimum requirements varies from state to state and it is important to find out what your state requires. If you are a new resident to the state of New York, it is important to find out what is required of you as a legal driver.

The good news is that most states only require a minimum amount of liability car insurance. Liability auto insurance is the most economic type of insurance that is available to drive legally. The even better news is that you can find cheap liability insurance as a New York driver to save more money. Find out what you need to have as a legal driver in the state of New York and make sure you get these things included when you get your policy in place.

The Basics to New York Liability Car Insurance Cheap Liability Car Insurance for New York Drivers

Within each state, there are different guidelines for drivers to follow. The state of New York is certainly not any different. In order to abide by the rules here, you will need to know a few things about your vehicle registration, driver’s license and how it all relates to New York liability auto insurance rules.

The state of New York is slightly less strict about where your vehicle is registered. However, if you are driving a car registered in another state but drive it on a regular basis within the state of New York you must abide by the liability insurance regulations of the state. This also includes if you allow someone else to operate your vehicle on the New York state roads.

The purpose of having New York liability insurance is to make sure you have the ability to be financially responsible in instances where you are involved in a wreck and are the driver at fault. If you are caught driving without the minimum New York car insurance policy in place you can be given a citation, fined and possibly lose your license.

For the state of New York, a registered vehicle must be covered by the minimum state insurance at all times even when not in use. The only exception to this is if the registered vehicle is a motorcycle. Even if you have the car in storage and not being driven, there must be New York auto insurance coverage on the car.

Out-of-state insurance is not permitted in the state of New York. Your New York liability car insurance must be obtained from a company licensed by the New York State of Financial Services. Upon obtaining your coverage for the state, the policy must be filed electronically with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Keep in mind the insurance card alone does not act as proof of your coverage.

Ensure that you are following all the rules by getting your insurance in place. By using your zip code you can find cheap liability car insurance for New York drivers.

Learning More About Liability Car Insurance

Learning More About Liability Car Insurance

Every time you get into your vehicle, you are putting yourself and others at risk. This is why it is so important to have liability car insurance. This is coverage that insurers offer that will pay for bodily image that is caused to others if you are at fault in an accident. Often, people sue following accidents to recoup their own losses, and unless the person being sued has enough coverage, they could end up facing a lot of debt.

Types of Liability Insurance

Learning More About Liability Car InsuranceLiability car insurance comes in two different forms: bodily injury and property damage.

  • Bodily Injury – This will pay for medical expenses that arise when someone is injured in an auto accident.
  • Property Damage – This covers vehicle repairs and other damage to the personal property of those involved in an accident where you were at fault.

Are there Limits to the Coverage?

Any insurance policy has limits; these limits are up to you, and will depend on how much you are willing to pay for your coverage. You get to choose your own coverage limit, which will be the maximum amount that will be paid out if you cause an accident and there are damages involved. Any additional costs will have to be covered out-of-pocket.

How Much Does it Cost?

When many people ask, “what is liability car insurance”, the main thing they want to know is how much it costs. A number of factors are taken into consideration by insurers when deciding how much to charge you for coverage. For example, if you have an excellent driving record with no blemishes, you may be eligible to receive some savings. Other discounts you may be eligible for include:

  • Association Memberships: If you belong to AARP, AAA or other associations, you may be entitled do savings on your liability car insurance.
  • Military Discounts – Members of the military and veterans are often eligible for discounts.
  • Age: Many insurers will offer discounts to people aged 50 and older.

Not all insurance companies offer the same discounts. Getting quotes from many insurers will allow you to see who is offering which discounts, and which ones you are eligible for.

Full or Liability Coverage: Which Should You Have?

Every stately has laws regarding the minimum amount of liability coverage that drivers must carry. Full coverage is comprehensive and collision insurance that is over and above liability. This will cover your own damages, including to your vehicle, if you are at fault in a collision. Other incidents that can be covered include damage from fire, vandalism, severe weather, etc. You are even covered if you hit an animal while driving and there are damages.

Whether you want just liability car insurance or full coverage, you want to know you’re getting the best rates. We can get you many online quotes in minutes. All we need is your zip code, and we can provide you with quotes from insurers in your area.

Is Liability Auto Insurance Right for You?

Is Liability Auto Insurance Right for You

Getting your first insurance policy in place can make you wonder “is liability auto insurance all I need?” Even for drivers who have added, changed or canceled insurance policies throughout the course of their driving history, the world of car insurance can be confusing and overwhelming. The thing is that it does not have to be that difficult to figure out. The important part is that by the end of the process you need to have the right amount of coverage.

Is Liability Auto Insurance Right for You

How do you decide what the right amount of coverage is for you?

  • Find out what your state’s minimum requirements are for car insurance. For example, all states except for New Hampshire require drivers to carry a minimum of liability car insurance. Other states may have other requirements such as collision insurance, comprehensive coverage or no fault insurance, just to name a few.
  • If you are financing a car, you will need to find out what the minimum coverage you can have on the vehicle is. It is important to get the right type and amount of coverage for a financed car and to keep the policy current. Otherwise, the finance company is likely to tack on their own insurance, which ends up being much more pricy.
  • If you have a car that is already paid for and may not be worth a high enough value to have full coverage, you may be better off with cheap liability auto insurance. You can put aside each month the money you are saving by carrying liability insurance as opposed to full coverage and if you do total out your car, you will have money to put towards a new car. Often times paying full coverage insurance premiums for an older vehicle will cost more per month than what you would get if for its value if the car is totaled.

What Exactly Liability Car Insurance Means

Liability insurance is the basic automobile coverage you need to have to cover another driver, passengers, repairs to the other car or property damage in the case of a collision where you are at fault. It means that if you are deemed at fault your own car will not be covered, but you will not have to pay anything out of pocket for damage and medical for others involved in the accident. Of course this is also determined by the amount at which you set your minimum and maximum coverages.

For instance:

  • All states which require liability auto insurance have a minimum required amount, which varies across the country. Once you have met this, it is your choice on whether or not you want to go above and beyond the set amounts. Your policy will come with the maximums to be covered by your insurance carrier.
  • The three numbers that impact your coverage as well as your price are expressed this way 20/45/20. The first number represents the amount of coverage you have for personal injury expenses per person per accident and would be $20,000 for this example. The middle number, which equals $45,000 in the example, is the amount for total medical coverage for all persons involved in a single accident. The final number, which is $20,00 here, is the amount of property damage that the insurance company will cover. You can go with the minimum requirements but should keep in mind if any of these areas exceed the amount of coverage you have, the rest of the medical or property damage expenses will be your out of pocket responsibility.

Some Other Facts about Liability Car Insurance

Liability insurance, which is also sometimes referred to as liability only insurance, is an affordable way for many drivers to get the minimum required insurance as deemed by their state. Getting cheap liability auto insurance is a way to avoid getting expensive tickets or fines if you are caught driving without insurance. Driving without insurance isn’t just risky as far as racking up driving infractions; it can also result in expensive problems if you should have a wreck.

Think of it this way:

  • Without liability car insurance if you have an accident and are at fault, you will have to pay for a lot more than your own vehicle repairs. You will also be responsible for the repairs or possible replacement of the other car involved in the accident.
  • Unless you have insurance, you will be liable for your own medical expenses. Not only that, you will be financially responsible for any passengers in your car and the driver and passengers of the other car or cars you hit.
  • Any and all private property damage done to things such as a home, a fence, mail box or other property will be your responsibility to pay for out of pocket.
  • You could also be looking at covering the costs of repairing or replacing public property things such as light poles, guard rails or buildings.

Coming up with the money per month to cover the liability auto insurance premiums is a great deal cheaper even in the long run than trying to pay for any of these things from your own out of pocket funding. This type of mistake can lead to such a great deal of debt that many drivers suffer things such as garnished wages, repossessed vehicles, foreclosed homes and ultimately bankruptcy.

The Bottom Line

Even if you have been driving illegally without the required minimum liability insurance, you can get a policy in place immediately. If this is your first time securing insurance coverage, if you are changing policies because your vehicle has depreciated in value and is no longer financed or for any other reason, you may want to get a liability car insurance policy in place as soon as possible.

You can work with an automobile insurance agent to find out what the minimum requirements are for your state and get a new policy in place. You can also get your liability insurance quotes right away from multiple competing insurance providers just by supplying the zip code for where you live.

Understanding Full Coverage vs. Liability Car Insurance

The bottom line is that more than likely you have to have automobile insurance but need to decide if liability is enough for you. There are many factors that can go into determining whether you should get full coverage or auto liability insurance. Some of it could depend on the age and condition of your car or even the state in which you live. Whatever the case may be, you will need to know about both liability auto insurance and full coverage to make the decision that best suits your car insurance needs.

State Minimums and Other Deciding Factors

The type of car insurance you get isn’t always determined by you the driver, and therefore in some cases liability car insurance isn’t enough to cover it. At the very least almost every state in the county requires a minimal amount of liability auto insurance. In fact the only state in the country that has not made it mandatory to carry at least liability insurance to be able to drive your car legally is New Hampshire.

If you are financing a car, especially a new car, you will need to have full coverage. If you already own your car, the choice is more or less up to you and could probably be best determined based on the value and condition of your car. If you have a financed car, however, the lender wants to be assured the full value of the car will be recouped in a circumstance where there is a wreck and the car is totaled out.

Some Other Things to Know

First you will need to know the two basic types of full coverage insurance to get a better understanding:

Collision insurance This covers the car if you collide with another vehicle and, depending on your policy, collisions involving other objects including those that are private or public property. In some states collision is the minimum requirement instead of just liability car insurance even if you are not financing a vehicle.

Comprehensive insurance – This type of insurance generally covers things that cause damage to your car aside from a collision such as storm damage, theft or an act of God. Again some states require this to be able to drive legally even if you are not operating a financed vehicle.

The state minimum requirements for liability auto insurance are offered in a three part system. The three parts may appear like this 20/45/20 and are determined by your states minimum requirements and your policy’s maximum payout. The three parts are:

  1. This is the amount of personal injury per person per collision included in your auto liability insurance policy and in this example would be $20,000.
  2. This is the amount of personal injury total to be covered per accident and as demonstrated here would be $45,000.
  3. This is the total amount of property damage covered per accident and would be the amount of $20,000.

How This Relates to No Fault States

There are no fault states in which the no fault car insurance you carry means both drivers and their passengers are covered by the driver’s own insurance regardless of who is at fault. This helps prevent too many lawsuits over damages and medical expenses. Compared to liability car insurance, this is a much safer route to go.

If the accident you are at fault in exceeds the amounts your insurance provider will cover for personal injury or property damage, the remaining balance is yours to pay. In other words, if you injure another person who has hospital bills of $100,000 and you only have your state minimum of $20,000, the remaining $80,000 is yours to cover from out of your pocket.

Deciding Between Liability Car Insurance and Full Coverage

If the choice is actually yours to make about whether to get liability auto insurance or a full coverage policy you have several things to think about. Keep these things in mind when making your choice:

  • You still must meet the state requirements based upon where you live in the country. If you finance a new car, are getting your first auto insurance policy ever or have relocated to another state, make sure you understand exactly what your state requires.
  • The value of your car can help you decide. If your car is older or needs work, then what you pay per month for full coverage may end up being more than what you would get for its value should the car be totaled out in a wreck.

By providing your zip code, you can get free liability car insurance and other types of quotes today from providers who want to compete for your business.