Just about every state in the country requires you to have compensation in place for property damage that you may cause with your vehicle and either bodily injury liability for injuries caused to others and/or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) to pay for an injury suffered by the policyholder regardless of who is at fault. States will enforce these laws which are known as the Financial Responsibility and No Fault laws. Although there are a few different ways to satisfy these laws such as making a cash deposit with the state or obtaining a surety bond for a specified amount, most drivers choose to purchase auto insurance and maintain coverage through an insurer.

Although not all states require it, it may be a good idea to always carry proof of car insurance at all times while operating an automobile. If you are involved in a traffic accident you will need to swap policy information following the incident so having the documentation readily available can make it a whole lot easier and faster to go through the claims process. In many states it will asked for by a law enforcement officer upon arrival at the scene of the collision and in many cases not having proper proof will give the officer the impression that you do not have coverage which may result in a fine and a “need to appear” in court with the documentation necessary; both of which can be avoided by simply carrying that piece of paper.

Additional Information about Proof of Auto Insurance

When you purchase an automobile policy, the agent or his representative  should provide you a temporary proof of insurance as soon as the transaction is complete and the finalized documentation should be mailed to your residence. On the identification cards most states require that particular information is stated on the documentation; in most cases states require that the cards show the name of the insurer, a policy number, the effective date and expiration date of the coverage, your name, a description of the year, make and model of vehicles including the “VIN”. It is the responsibility of the policyholder to ensure that all information is correct.

You should make yourself aware of whether or not you are required by law to have proof on you at all times while driving because fines can get quite expensive and become a hassle if you are caught without the proper documentation (even if the state does not require identification cards to be carried it is probably a good idea to do so anyway.) States which require you to have policies you at all times will allow law enforcement officer to ask for identification cards at routine traffic stops and if unable to furnish the driver can be cited. According to the Washington State Department of Licensing those who are caught operating an automobile without coverage can be given a fine of at least $450 which can be close to the amount it would cost to purchase a policy. It would be wiser to always have the documentation ready and never risk driving uninsured.

Feel free to call me at 1-888-365-7553 or start by checking www.muskegonautoinsurance.net

An accident affects car insurance in different ways depending on certain details of the accidents. There will not always will there be a negative impact on the policy premium; however, rates may be increased or a policy may be non-renewed if an accident is classified as chargeable:

Accidents are classified based on a few factors:

• Was the accident at-fault? - If a policyholder is not considered to be at fault, most likely the rates will not be increased. On the other hand, being at fault in an accident will impact rates depending on the company’s underwriting guidelines. It may cause a policyholder to lose their good driver discount which may cause an increase in premiums in the area of 20%. If there was only one vehicle involved, usually the accident will be considered to be chargeable unless it was caused by some kind of debris on the road or by a collision with nature’s objects such as a falling tree, an animal etc. To determine fault, a police report will usually indicate the at-fault party. Without a police report, insurance companies may investigate through witness reports and driver statements. Usually, if both drivers are found liable or 50% at fault, both drivers would be considered at-fault.
• Were there any injuries involved? – Whether or not there were injuries involved will also have different impacts on rates. If one was at fault but there were no injuries, it would have less of an impact than if there were. A “letter of experience” from a carrier will indicate whether there were any bodily injury payouts. Sometimes the police report may be acceptable proof of no-injury; however, not all companies will accept it since persons may not feel injured until a couple days later.
• Was the accident as a result of a collision with an emergency vehicle, such as an ambulance or police car? If there was a collision with an emergency vehicle, sometimes it will be considered non-fault because those type of vehicles sometimes disobey traffic regulations in order to rush to an emergency situation. In that case it shouldn’t have an impact on rates.
• Were any drivers under the influence? If a driver involved in an accident was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it will be considered a “major violation” and may cause a bigger impact on premiums since it will be in conjunction with a DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated). In Michigan, these charges can stay with you for 5 years.
• Was the amount of damage under $750 in damage? An accident may be dismissed or non-chargeable if the property damages were under a certain amount, usually $750 in damage; however, the amount may vary within carriers. Usually when there is insignificant damage to the vehicles (fender benders), no injuries are involved and rates are not impacted.
• How long ago was the accident? If an accident occurred more than three years ago, usually it will be not be considered chargeable since guidelines usually dismiss them after a certain time. Check with the insurer to see how long until they dismiss them.
• Was there a citation issued? Usually the driver who receives a citation when involved in a accident will be considered to be at fault for breaking traffic laws. This, however, does not apply for violations such as “unregistered vehicle” or other non-moving violations.
• How many accidents within the past 3 years? The number of accidents one is involved in also determines impact. Multiple accidents within a certain period may cause non-renewal and significant rate increases.

The best way to find affordable rates, even with tickets or accidents, is to stop by the Steve Bedgood Agency in Muskegon will insure for less.