If you’ve been driving without car insurance for one year and wanted to fix the issue and be able to drive legally again, how can you go about doing that and is there a penalty charges for this?

Tom

Bloomington, MN

It is wise of you to decide to get insurance and be operating a vehicle legally again. It can sometimes be not easy to obtain car insurance when you have been without insurance for a long period of time.

There are penalties typically if you are caught driving without insurance so you are lucky to not have been cited by a police enforcement officer. The penalties differ by state but could include suspension or revocation of your license, impoundment of your vehicle, or fines. To begin fixing the problem, you may shop around buy a car insurance policy for your vehicle. Once that is done and the insurance policy is reported to your state, if you have any penalty charges for having a lapse in motor vehicle insurance your state will likely inform you.

I know someone that got pulled over for the 4th time in ten years and she didn’t have car insurance. What will happen to her and will be the penalties she will be facing?

Arthur

Mobile, AL

The penalty for driving without insurance differ from state to state. In most states, your may will be impounded and car tag can be seized. Plus, some states impose heavy fines for those who operate a vehicle without car insurance. Limited states fine a fee of $150 to $500 for driving without car insurance.

The penalties can be far more serious if you get involved in an accident and do not have proper liability. You may be required to carry financial responsibility laws (SR22, SR22s, SR16) including having to pay for any damages or injuries out of your own pocket.

For every dollar you pay for auto insurance premium, a portion goes to those states that aren’t aggressive toward uninsured motorists.

I recently got into an accident while I was driving for school. Should I report this accident to my insurance company? Will he be covered by my insurance? How will that affect my insurance rate? I am 19 years old.

Carl

Las Vegas, NV

Yes.

You should report all accidents to your insurance company, including this one. In most cases, anyone using your car with your permission is covered by your insurance. Your insurance will pay just as if you were the driver. Though in some states, some insurance companies might limit the coverage. Avoid putting your insurance company at a disadvantage in case other people involved in the accident would sue by reporting all accidents, regardless of who is driving your car.

Your insurance should not be affected if you are not at fault in that accident. But if you were at fault, or if you got a ticket for a serious violation such as drunk driving, your rates would certainly increase when you renew your policy. When you get a ticket or get into an accident, you are categorized into a higher risk group of people who have recently been in an accident. It takes you out of the accident-free group that you are supposed to be in before that accident. So better drive safe next time to cut down on insurance costs.

How do I find out how many points are on my driver’s license?

Vince

Kansas City, Missouri (MO)

Each state varies but generally though you can check how many points are on your license by getting a copy of your driving record or driving history. Most states would require a fee to be paid before they will provide you a copy of your driving record.

Some states will permit you to call into a special number to check out the points amount that your license number currently has attached to it. For instance in Missouri you can email or call to find out the number of points. Wisconsin and Arizona will also allow you to call a special number.

To find out the number of points you have on your driver’s license or other information that might be on your driving record, you may contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles or similar agency.

How do I lower my car insurance rates?

Jim

Wilmington, DE

There are a lot of ways to lower your auto insurance rates. Here are a few simple tips on how you can save on you car insurance rates

1. Shop around. Check car insurance company websites and compare rates and quotes.
2. make sure that the quotes that you’re comparing are for the same coverage.
3. Request for higher deductibles for comprehensive and collision coverage.
4. Ask about discounts that you can take advantage of|
5. Maintain a clean driving record and credit history.

Why do car insurance applications include questions about for credit history or if you have claimed bankruptcy in the past?

Sarah

Birmingham, AL

There is much debate over the use of credit scoring to determine car insurance rates. There have been similar issues in the past with regards of using age, marital status, sex, etc.

Car insurance rates are not solely calculated based on credit score. There are other factors such as the type of car, where you live, driving record, etc. The purpose of getting all of this information is to correlate the insurance rate as closely as possible with the actual cost of potential claims. That is essential to understand.

Using insurance carrier statistics it is known that motorist with bad credit record historically file more accident claims than motorist with good credit. Credit score may also determine whether an applicant is likely to pay premiums in a timely fashion.

What does it mean when you say “list only” status of a driver?

Ashley

Kansas City, MO

Each insurance providers has their own terms they use when they rate an individual for a insurance policy or how they list an individual on a policy. Each state has different requirements for residents of a household and how they are listed, excluded, rated, or excluded with surcharge on an insurance policy.

Some states require that all residents be listed on an insurance policy, however in some situations you may want to exclude coverage for a resident (due to that individual never been licensed, having other insurance, etc).

You may contact the insurance provider that you saw using these terms to know exactly their intended meaning.

Since insurance companies have their own different definitions for motorist’s statuses, consult with the insurance carrier you know that is using this specific auto insurance terminology or read through the terms of their policy to verify what their intended definition is for “list only” drivers.

I bought a car in my name in Santa Ana, California (CA), and I need insurance for it but my license has been suspended. Can I insure my vehicle to someone else’s name or, can I insure it with suspended license?

Matt

Santa Ana, CA

Even though your driver’s license is suspended, some insurance companies will permit you to insure your vehicle.

There are some insurance company that will allow it, but they will require you provide them proof of it’s reinstatement within 30 days from your policy’s inception date. Otherwise, they will cancel your policy.

There are also insurance providers that will permit someone else to insure your car in their name, even if that individual has no insurable interest in your car. Those carriers are limited and they do require the owner to be listed as a driver on the insurance policy. Under certain circumstances you may be listed on the policy, but you would not be included and not covered under the policy terms.

If I pay my car insurance every month, does it helps me to build good credit standing?

Gene

Sacramento, CA

Typically car insurance premiums are not paid on a loan contract, but rather directly to the insurance providers. You pay for future coverage and if you don’t pay, then you wont have future coverage, therefore no credit is being given to the consumer. In some circumstances, you may finance your premium through a premium finance contract but those contracts don’t report to a credit bureau and like I said if you don’t pay the collateral (coverage) is removed.

If you have unpaid premiums or outstanding balances for coverage received then a company will try to collect. If they can’t collect they may forward to a collection agency. Those will for sure negatively affect your credit rating.

Not having a credit history can make it hard to get insurance, buy a car or get a house mortgage. A credit score is assigned by many insurance providers and it is based on your credit history including such things as bill paying history, late payments, the number and type of accounts you have, collection actions and outstanding debt. Your payment history typically makes up the most important aspect of this, about 35 percent usually.

Comment: I think this is a super question to inquire about your teen driver. At 17 years of age this teenage driver can not legally enter a contract since they are not considered an adult. I would assume that most teenage drivers would be considered “safe” drivers they are still not old enough to sign the insurance contract.

I would also assume that most insurance companies would require a parent and or a legal gaurdian to sign the contract and to be financially responsible for the vehicle and the driver’s actions.

I would start off your investigation by making a few phone calls the local insurance carriers in your area and get their opinion on this question.

I really do not see why you could not get decent coverage for your teen driver, but a better question might be are you going to be able to afford this type of coverage?

You might also want to contact the Dallas car insurance bureau or DMV to ask them if there are any restrictions for obtaining Dallas auto insurance in your area or specific situation.