My Car Has Been Totaled When To Cancel Auto Insurance Policy
Reader’s Question:
I want to know how soon after a car is ‘totaled’ do I have to wait to cancel the insurance policy in Roanoke, Virginia? Should I have to wait for all payments (auto value and medical) to be made before I cancel? And am I entitled to a refund for the unused portion of the policy period?
Carmen
Roanoke, VA
If your vehicle gets ‘totaled’ in a car accident, and it is the only car on the policy, you do not have to wait to cancel your policy. If you choose to cancel the policy, because you are not getting another car to replace it on your policy, you will want to have a cancellation date for the day after the accident.
Your car insurance company will request proof that your vehicle was indeed ‘totaled’ in an accident and the date the accident took place if the other party’s car insurance company is going to pay you for the car accident, to backdate your cancellation date to the day after your accident. Most insurance companies in Roanoke, VA impose a ten percent surcharge to your return premium when you cancel a policy, this is somewhat called a ‘short rate’ cancellation. I do not know if that surcharge will apply in this type of situation. You will need to speak to your insurance company or otherwise, you will be refunded any money that is rightfully yours.
19 Year Old Driver Auto Insurance – Will My Rates Increase?
Reader’s Question:
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.
Do You Need Gap Insurance When Buying A New Car?
Reader question:
If I have to get a new car as a result of a car insurance accident, does my gap new car insurance coverage take care of the down payment for my new vehicle?
Britney
No, it does not, Britney.
Unfortunately, there is a reason why you have to be way more careful when you own a new car, and that is because even with gap new car insurance you will be entirely responsible for getting yourself a new vehicle. The reason for this is that gap insurance has one purpose only, and that is to create a bridge between what your car is worth and what you owe. For example, the car that I am purchasing right now is worth fifteen thousand dollars, but I still owe eighteen thousand dollars on it. This is called an upside down loan, and it means that you owe more for a car than it is actually worth. This happens a lot with new cars, which are worth a lot straight off the assembly line but depreciate rapidly.
If I had gap insurance (and I do), then if I got into a car insurance accident I would not have to worry about continuing to pay on a car that I know longer have. My collision coverage will give me the fifteen thousand dollars that my car is worth, and then the gap coverage will provide the other three thousand. However, at the end of all this, while I would be safe from debt, I would still be stuck paying for a new car. I would no longer owe anything on my old car, but the gap insurance does not worry about that, it only worries about bridging the gap between what you owe and what your car insurance coverage is actually worth.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
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