Are discounted married rate on car insurance available in Billings Montana for a couple who are not legally married but are living together?

Alexis

Billings, MT

A couple living together can publicly declare themselves as married under common-law marriage laws. In this case, they should be able to receive whatever benefits are afforded to traditionally married couples. Also, they should be subject to the laws governing such union.

In theory, auto insurance premiums for married couple are lower because insurance companies believe that marriage makes a person to be more mature and responsible. Thus, cases of reckless driving will most likely be prevented. Some insurance companies may even give discounts or a reduction in rates based on lifestyle events that signal greater maturity, such as having a baby.

So a discount or lowering of rates may be possible but on the other hand if one or both of drivers in a married couple have bad or poor driving records, then insurance rates could be higher than that of a single driver. If one party of the married couple has a good record and the other has a poor driving history, the one with the bad record can affect the rates of both. This is because insurance companies based rates on the highest risk driver in Billings Montana.

Since a car insurance policy usually extends to all licensed household members (meaning you, your spouse and anyone else with a valid license), if any of these people have a poor driving record then your insurance premiums can be affected. Keep in mind that two people are now placing both of their vehicles on one policy. A multi-car discount may also be available. Check with your Billings Montana agent or insurance company to see how you can take advantage of these discounts if offered.

Are Texas car insurance companies allowed to cancel my auto insurance policy if I get ticketed for speeding?

Bruce

They are, yes.

Car insurance companies accept their customers based on a certain criteria, and you can’t expect a car insurance company that did not give policies to high risk drivers to begin with to continue to let you have a policy with them if you move into the high risk driver group while you are there. While it is not true that these companies will always, without fail, find out about any of your car traffic infractions, for the most part they check your driving record regularly, so if it comes up they can cancel or refuse to renew tour car insurance policy.

For the most part, this only happens if you get the ticket within two months of having gotten the policy to begin with. For example, if you get a ticket later on in your policy cycle, they might let it slide. The only reason that most companies will cancel during that time is if you don’t pay your premium as scheduled.

Also, if it is your first speeding ticket, for the most part your car insurance company won’t cancel or not renew your policy for just the one. While Texas is not among the states that have laws making it to where they cannot cancel you for one ticket, most car insurance companies still see letting the first ticket go as good business practice. If you get more than one speeding ticket during your premium period, though, you’re pretty much guaranteed a non renewal.

If you want to avoid getting high rates or policy cancellation, Texas offers defensive driving classes that you can take in order to get these offenses wiped off of your record.

Cheers,

Fashun Guadarrama.

When I went to court for my speeding ticket, they told me that I would have to file an SR 22 form from now on. What does that mean?

Gale

Great question.

The SR 22 form is something that must be filed by your car insurance company whenever you commit a serious traffic violation, such as driving drunk or speeding fifteen miles over the limit. In some states, you don’t even have to commit an offense to have an SR 22 form filed. They file them for everybody. In states where they are filed for everybody, such as New York, it is pretty much impossible for someone to go without car insurance and not get found out. It’s the same way for anyone else who needs to file SR 22 car insurance. If you don’t have a car insurance company to file a form, then you could risk such serious consequences as losing your license.

The kind of car insurance that requires an SR 22 form is of the most expensive variety. When you commit an offense such as speeding or driving under the influence, then you are often moved into the highest risk group in the car insurance industry. A lot of times, your car insurance company will cancel your policy outright. If this happens, you might have a hard time finding a company to give you a policy and file an SR 22 form for you. If all else fails, you might be forced to join a state sponsored risk pool. Whatever you do, you will end up paying probably twice as much as you did on your previous premium now that you’re a high risk driver.

So does everything to do with the SR 22 form rest on your company’s shoulders? Nope, not at all. First of all, your car insurance company won’t know automatically that you need an SR 22 form, so if you don’t tell them, then you will get in trouble concerning your license. You have to call up your company, first, and tell them that you need SR 22 insurance. Sometimes you will need to take the SR 22 form to the Department of Motor Vehicles in addition to having your company file one. If this is the case, you can either have the insurance company mail you one, or print one out from your computer.

Cheers,

Fashun Guadarrama.