The Consequences of an Expired Car Insurance

A car is a huge investment that’s why you have to protect it with car insurance. In relation to this, every state has set minimum requirements for car insurance. What’s important to take note of here is the fact that having car insurance (if you have a car) is mandatory in every state. If you want to find out what the minimum coverage requirements for car insurance are in your state, you can check with your local Department of Motor Vehicles or any car insurance provider in your state.

So why is it that your state is so concerned that your car is insured? First of all, most accidents are inevitable. In case one happens to you, your car insurance will pay for the damages of your car, and for your hospital bills, too if you get injured. You will just have to pay your deductible afterwards. Without car insurance, how are you going to pay for such expenses? And how are you going to live with the financial stress in the days, weeks, months, or even years to come? This is a perfect example of a law that is simply concerned with your welfare, and it is only wise to follow it. Discontinue driving until you are able to get the required car insurance you need to be considered a legal driver in your state.

Now let us enumerate the possible elements in your nightmare if you get caught without car insurance. In some states, the penalty for driving without car insurance or with expired car insurance is worse than the penalty for driving while drunk. You could risk losing your license for 6 months to a year; pay for a very high fine which has been known to range from $150.00 to $300.00 or more and you may even be required to do community service. Some states will even make you pay for the cost of your court hearing that is equally expensive as the penalty. You could even be required to pay what is called no insurance surcharges that could require you to pay from $100.00 to $250.00 a year for a maximum of three years. This is how important driving with the proper car insurance is to you.

It is possible that your penalties may be lessened if you purchase or renew your car insurance after the date of offense, but usually charges can only be dropped if you’re able to prove that you had car insurance on or before the offense date. With that being said, we can bet you’ll not even think about taking the risk of driving without car insurance.

How Much Does Car Insurance Cost?

People love to drive. We love our cars and getting out on the open road and just driving somewhere. What we don’t love is car insurance, however, car insurance is a necessity of owning a car. You have to have it in case of accidents. It is legally required and if you get caught driving without it, you can wind up with a big fine.

So how much does car insurance cost? There are many factors that affect car insurance premiums. You can get cheaper car insurance at some insurance providers but the deductible (how much you are required to pay in case something happens to the car) may be higher. If you want to know how much does car insurance cost, you will need to answer the following questions.

Where Do You Live?

Location can be a factor in determining how much car insurance costs. Some areas of the United States, for instance, have higher premiums than other areas which translates into higher monthly payments. Generally, urban areas such as cities with a high congestion of traffic are going to be higher than rural areas where there is less traffic.

How Old Are You?

Age is very important when determining the price of car insurance. As a basic rule of thumb, the younger you are, the higher your car insurance. The reasoning is that young drivers just don’t have enough experience behind the wheel. Between the ages of 30 to 60 are the best insurance rates for drivers. After 60, your insurance may start to go up again. Providers calculate factors such as slow reflexes and poor eyesight when determining rates.

What Kind of Car Is It?

This is a big factor. That bright red sports car with the 300 horsepower engine was not meant to be driven slow. Insurance providers are going to figure that sports cars are going to be driven at higher speeds which increase the risk for an accident. Also, the more expensive the car is, the higher the insurance rates. Expensive cars are going to cost more to repair if they get into an accident. If you an inexpensive drive a compact car, you are probably going to get better rates.

How Often Do You Drive?

Insurance providers are going to look at how often you drive your car. If you drive your car on that a long commute to work everyday, your insurance rates are going to be higher than if your car was parked most of the time because you took the train. If you don’t use your car very much, your rates will be a little cheaper.

Have You Been In Any Previous Accidents?

This is sort of like your driving resume when it comes to insurance rates. If you are a driver who has not been involved in any accidents and you have a clean driving record, you are going to get good rates because the insurance providers consider you to be less of a risk. If you have driven your way through one bang up after another, you are going to be considered a higher risk and your rates will be higher as well.

What Is the Average Insurance Price?

So after all of those considerations, just how much does car insurance cost? Well, the average driver in America can expect to pay anywhere from $120 to $300 a month for car insurance. That works out to a premium of anywhere from $1440 a year to $3600 a year. You can always shop around for the best rates or even consider dropping from comprehensive to liability insurance (but only if your car is paid for).