Utah Auto Insurance Laws and the Danger of Driving Uninsured
Car operators in Utah and in all of America must always have their Cars insured. It is their choice of how much coverage to have, but there is a minimum established by Utah auto Insurance laws, and the DMV of every state. The minimums for most states have been set at $25,000/$50,000 and $10,000. This means that if you get in an accident, each person in the other car is covered up to $25,000 with the maximum payout being $50,000, and property damages are covered up to $10,000.
When you are in an accident, as long as your policy is current and hasn’t lapsed your insurance company covers the expenses of the accident up to your level of coverage. However, if the insured has a lapse in coverage due to non-payment or for any other reason the insurance company is not responsible and the driver is 100% liable for the expenses of the accident.
Because of the problems that occur when an uninsured driver gets in a wreck, the government goes to great lengths to make sure drivers have valid insurance. There are stiff fines and punishments in almost every state for driving uninsured, even if you haven’t been in a wreck. What could happen if you are caught without insurance? It is different for every state.
If you are from Utah and get in an accident while uninsured, you are responsible for 100% of the expenses. You are forced to pay this and your license is revoked until you do you. According to current laws, they can take away your license for upwards of six years. If you are insured and live in Michigan, you can only be liable for $500 in an accident, but if uninsured, you must pay all of it.
The laws are probably the strictest in Texas. You cannot have a driver’s license until you can prove that you have insurance. If at any time you are caught without insurance you will have an initial warning fine of up to $350. It gets worse if you are caught more than once. On the second time, you are fined at least $1000 and they can take your car for up to six months.
The limits of coverage are much lower in California, but this doesn’t mean you can drive without insurance. If you are caught driving without insurance your driver’s license will probably be taken away for at least a year. They also revoke registration on the car until it can be proved that you have insurance. Just like in all other states, you are responsible for paying for all of the expenses of the wreck if you are uninsured.
It is crucial that you have enough insurance, and that you don’t let it lapse. It is too much of a gamble to go without insurance, because sooner or later you will end up paying for it much more than the cost of coverage. Call your Insurance Agent to make sure your insurance is current and valid. Before buying a car, check with them to make sure that you have adequate insurance that you will be able to afford the monthly payments.
Comments Off
