Reader’s Question:

How much would the penalty be for driving without auto insurance in Owensboro KY? This is my first violation.

Jack

Owensboro, KY

The penalties for driving without insurance in KY can be quite severe. For a 1st offense you are caught, you will be required to go to court and can be fined between $500 up to $1000 or be imprisoned for not more than ninety days or both.

In addition, your Kentucky license plates and motor vehicle registration can be suspended for 1 year or until proof of insurance is provided. It is likely also that you would lose your license for up to 1 year.

To get more information try contacting the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet or if you were cited for this violation you can contact the court listed on the ticket.

Tags: auto insurance, driving without insurance

Reader’s Question:

How long does a traffic citation remain on your driving record in Fort Collins, Colorado?

Kelly

Fort Collins, CO

Driving records provided by the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles reflect activity that has been retained for the last 7 years.

Driving records are for 7 years and cannot be limited to show any time period less than 7 years. The Colorado DMV records are maintained in accordance with State and Federal law, which includes the requirements of the Federal Trade Commission and the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

To get more information on this issue or to request a copy of your driving record in Fort Collins, Colorado contact the Colorado DMV.

Tags: auto insurance

Reader’s Question:

I am insured to drive my friend’s vehicle here in Coral Springs, Florida. I am living in Florida for a year, do I still need a FL license to drive the vehicle or can I use my drivers license in UK?

John

Coral Springs, FL

If your friend’s insurance provider will insure you with your UK license and does not require you to get a state, FL, license then you should be fine to drive your friend’s car. Most insurance providers though require that a foreign license be replaced by a State license from the state in which you are living.

To get more information on Florida statutes regarding international or foreign licensed drivers verify with the Florida HSMV. Your friend in Coral Springs, Florida should also verify with his or her insurance provider to make sure you will be covered with your UK license and will not be required to obtain a Florida license to be properly covered by them.

Tags: auto insurance

Reader’s Question:

Is it required to show proof of auto insurance when leaving a vehicle from dealerships lot?

Danna

Austin, TX

Whether or not it is required to show proof of car insurance when leaving a vehicle dealership lot will depend upon state laws as well as the own guidelines of dealers.

Some dealer’s in Austin Texas may mandate that an individual show proof of car insurance when leaving with the vehicle they bought to lessen any perceived liability. Other factor may be if you financed the vehicle through the dealership. If you did so then it is possible they will require you to get car insurance before taking ownership of the vehicle.

Your Texas insurance regulatory body may be able to tell you if the state requires that dealers see proof of insurance before permitting an individual to leave the lot with the vehicle.

Tags: auto insurance, car dealers

Reader’s Question:

How long do you have to maintain an SR22 in the state of Bakersfield, California?

Tom

Bakersfield, CA

There are a different reasons as to why an SR 22 may be required in Bakersfield, California and the amount of time one is required to carry this financial responsibility certificate may differ as well.

For instance when your license is suspended under the California Financial Responsibility Law due to an uninsured accident you can request a non-commercial restricted license. According to California DMV One of the requirements to get this license is to file a California Insurance Proof Certificate or SR-22 and keep it on file for a total of four years from the suspension effective date.

For other reinstatements of your license after a revocation or suspension you must carry the SR22 for only three years.

Tags: auto insurance, sr22 insurance

Reader’s Question:

What will happen to my license if I don’t have auto insurance in Edison, New Jersey? This is my second offense.

Marge

Edison, NJ

Driving without liability insurance or not being able to show proof of car insurance when requested is a serious violation with severe penalties in New Jersey. According to the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission a ticket for this offense of the New Jersey law may result in community service, suspension of license, fines and surcharges.

A second violation comes with penalties of a mandatory jail sentence of fourteen days, a fine up to $5000, 30 days community service and a suspension of license for two years or more.

If you were cited for driving without insurance in Edison, New Jersey, you may want to call the courts on the ticket to find out what exact penalties you will be facing.

Tags: auto insurance, driving without insurance, traffic violation

Reader’s Question:

My Tallahassee Florida drivers license was recently revoked due to driving without car insurance. How do I reinstate it? Do I contact Tallahassee or go to the HSMV? I’m in the process of buying another used vehicle, do I insure my old vehicle which I will not be using or the new vehicle which is not under my name yet?

Carl

Tallahassee, FL

If your drivers license is suspended in Florida due to being found driving without car insurance you should contact the Highway Department of Motor Vehicles (HSMV). The HSMV website may provide you the information you need or you can call the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Customer Service Center hotline at 850/922-9000.

To have your drivers license reinstated in Tallahassee you will have to pay a reinstatement fee of $150 up to $500, for subsequent infractions, and provide proof of current car insurance. Any vehicles registered to you will need to be included on your car insurance policy. So if the older vehicle that you do not plan on driving is still registered under your name it will need to have FL insurance on it as well as the old car that you are buying.

Tags: auto insurance, driving without insurance

Reader’s Question:

I recently received a DUI in Yonkers, New York . I will be charge with DUI. Is it true that the DUI will remain on my record for seven years? My lawyer however told me that in New York, it will remain on my record forever. Which is true?

Brad

Yonkers, NY

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles sates that accidents, convictions for traffic violations, and the revocations or the suspensions of your driver license stay on your driver record for a different amount of time.

According to the New York State DMV a conviction that is alcohol-related or drug-related specifically stays on a driver record for exactly ten years. If a motorist is convicted of the same violation during that ten years, the motorist can receive additional penalties.

There are other violations and accidents of a serious type that can stay on a driver record for more than ten years. Also a New York revocation or suspension of a driver license that was not cleared or not terminated stays on a driver record indefinitely.

Tags: drunk driving insurance, DUI

Reader’s Question:

I live in Washington, DC and from what I know, my state is one of the choice states. This means that I have a choice of what kind of insurance I’d like to purchase, right?

Scott

Washington, DC

If you live in one of the choice states like KY, DC, NJ, and PA, you actually have a choice of what kind of car insurance you want to purchase. In Washington, DC, you may choose either a “no-fault” policy or “tort” policy for your car. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, which type of policy the parties have will determine how your bodily injury claim may be handled.

A “tort” policy follows the same procedure as bodily injury insurance claims in “fault” states. In the event of an accident, a “tort” is a wrongful act that renders the negligent driver liable to the injured party for damages. A tort policy provides the insured with coverage if someone is injured and files a car accident claim against the insured’s policy. Unlike no-fault where everyone is covered under their own policy, with a tort or fault-based system, the negligent party’s insurance covers the damages of those who are injured and not responsible for the accident.
Under the no-fault system in Washington, DC, you can choose to purchase personal injury protection (PIP) coverage for you and your passengers. This insurance policy is any combination of coverage for medical expenses, loss of income, and funeral expenses. If the injury qualifies under one of the many exceptions to the no-fault rules, you can still take legal action against the negligent party. Consulting an attorney to learn about what those exceptions are and how they work may be of great help.

Tags: auto insurance

Reader’s Question:

What should I do when I can’t resolve a dispute with my insurance company in Reno, Nevada?

Stephen

Reno, NV

Many insurance policies include an “appraisal clause” which means that disputes between insurance company and policyholders must be arbitrated (where a neutral party decides the outcome of the dispute) and not litigated (decided in a court of law). Each party will hire an appraiser to look at the claim and proposed settlement figures. If the appraisers can’t come up to a resolution regarding a fair settlement of your claim, they will submit their differences to a neutral third appraiser (commonly known as an umpire), and a decision by any two of the three is usually binding upon all the parties.

Although arbitration is less formal and less costly than litigation, it is not free. Each side pays the cost of its appraiser and divides the cost of the third appraiser, if there is one. If the appraiser fees are higher to what you were looking for from a settlement offer, the process isn’t worth your time. Therefore, consumers should think about the difference between the settlement amount they are seeking and the amount offered to see if going through the process is financially worth it.

The arbitration process may take anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months and may only be used in matters where damages are the only issue. If your Reno Nevada insurance company does not honor the arbitration decision, it is acting in bad faith and you may then take them to a court of law. This is the time that hiring an attorney is highly advisable.

Tags: auto insurance