Financial Responsibility Law?
Reader’s Question:
What does financial responsibility law mean?
James
Birmingham, AL
A “financial responsibility” law means that you are required by the state to show proof that you have the ability to pay for the accident or damages caused by an accident or if you have been convicted of traffic infraction.
The financial responsibility law will not require a person to acquire insurance or any type of financial responsibility during your registration of your car.
If you get involved in an accident or convicted of traffic violation and you fail to demonstrate the required level of financial responsibility, your drivers license may be suspended or your car registration may be revoked.
The financial responsibility law requirements is not based on faults. In the event of an accident, all drivers involved in the accident must show proof of financial responsibility. If they fail to show proof of financial responsibility, this may result harsh penalties.
Getting car insurance policy is the most common way to adhere to this financial responsibility law.
Can I Report a Driver Who Does Not Have Mandatory Auto Insurance?
Reader’s Question:
How can I report a person if I suspect him of driving here in Florida without the mandatory auto insurance policy?
Ally
Jacksonville, FL
There is an agency in Florida called the Florida Bureau of Financial Responsibility, where you could call and report another person who violates the mandatory auto insurance law. This agency is in charge of making sure that all registered drivers can guarantee financial responsibility for damages they may cause when operating a registered vehicle.
If you feel the need to report someone you suspect of driving without insurance, there are financial responsibility departments that you may call. Even if you’re not sure about the person’s auto insurance status, you may still report it to the agency. Do not feel guilty for causing the other person trouble because you may never know if the person he causes damage to in the future is you. Besides, you may think of it as part of your social responsibility to report anyone who may cause damage to another person and may face the situation unprepared.
Regardless of what state you’re located in, you can report a suspected uninsured person. Each state has its own department that handles this, and you may reach their hotline number to report this supposed violation. Otherwise, if you think that you can handle the situation, you may recommend to the person an auto insurance company or agent and try to convince him to get his vehicle insured before he gets caught.
Will Auto Insurance Pay Medical and Car Repair Expenses?
Reader’s Question:
Hi. I’m between policies, I got hit by a car that was insured. Is it possible to charge my medical expenses and the repair of my car? This happened in Davenport, Iowa.
Dolores
Davenport, IA
What a lucky lady! You know what, Dolores, you should thank your stars you’re from Davenport, Iowa. Had you come from other states, you would have had a bigger problem. So, right now your one and only problem is if it is possible for the driver at fault who is fortunately insured to cover all your medical expenses and all the costs that the repair of the damages to your car will incur? That is an interesting question. First, I know that your apprehension is that the insurance policy of the driver that hit your car will not cover all your expenses because you are not insured yourself. Well, because you’re from Iowa, the state’s law protects you because it is not mandatory in Iowa to have a vehicular insurance. However,
I really hope you have liability coverage for bodily injuries and property damages because that’s the only requirement that the state of Iowa asks of its residents. As a matter of fact, even if it appears that you are at the losing end because of the absence of an insurance at the time of this accident, you sure can claim liability from the offending driver’s insurance policy because that’s how insurance works in general.
Do I Need Car Insurance For a Parked Car I Do Not Drive?
Reader’s Question:
I live in Antioch, California. I have a vehicle here that I do not use and did not place insurance on it. It is parked in the streets. I am just wondering if somebody drive that car and got cited for being uninsured, will the ticket go on my record or to the driver operating the car? I currently live in New Jersey.
John
Antioch, CA
According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles financial responsibility must be acquired and must be carried on any car operated or parked on CA roadways. So if your vehicle is going to be parked on a streets you would need to put car insurance on the car.
According to the California Department of Insurance all CA motorist and vehicle owners must have at least the statutory limits of minimum liability insurance or an approved alternative way to pay for property or injury damage they may cause to others. Penalties are very harsh for those who do not comply on this law.
So if you are the owner of the vehicle in Antioch, California and you are planning to parked on the street you would have to have auto insurance on the vehicle and be responsible, if someone operated it while it was without mandatory liability insurance . The fact that you are living out of state in New Jersey will not make a difference to police officer if you permit others to operate an car that that you own without insurance.
SR22 Insurance For My Motorcycle With Suspended License?
Reader’s Question:
Can I still get a license for my motorcycle, if my drivers license has been suspended in Sanford, Maine? Also do I have to obtain SR22 insurance after my license has been reinstated?
Richard
Sanford, ME
States vary on their laws regarding if an individual with a suspended driver’s license can get a motorcycle license. Some states will permit you to have a motorcycle license while some will not permit it while your main driving privileges has been suspended. States, such as Maine, have the motorcycle license as an addendum to your regular motor vehicle license so it is unlikely that you would be able to obtain it without a valid driver’s license.
As for the SR-22 in some states require a SR-22 when a license is reinstated while others will not. You will need to check with your Department of Motor Vehicles in Maine to check if this document as proof of financial responsibility will be required to acquire a valid driver’s license once again. The DMV should also be able to assist you find out if you can obtain a motorcycle license while your driver’s license is suspended.
Is It Mandatory Suspension For Driving Without Insurance?
Reader’s Question:
I would like to know if there is a mandatory suspension for driving without insurance or is it up to the court system and county’s judge? I live in New Jersey.
Martin
Camden, NJ
Driving uninsured is a serious violation in most areas. The penalty for this violation differs from state to state but can include large fines, impounding of your car (and payment of towing and storage charges incurred), license suspension or revocation, community service or jail time. In most states, such as New Jersey, the mandatory penalties for an individual found driving without insurance are even greater than those for an individual receiving a DUI citation for the first time.
This is regulated by each state.
Also, it is likely you will have to comply with the state’s financial responsibility laws by obtaining an SR22 or SR16.
Tags: auto insurance, driving without insurance, sr22 insurance
Can I Operate Any Car With My SR22 Insurance Coverage?
Reader’s Question:
Can I operate any car with SR22 insurance with permission?
James
Baltimore, MD
Under most state and with most insurance company guidelines, yes, you can drive any car with permission as long as no exclusion applies even with an SR22.
But, if you have a non-owners SR22 then coverage is limited to your personal operation of a car not owned by you or any family member in the household.
You can shop around online for a quote on SR22 financial responsibility certificate.
For you to be able to obtain the general price for an SR22 financial responsibility certificate you need to get a quote. An SR22 generally costs an additional $15-$30 filing fee above and beyond your auto insurance premium rate.
Financial Responsibility and SR22 Auto Insurance
Reader’s Question:
What other financial responsibility that may be used other than sr22 insurance?
Roger
Thank you for asking Roger.
Most states permit at least one of these following to be used as financial responsibility:
1. A surety bond issued from surety company.
2. Your car insurance policy.
3. A State Motor Vehicle Department bond secured by real estate equity of a set amount
4. A State Motor Vehicle Department certificate for money or government bonds for a set amount on deposit with the State Treasurer
5. A certificate of proof of financial responsibility signed by an insurance agent on a form prescribed by your state’s Motor Vehicle Department.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
What Kinds Of SR22 Proof of Financial Responsibility Are There?
Q: What kinds of SR22 proof of financial responsibility are there?
A: There are three main types of SR22 proof of financial responsibility which you can file, and those are
- Owner-operator: This means the car you drive is yours, and so you file your SR22 proof of financial responsibility with an otherwise normal car insurance policy. Owner-operator insurance is the cheapest available, although of course it depends on the options you choose.
- Operator: This means you drive, but you don’t own a car. Since with SR22 insurance you need to have an SR22 filed if you want to have your license back and drive legally, then you need to get operator insurance. Operator, also called non owners insurance, is pretty expensive.
- Owner: This kind of insurance usually applies to business owners–for example, if you own a car lot, or if you own a company which has company cars employees can drive, or a rental company with the rental cars. You’re unlikely to need SR22 insurance for one of these kinds of policies.
Do You Need Proof of SR22 Insurance?
Q: Can I get SR22 insurance proof online? I mean, the court is making me get an sR22 certificate or something to prove my insurance company will insure me.
A: You can order bananas online. Do you think SR22 insurance is out of reach? Definitely not. A lot of the bigger companies sell policies online, and that includes SR22 insurance. You may have to talk to an agent on the phone to hash out the more complicated ratings for SR22 insurance, but in the end, buying insurance online is just a click away. AND a lot of companies give you a discount if you do it this way–basically, they’re paying you to do all of this while you sit on your butt in your house.
Some companies file SR22 insurance proof, too. If you go this route, it’ll save you a lot of time, since filing SR22 forms through snail mail can take up to thirty days, whereas if you do it online, it’s more like forty eight hours. Even if everything concerning filing isn’t done online, some companies still save a lot of time by letting you print your SR22 insurance proof off of their website, sign it, and take it up to the DMV office yourself.
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