If you’re like me, you get sick of paying insurance. As you pay those high insurance bills, the thought crosses your mind, “What if I just don’t pay it? What’s the worst that could happen?” Depending on where you live, a variety of things could happen. In this article, you will discover what’s required and what can happen if you don’t pay your car insurance.
In the United States, each state is allowed to come up with their own set of laws and this applies to insurance also. In New Hampshire, no liability insurance is required but in Virginia, you must pay a $500 annual fee if you choose not to have liability insurance. In North Carolina, no insurance = no drivers license.
If you own a car, in every state the minimum requirement is liability insurance. Liability insurance doesn’t cover you or your property, but covers the costs of the other people involved in the accident. That way if the accident is your fault, your insurance can pay medical costs and the costs to repair or replace the other person’s car. Here are some of the penalties for not having liability car insurance:
- Large fines – fines vary from $100 to $500 for first-time offence
- Suspension of license – time varies from 30 days to 3 months for first-time offence
- Jail time – usually only after you have been caught driving with a suspended license
As you can see, none of these are good and you need to know your individual state’s requirements. One of the easiest ways to find out the requirements for your state is to go online and search for ” ‘name of state’ car insurance laws”. Beware of unofficial websites offering information though. There are many sites set up to make money off of selling car insurance or getting leads for car insurance quotes. Make sure you find your state’s official site so you know you are getting the correct information for your site.
Now that you know what liability insurance is and some of the consequences, check your state’s insurance laws today so you can make sure you are covered and don’t suffer a fine, license suspension, or even jail time.
