Reader’s Question:

In the state of Minnesota, if another person gets into an accident while driving my car, will he be covered by my auto insurance policy?

William,

St. Paul, MN

In the Minnesota Driver’s Manual, it is stated that every owner of a motor vehicle must have no-fault and at least minimum state-required liability insurance. The proof for the auto insurance must be carried at all times and must be made available to the court or the law enforcer at the time that is required.

Typically, an auto insurance policy in Minnesota covers members of the household - provided that they are listed in the policy and that they do not have their own policies. Therefore, if they get into an accident while driving your car, they are pretty much covered.

If an uninsured driver uses your vehicle with your permission and gets into an accident while operating your vehicle, your auto insurance policy will cover him. During the event that this driver gets into an accident or commits a road traffic violation, he must be able to show proof of insurance to the police officer if he is required to show it. Although he is not the owner of the vehicle, he must show proof of insurance showing your name (as the owner) or if in the absence thereof, give the officer your name and address. Minnesota State Statutes Section 169.71 states that if a person is not able to show proof of insurance at the time that it is needed, he will be charged of misdemeanor and may be penalized by fine payment, imprisonment, or suspension of driver’s license (depending on the frequency of the violation).

Tags: auto insurance coverage, auto insurance policy, car insurance law

Reader’s Question:

I am in the process of getting a leased car. The agent in Columbus, Ohio is offering gap insurance and I barely know anything about it. Shall I take it?

Ruth

Columbus, OH

Hi Ruth. Personally I like the whole kit and caboodle of gap insurance. For most of us car owners who do not have the extra cash always, gap insurance could come handy, especially when what we have is a long-term lease, like, let’s say, five years.

Gap insurance bridges the difference between what the insurer assesses your car to be worth and the remaining balance of your loan at the time of the loss or accident. It’s literally that–filling in the void that we, as a matter of fact, often overlook. For example, your 18-month-old car which you bought for 18,000 gets stolen. You still have an outstanding loan balance of 13,000, and based on depreciation rates, the insurance company’s assessment of your car is only 12,000, then there is that difference of 1,000 that you will have to take out of your own pocket.

That difference is what the gap insurance covers. Most auto dealers and insurance companies in Columbus, Ohio, offer gap insurance. So, it should be easy for you to review them first and to choose the best deal. And contrary to what others might think, gap insurance is actually very affordable. I’d get one in a heartbeat.

Tags: auto insurance, gap insurance

Reader question:

Im trying to find an insurance provider in Hillsboro, Oregon with the best car insurance rates? Can you help me?

Tony

Hillsboro, OR

The best way to look for a great auto insurance quote from an Oregon vehicle insurance provider is to shop around. In this way it will help you save you more money. All you need to do is to turn on your computer and gather all of the information you can that will be needed to acquire an online car insurance quote from each Hillsboro, Oregon auto insurance provider.

These websites will provide you car insurance quotes from more than one Oregon auto insurance provider, and it only takes a few seconds to fill out the form.

Most Americans do not shop around for car insurance quotes when choosing their Oregon auto insurance provider, and because of this they usually end up overpaying. If you stay on your computer filling out information for an hour or so, and you find auto insurance quotes for a cheap cost, it’s like you just earned a hundred dollars in that time.

Usually you will get an instant quotes online as soon as you submit the information. Sometimes the quote that you have received will be emailed to you. Some insurance providers in Hillsboro, Oregon will contact you and speak to you about the car insurance quote. So, getting an instant car insurance quote online is fast, easy and reliable.

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance, car insurance quotes

Q: How can I get Sr-22 insurance quotes?

A: Two ways exist for you to get Sr-22 insurance quotes, or at least two good ways. One is cheap, easy, and quick, and the other is free and quicker. Which way you end up going will of course depend on your finances and ability to pay up as well as how much time you have available.

First, you have the car insurance agent. Agents have been giving people Sr-22 insurance quotes since the dawn of time, but the kink in this plan is that they often charge a fee. Independent agents can still be helpful, though, because they take your information and compare it among several companies and then, after seeing the quotes, decide which company you fit best with.

Secondly, you have the internet. If you find your Sr-22 insurance quotes on the internet, you don’t pay a dime. You can get it all done in only a few minutes and you can be trustful that the companies you are researching are giving you information from someone who isn’t being paid to do it. Buying direct instead of through an agent is also more flexible.

Q: For what reasons may my license be suspended and I made to file a DMVsr22?

A: There are a ton of reasons why you may be made to file an DMVsr22, but here is a short list:

• if you get caught riving without insurance in California, then yor license will be suspended
• if you are caught vandalising
• if you are convicted of drunk driving
• if you get into an accident and don’t file a report
• if you have too many points on your driver’s license from things such as tickets
• if you get a ticket and you decide not to go to the court date, or if you don’t pay the fine you owe by the time it’s due
• if you are caught drinking, whether your driving or not, when you are not legally old enough to do so

In some of these cases, you are able to reinstate your license after a certain amount of time by filing a DMVsr22. In other cases, you are only able to get a restricted license, such as one which you can only use to drive to work.

Q: Can you explain the Sr22 certificate filing process to me?

A: Sure. The Sr22 certificate filing process isn’t very complicated, and it is composed of only a few steps, the first being the suspension of your license. In most cases, you are only able to begin filing your Sr22 certificate once the date which you can get your license back on is arrived. Once that date nears, you have to sign up for a car insurance policy and SR22 filing with a car insurance company. Do this at least a couple of weeks ahead of time, preferably a month, because some companies take as much as 30 days to file and your Sr22 certificate needs to be filed when you go to get your license back.

Next, your car insurance company may send you the Sr22 certificate to sign. Sometimes, you send it back and then the company passes it on to the DMV. Other times, you hold on to it and take it with you when you go to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Still other times, your company will be up with the times and will make it much quicker and easier to file it by doing so electronically–this takes around two days, compared to weeks to a month. Once you have your Sr22 certificate, you pay your reinstatement fee and get your license back.

Reader question:

I have a car that’s very old and I don’t drive it much. Do I need DUI SR22 insurance?

Greg

Glad you asked, Greg.

While it’s frustrating to have to pay for DUI SR22 coverage for old, junky cars that you barely use, if you use them at all then it has to be done. You see, if you don’t have SR22 insurance, then you don’t have a license, so you’re basically stuck out driving illegally or using the bus–or if there’s no bus, touch luck, get a bike.

You can save money on your DUI SR22 in two areas here, though.

1. If your vehicle is worth <$2000, then you can cut yourself down to whatever the required car insurance coverage minimum is in your state of residence.
2. Since you rarely drive your vehicle, you can ask for a discount for low mileage on your policy if you drive less than 10,000 miles a year.

With these savings, you can ut down drastically the amount of your paycheck you have to put toward car insurance premiums, and save money on the way.

Cheers,

Fashun Guadarrama.

Reader question:

What is the best way to save on DWI SR22 insurance?

July

Great question, July.

You can save on your DWI SR22 insurance by taking the very first step, which is looking up car insurance quotes online instead of just going with the first offer. Believe it or not, most people don’t do this. They stick with the same company for too long as their rates rise, or they don’t bother to compare quotes at all. As a result, most people in the United States are overpaying by leaps and bounds for their auto insurance–the average amount is $400.

The reason why it is imperative to compare quotes for your DWI SR22 insurance is because most insurance companies have prices that are wildly different from one another. You can see differences in rates in the hundreds of dollars, just for one person, if you look at several different companies.

By failing to compare quotes for DWI SR22 insurance, you are basically damning yourself to paying too much for your coverage, and will lose a lot of money over the years. Put your money where you want to and not in insurance costs.

Cheers,

Fashun Guadarrama.

Reader question:

If I get an SR22 for DUI, how long must I have the form on file?

Jane

Thanks for the question, Jane.

Well, if all goes well, you should only have the SR22 for DUI form on file for three years, unless you are in Texas, in which case, two years. This is if you do everything correctly and quickly. See, normally, you are actually on probation for five years, which means that you do not return to normalcy until five years have passed since you restored your license. You can bypass two of those years by having an SR22 form on file continuously for the first three years, but if you decide to wait it out and not reinstate your license, in most states you will have to wait the whole five years.

Of course, how many years you must file an SR22 for DUI will also hinge on how many DUIs you have had before. If this DUI is only your first DUI, then you will do three years along with the people who racked up too many traffic points or drove without insurance and so on. In some states, though, if you have been convicted of multiple DUIs, then you will have to file SR22 for DUI for even longer, with the amount going up to as much as 10 years.

Cheers,

Fashun Guadarrama.

Reader question:

What is DUIsr22 insurance?

Margo

Glad you asked, Margo.

DUIsr22 insurance is what you will need if you want to start driving again after the period in which your driver’s license has to be suspended has ended. For most people, that period lasts from several weeks to several months, and you then have the option to purchase DUIsr22 insurance.

This type of insurance basically involves you buying a regular insurance policy, but the company also has to file a form with the DMV proving that you are insured with them; if you ever cancel your policy, another form cancelling the first form is filed.

DUIsr22 insurance is expensive, and someitmes difficult to get because of the risk you pose to car insurance companies. If you aren’t able to find a policy, then you should call around to so called “high risk” car insurance companies. Usually one of these companies will be able to insure you, but make sure you gather quotes so that you don’t pay too much.

If even one of those leaves you out of luck, contact your state department of insurance, where you can find out about an ssigned-risk pool, which will charge you more for your premiums but guarantee you that you will have an insurance policy.

Cheers,

Fashun Guadarrama.