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Automobile Liability Insurance To Protect Your Assets

Car Liability Insurance is required by state law in every state of the U. S. This insurance is designed to pay for the damage that you cause to other vehicles, property or persons in an automobile accident. Each of the states has their own requirement for liability insurance. Some states have a very minimal amount of insurance that is required, while others have tried to update their requirements to closer meet the actual costs of an accident.

Liability insurance is not only required by law, it is needed to protect your other properties. If you have an accident that causes major damage to persons or property and you are inadequately insured, the person suffering the loss can file a lawsuit against you. If they prevail, then a judgment can be filed against you. A lien can be filed against any of your properties to satisfy that judgment. This lien can prevent you from refinancing your property and if you sell the property, the lien must be satisfied before you receive any money for the property that is sold.

Many times you will hear liability referred to using three numbers such as 25/50/25. The first 25 refers to the amount of money the policy would pay for medical expenses and other personal injury expenses ($25,000) for any one person that was hurt in an accident. The 50 is the maximum amount payable to all persons hurt in the accident ($50,000) and the second 25 is what the policy would pay for property damage ($25,000).

Since most state limits are too low, it is a good idea to carry more insurance than is required by the state laws. Your insurance agent can give you a good idea of the amount of insurance that is needed to protect your assets.

If you are unsure of the required amount of liability insurance that is required by your state, you should check with your department of motor vehicles. They can let you know the requirements for your state. In addition, you should check to see what the penalties are for driving without insurance. In many states, the insurance company is now required to report to the DMV if you insurance lapses for even one day.

States are finally penalizing persons with more than a slap on the hand for driving without a license. Many states will cancel your registration for the lapse in insurance until you can prove that you have insurance and pay an administrative fee. With subsequent incidents the penalties become larger. Some states will impound your vehicle for six months and charge you for storage.

If you do not have liability insurance, you can get quotes using your home computer and the internet. Compare those quotes in order to find the best prices and coverage for your vehicle. There may be several hundred dollars per year difference in the same coverage from different companies.

The best way to keep the cost of liability insurance low is to learn to drive defensively. Defensive drivers save in two ways. They are able to avoid many accidents as well as traffic tickets. Both of these actions keep the cost of your liability insurance low.

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