Utah Auto Insurance Laws in Comparision With Other States

By Steve Turner

Car operators in Utah and in all of America must always have their Cars insured. It is their choice of how much coverage to have, but there is a minimum established by Utah auto Insurance laws, and the DMV of every state. The minimums for most states have been set at $25,000/$50,000 and $10,000. This means that if you get in an accident, each person in the other car is covered up to $25,000 with the maximum payout being $50,000, and property damages are covered up to $10,000.

When you are in an accident, as long as your policy is current and hasn't lapsed your insurance company covers the expenses of the accident up to your level of coverage. However, if the insured has a lapse in coverage due to non-payment or for any other reason the insurance company is not responsible and the driver is 100% liable for the expenses of the accident.

To make sure that vehicle owners stay insured the government is cracking down on those who do not have insurance. These punishments are set forth by each state's DMV, vary depending on the state. If you are in an accident and you have allowed your insurance to lapse, what could happen? The punishments can be very severe.

If you are a resident of Utah, you are forced to pay 100% of the damages, and your license is revoked until you do so. You license can be taken away for up to six years while you are paying for damages. Can you go six years without driving? If you live in Michigan and get in a wreck while insured, you are only liable for $500 in damages. But if you are not insured, you are required to pay for all of it, no matter how much it is.

The laws are probably the strictest in Texas. You cannot have a driver's license until you can prove that you have insurance. If at any time you are caught without insurance you will have an initial warning fine of up to $350. It gets worse if you are caught more than once. On the second time, you are fined at least $1000 and they can take your car for up to six months.

The limits of coverage are much lower in California, but this doesn't mean you can drive without insurance. If you are caught driving without insurance your driver's license will probably be taken away for at least a year. They also revoke registration on the car until it can be proved that you have insurance. Just like in all other states, you are responsible for paying for all of the expenses of the wreck if you are uninsured.

It is very important to have current and adequate Insurance. It is not worth the risk to go without insurance just to save a little money, because it is never worth it in the long run. Check with your insurance agent or with the authorities at your state's DMV to make sure you know the laws and regulations concerning the specific coverage minimums in your state.

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