Pennsylvania Auto Insurance
To purchase, own or operate a vehicle in Pennsylvania you must have the state approved minimum of vehicle insurance. This can be obtained by an insurance broker or agent; once your Pennsylvania auto and vehicle insurance policy is active and takes effect you will be given an insurance card that must be in your vehicle when it is being operated. Any peace or law officer can request to see your vehicle proof of insurance at any time. Pennsylvania vehicle insurance companies are required by law to provide new policy holders with proof of insurance within 72 hours.
There are numerous choices that you can make when purchasing insurance for your vehicle. In Pennsylvania you are required to have liability coverage and First Party coverage. Collision and comprehensive collision insurance are optional but are recommended by most insurance agents in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. If you want the bare minimum of insurance coverage you will need to compare prices and get insurance quotes from companies that are licensed to provide automotive insurance in Pennsylvania. Not all online insurance websites can provide valid vehicle insurance in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Your Pennsylvania vehicle insurance rate will depend on your age, driving record, moving violations, make of your vehicle, area in which you live and the number of miles you average per year. Discounts may be given for a good driving record, if you are married, if you only use your vehicle to commute to work and if there are other policy holders or vehicles at the same address. Fines in Pennsylvania for operating a vehicle without insurance can range from $250.00 for a first offense to $800.00 and loss of driving privileges for repeat offenses.
Pennsylvania's Department of Motor Vehicles requires that licensed drivers carry a minimum amount of insurance to protect the driver and passengers in a vehicle. Your insurance agent can provide you with a sliding scale to tailor your vehicle insurance needs as well as being within your budget. Obtaining a quote from an approved insurance agent in Pennsylvania does not constitute an agreement or provide you with insurance coverage. Most policies need to be renewed once a year but smaller companies will require you to update your records every six months.
If you find yourself the victim of an accident by an uninsured driver, Pennsylvania has motor vehicle laws that dictate the uninsured driver make restitution including vehicle repairs, medical coverage and claim reimbursement. There are law offices, lawyers and attorneys that deal specifically with automotive injury cases and uninsured drivers; retaining one for court appearances is one way to guarantee that you will receive the benefits and claim adjustments that are due to you.
Carrying the minimal amount of auto insurance that Pennsylvania requires may save you money on a month-to-month basis but if you are ever involved in a 'total loss' situation you may not have the coverage needed to replace the vehicle. Likewise, if you are injured so severely that you can no longer work most basic automotive insurance polices in the state of Pennsylvania don't include catastrophic loss coverage.