What Is The Minimum Auto Insurance Needed in New York?
Reader’s Question:
I would like to know what is the minimum insurance that I should have for my car. Is it okay to get just the minimum or should I buy more insurance? This is Chris from Buffalo, New York.
Chris
Buffalo, NY
Hey Chris. If you want to drive legally in Buffalo, New York, you will need to have liability insurance with the following minimum amounts of coverage: $10000 for property damage, a minimum of $25000 and maximum of $50000 for injury and a minimum of $50000 for death with a maximum of $100000. Your coverage for liability has to remain in effect even if the vehicle is not used as long as the registration is valid. Now, as to your question on getting more coverage, this would be dependent upon several factors as well. First of all, you will have to decide up to how much can you pay for your insurance. Second, take into consideration your ability to pay out of your own pocket if ever something happens that is not covered by your insurance?
Next think about the value of your car both to your lifestyle and as an asset in your personal finance books. Now, decide whether it is more practical for you to pay a higher premium for more coverage, then get more insurance. Generally you would do this if your car is relatively new, or too costly to repair on your own. Otherwise, it may be better to just keep a little more in your bank account to tide you over if you do have to pay out of your own pocket should anything happen.
Tags: auto insurance, car insurance
Minimum Liability Or Comprehensive Auto Insurance in New York?
Reader’s Question:
I have the minimum liability insurance in Albany, New York and yesterday my vehicle was stolen, can I get something from my car insurance carrier?
Tony
Albany, NY
It is unfortunate that your vehicle was stolen but the minimum liability coverage that you have will not cover your stolen vehicle in Albany, New York. You need the physical damage of comprehensive coverage on your car to be covered by your insurance provider.
If your vehicle is stolen comprehensive coverage will also provide a certain amount per day for transportation expenses such as rental car, public transportation, depending on the what the terms on your car insurance policy. In general, this car insurance coverage is provided until the time the insurance carrier makes an offer to settle your car insurance claim.
Since you did not have comprehensive coverage on your vehicle there is no coverage on your stolen car and so your insurance carrier will not compensate you or be required to assist you with the vehicle that was stolen in any way.
Will My Car Insurance Cover My Car If I Loan It To a Friend in New York?
Reader’s Question:
What will happen if I loan my vehicle in Hamburg, New York to a friend and he got cited for driving without a license and a ticket for speeding. Will it affect my auto insurance?
Carol
Hamburg, NY
If your friend borrow your vehicle and he got cited for driving without a license and a ticket for speeding, normally the ticket will be written to your friend and will not affect your automobile insurance rate premium. However, if the ticket was written against the car then it could affect your auto insurance rate depending on what the violation was.
Usually it is best that you lend your vehicle to someone who has a valid drivers license. Some insurance carriers will not cover if the driver does not have a valid drivers license and got into an accident, depending on the exclusion on your car insurance policy. Even if the insurance company will cover it, your automobile insurance rate in New York will be affected.
Auto Insurance Question For New York Driver
Reader’s Question:
If somebody else is the primary driver on a car, can I insure and register it under my name in Buffalo, New York? I do not have a valid drivers license by the way.
Kelley
Buffalo, NY
Normally insurance companies in Buffalo, New York require you to have a valid US driver’s license before you can get insurance on a car that is titled and registered under your name. Some insurance carriers will permit you to be excluded as a driver and have someone with a drivers license to be the primary driver on the car. The driving record of the primary driver will be used as the rating factor for the car insurance rate.
However car insurance carriers differ on their guidelines and rules so you might be able to find an insurance company that may allow you to insure the car under your name and have someone be the primary drivers. Some of the reason that this may be allowed, if for instance you are elderly and turned in your license or if you have medical conditions etc.
You can shop around for car insurance carriers in Buffalo, New York to see if you can find an insurance provider that will allow you to insure a car under your name and have somebody else the the primary driver. You may also contact the NYS Insurance Department and see if they can assist you find an insurance carrier that will write a policy for you.
Does Auto Insurance Cover Stolen Car With Keys Left In Ignition?
Reader’s Question:
If your vehicle is stolen while the keys are still in the car does full coverage car insurance still cover the car in New York? What if the car is under someone else’s name?
Allan
New York, NY
Let’s say you are using a friend’s vehicle with their permission and it was stolen while the keys were in it, your friend’s comprehensive coverage should cover the car. But, there are certain exclusions that may apply. Ultimately, the claims adjuster would know if this loss would be covered.
The claims process differs by insurance company. You can expect it to take three to thirty days depending on the situation. It would be best to keep your car insurance payments current until the lien has been settled. You may also want to consider getting GAP insurance too.
Do I Need A New York Drivers License To Register a Car In NY?
Reader’s Question:
I have a driver’s license in Florida and am I moving to Amherst New York State. I am purchasing a vehicle in NYS, do I need a New York driver’s license to register and insure the car in New York?
Kelly
Amherst, NY
If you have proof of your residency in NY you should be able to obtain NY insurance on your car so that you can register the car you are purchasing in New York . Your insurance company will need to give information concerning your New York driver’s license though when you turn in your driver’s license in FL for a New York State license.
If possible it would likely be best to get your registration and insurance set up if you already have your New York license. It is New York State law that resident of New York must apply for a NY driver’s license within thirty days of becoming a resident anyway so if you do this before you buy the car it could make things easier.
To be able to register a car in New York you must have NYS insurance on it. Out of state insurance coverage is not valid or accepted to register a vehicle in New York.
Non Owner SR22 Auto Insurance In New York
Q: If I have Amherst SR22 insurance for non owners, and I get into a car accident, am I covered by the owner’s insurance, or what happens?
A: Unlike most insurance, Amherst SR22 insurance for non owners follows you instead of the car. So if you are driving someone else’s car and you get into an accident, it will cover you. But, since insurance follows the car, it will only kick in second. First the owner’s car insurance will kick in, so if they have personal injury coverage as well as collision coverage and liability and the rest, their coverage will take car of all of that.
However, if their coverage is not enough to cover everything, your own SR22 insurance will kick in and take care of the rest. Since you can only get the types of insurance required by the state with non owners, though, then that’s all you’re going to get. If your friend’s collision coverage doesn’t take care of all of the damage, then your own car insurance policy won’t help with that.
One catch is that you’re only able to be covered if the owner of the car gave you permission to drive it or if you have good reason to believe he or she would have allowed you. It’s very hard to prove permission wasn’t given or couldn’t have been reasonably assumed, though.
How Much Should I Pay For SR22 Auto Insurance?
Q: I own a car, but I pay so much on my SR22 insurance for it that it just seems crazy. The car is like twenty years old. Do I even need car insurance?
A: Car insurance coverage is required in New York, period, no matter how old the car you’re driving is. Even if it wasn’t, the fact that you have a SR22 insurance policy tells me that you’re required to file proof of insurance to keep your driver’s license, so you’re even more required to be insured than other New Yorkers. If you decide to go without insurance, then you’re also going to have to go without a driver’s license and thus the ability to drive as a consequence.
There is something you can do, though. Rather than tossing all insurance to the wind, you simply get less of it. For security reasons, many people pile their vehicles up with insurance, such as comprehensive and collision and high liability limits, but for many people it isn’t necessary.
Cut off all types of insurance other than liability, such as comprehensive and collision. As for the rest of what you have, lower the coverages on your SR22 insurance policy to the lowest amount allowed.
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