Auto insurance in Pennsylvania
Understanding The Pennsylvania Car Insurance Options
As with anything in life, there are certain things that must be obeyed, such as the laws in Pennsylvania about auto insurance. Even though some people feel as though they should not have to pay for insurance unless they want to, all residents within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are required to have and to maintain automobile insurance. The Act 6 Amendments to the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law, otherwise known as 75 Pa.C.S.A. BB 1701 et seq. outlines the law in great detail.
Whether you are the driver of the car, the passenger of the car, or the owner of the car, it is vital to make sure that you understand the laws and regulations set in place within Pennsylvania concerning auto insurance and how it plays a crucial part in the event of an accident on the road. With the various types of coverage available to Pennsylvania residents it is a good idea to make sure that you understand how each work and what the benefits to each are.
When it comes to minimum coverage, it is important to know that each and every state has their own requirements. The minimum coverage that is allowed in one state may not be enough for what another state requires. It is the job of the resident of a state to make sure that they have the correct amount of automobile coverage at all times. Within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, it is important to make sure that you are abiding by their laws and regulations in order to avoid future trouble.
The minimum coverage that Pennsylvania allows car owners to purchase is liability coverage. The liability coverage must have $15,000 in coverage per individual and $30,000 per incident. If you come across the term, "15/30" then this is what that is referring to. But just because this is the limit of what the state allows, this does not always mean that it is the coverage that you should count on. The liability coverage is something that will protect people in another car if you are at fault. If your car, you, or your passengers become injured due to your lack of driving skill or an act of nature which you could not avoid, you will not be covered. Because of this, it is important to make sure that you are looking into all of your options.
If you have a lot of assets to protect such as a large bank account, cars, vacation homes, and even a family home then you will seriously need to look over your options. The state allows for injured parties to go after your assets should the automobile insurance you carry does not cover their expenses. Their expenses could include but are not limited to: medical bills, car repairs, loss of wages, emotional trauma, and pain and suffering.
The best thing to get is full Pennsylvania Collision and Comprehensive Auto Insurance. This is the best of the best and the top of the line. It covers anything and everything under the sun that could go wrong with your vehicle, while you are driving it and even when it is sitting still. The collision part of the insurance covers you in the event you wreck your car into another car, home, tree, or anything else. If the fault was your own or the fault of weather conditions, the collision insurance will pay to repair all damages or pay for the total value of the car in it's pre-crash condition in the event the vehicle is totaled in the accident.
The Pennsylvania comprehensive part of the insurance is the part that will pay for damages done to your car from floodwaters, fire, hail, or even a fallen tree. These are situations that could come about without warning and in the middle of the night. There does not have to be a driver involved. This part of the coverage is simply to protect your car from nature, even when you are fast asleep.
If you chose not to go that route, then you are limiting your options and your coverage. Another thing that is important to remember as the state does not mandate that you have liability coverage for property damage even though it is highly advisable to have it. Say for example you hit ice or swerved too fast to avoid an animal and you hit a fence, a parked car, a swing set, or even a house. You are going to need a way to be able to cover that expense unless you want to give up all of your rights to your assets that you have worked so hard to obtain.
One type of coverage that is mandatory is that you have Personal Injury Protection coverage, otherwise known as PIP. This is a no-fault medical insurance for the medical bills that you would acquire in the event of an accident. The minimum coverage allowed by Pennsylvania state law is $5,000. The good thing is, no matter who is at fault in the accident, you will have some coverage for your medical expenses. This money is used to cover expenses before using your regular health insurance. If the amount of your medical treatment exceeds the amount of insurance coverage, that remaining amount is then to be turned over to the health insurance company.
Even though the amount of auto insurance the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a small amount, it is important to make sure that you are getting what suits your needs and best interest instead of just focusing on what limited coverage you can get away with having. There is collusion coverage, comprehensive coverage, under-insured motorist coverage and other types of insurance coverage's that would help to make sure that you are ready for the road and fully protected.
Make sure that you are keeping your insurance paid up to date and valid at all times. If you are caught driving without the state minimum coverage required, you could receive fines, points on your license, and possibly even the removal of your drivers license. As long as you are at the bare minimum required, and hopefully above that, you will be fine and are ready to head off onto the road and see where it takes you.