Can I Make An Auto Insurance Claim With Recently Canceled Policy?
Reader’s Question:
I had an auto accident but it was not my fault and my car insurance policy had canceled in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Could I still place an insurance claim if it is less than a few days canceled.
Gary
Bethlehem, PA
You could not put a car insurance claim through your own car insurance carrier since your car insurance policy was canceled in Pennsylvania and therefore not in effect at the time of the accident. It does not matter if your car insurance policy was canceled even by just a couple of hours, if your auto insurance was not valid at the time of the accident you would not have insurance coverage under your auto insurance policy. Since you mentioned that you were not at fault in the incident you may be able to put an insurance claim through the at-fault party’s insurance carrier.
You can try to put an insurance claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company to check if they will accept it.
It would be helpful in your case if you are properly insured now. Even if you did not get a ticket for driving without insurance it would be best to now have your car insured so that you can legally operate a vehicle.
Can I Use My Out of State Auto Insurance in Pennsylvania?
Reader’s Question:
I live in MI and am planning to move to Altoona, Pennsylvania. I want to keep my auto insurance in Michigan. My father said that in Pennsylvania they won’t honor my car insurance policy in case of an accident. Is this true?
Fields
Altoona, PA
Yes, your father is correct, but you would need to speak to your auto insurance agent to be sure how your insurance provider will deal with your move in Pennsylvania.
The insurance provider would need to be informed about you and the car relocating to PA. The insurance company would then say if you would be able to stay on your father’s policy but normally the answer would be no. When you move away from home, and the vehicle is no longer garaged at the home address listed on the car insurance policy an insurance company will usually no longer carry you and the car on the current car insurance policy.
You may need to speak with your father if either your name being added to the title of the car or signing it over to you completely.
Drivers License Suspended – I Need Occupational Limited License?
Reader’s Question:
My daughter had her license suspended in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She has a about three months left on the suspension. She just graduated from the university and started getting a new job. How does she get a special license so she may be able to work and back?
Allison
Bethlehem, PA
Your daughter will need to contact the PA Driver and Vehicle Services division of the Department of Transportation to check if she qualifies for a limited or conditional license that will permit her to operate a vehicle to and from work and perhaps home and college.
The information on the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code states that it is permitted for a person with a suspended license to apply for a restricted license. This includes either a occupational limited license or a probationary license.
An occupational limited license may be issued to a person whose driving privileges have been suspended. To get this type of license, a petition must be filed that listed the reasons the individual needs to drive a car.
What Are Penalties For Driving With Revoked License in Pennsylvania?
Reader’s Question:
What happen if the person with the revoked license was caught driving with a 6 year old child in the car along with them? This person told me that he was caught a lot of times, and the law enforcement officer have let him go. He is not due to have his license back for another five years in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Miranda
Reading, PA
The vehicle code calls for the 2nd or any subsequent violation of driving while your operating privilege is revoked or suspended to pay a fine of not less than $200 but not more than $1000 or imprisonment for not more than six months or both. If you get caught driving with a revoked license 6 or more time times the penalty is a fine of not less than $1000 and imprisonment for not less than thirty days but not more than six months. A habitual violator of driving with a revoked license commits a misdemeanor in the 2nd degree.
The penalties should not change if the motorist with the revoked license has a child in the car, unless the child is not safe in a proper child safety seat for which the motorist should be ticketed for. If you are concerned for the child or about this motorist in Reading, PA being on the road without having a valid drivers license you can contact the Pennsylvania Driver and Vehicles Service or PENNDOT and make a complaint.
Driving Without Car Insurance in Pennsylvania – What To Do?
Reader’s Question:
What should I do if I was issued a ticket in for driving without insurance on a car that I do not own and and the car had no insurance? I live in Pennsylvania.
Parker
Levittown, PA
If you were issued a ticket for no insurance on a car that you did not own you should first determine if the ticket that you received was written to you personally or to the car. In most states such as Pennsylvania the law enforcement officer has the option of citing the car (owner) or the driver of an uninsured car.
Most states will suspend your license and require you to get proof of insurance with regards to your state’s financial responsibility laws if the citation was written against you personally. State laws will differ on this. If the citation is for you call the department listed on the ticket to determine what steps you need to take to rectify the situation.
Driving Without Car Insurance in Pennsylvania?
Reader’s Question:
I’m from the state of Pennsylvania and I did not have car insurance in NC. What will be the penalty for that?
Lee
Erie, PA
It looks like you are licensed in PA but that you were stopped and ticketed in North Carolina for driving without insurance. In North Carolina driving without insurance is a three point violation and can cause you to lose your license plate.
Since you do not reside in NC, the penalty could be different, such as a future proof of liability insurance and fine. To get more information on the specific penalties contact the entity listed on your citation ticket or the NC Department of Transportation (DOT).
As for back in Pennsylvania, since both states are part of the Drive License Compact (DLC) usually they report to each others DMV tickets received. In Pennsylvania a lapse in insurance results in the suspension of your vehicle’s registration for thirty days. If it is also determined that you drove your car while uninsured your driver’s license will also be suspended for thirty days.
What is The Penalty For Car Insurance Lapse in Pennsylvania?
Reader’s Question:
I was not aware that my car insurance was canceled and I reinstated as soon as I became aware. I did not have insurance for 12 days in Pennsylvania. What will be the penalty for this?
Joe
Bethlehem, PA
You will have to contact PennDOT to know what is next with them but I can tell you what likely the penalties will be for your lapse in car insurance is in Pennsylvania.
Even though your lapse was only 12 days if you drove the car during this time normally PennDOT would suspend both your driver’s license and vehicle’s registration for 3 months.
If you drove the vehicle during the period of your car insurance lapse you may want to contact either PennDOT directly or seek legal advice to check if since your lapse was short and you reinstated your coverage as soon as your realized that it was canceled if there is any way to obtain a hearing and try to keep your registration and driver’s license from being suspended for the normal three month term.
Will My Car Insurance Rate in Pennsylvania Increase if I Commute
Reader’s Question:
Why do insurance carriers ask Pennsylvania (PA) residents if they commute or work in NJ or NY? Does that increase your insurance rate?
Allan
Erie, PA
Insurance providers differ in their rating systems so it is possible that some insurance companies within Pennsylvania include usage of the vehicle, meaning in this example commuting out of state into NY and NJ for work, could be used as a rating factor.
It is likely that driving into New Jersey and New York on a regular basis may find you to be a higher risk driver to an insurance provider since those states may have higher statistics of uninsured motorists and/or accidents. Risk analysis is what insurance carriers use when determining your car insurance premiums. Risk is probability; the probability that you will get involved in an accident and the probability of the severity of the incident.
It look like the PA laws permit usage of the vehicle, such as commuting into NJ and NY can be used to help assess your insurance rate. Whether it will increase your car insurance rate or not will depend upon the individual insurance carrier’s rating system so you can ask if working in or commuting to New Jersey or New York will affect the cost of your insurance.
I Live In New York Can I Register My Car in Pennsylvania?
Reader’s Question:
My brother lives in New York and wants to insure her vehicle under my insurance policy in Pennsylvania. Her vehicle is registered in New York. Is this possible?
Helen
Philadelphia, PA
No, normally this would not be possible for a few reasons.
One reason is that likely your insurance provider would not permit you to insure an out of state car that is not garaged at your home, not driven by a member of your household and not registered in PA. If you did not give your insurance provider the information that it was your brother’s car registered, driven and garaged in NY when adding the vehicle, nor have your brother listed as a driver on your insurance policy then this could be determined to be misrepresentation, a form of insurance fraud.
Another reason that you cannot insure your brother’s NYS registered car with PA car insurance is that New York laws require vehicles to be insured with NYS insurance.
What is Minimum Coverage Auto Insurance Needed in Pennsylvania?
Reader’s Question:
What is the minimum coverage I need for on a vehicle that is financed in the state of Pennsylvania?
Ralph
Pittsburgh, PA
Your state Pennsylvania, like most, only requires liability coverage on cars but your finance company is not likely to agree. Finance companies typically require you to carry collision and comprehensive coverages on the car since until you pay for the car in full they have a financial stake in it.
Comprehensive and Collision coverages will help cover the car up to its actual cash value so they can recoup the value of the car if it is a total loss in an accident.
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