Do I need to have motorcycle insurance to legally drive a motorcycle here in Philadelphia PA.

John

Philadelphia PA

In Pennsylvania motorcycle owners are required to have the same limits of liability insurance to register a motorcycle as an automobile. The minimum required insurance coverage needed to own and operate a car in Pennsylvania are:

•Medical Coverage — this coverage pays for medical bills for you and passenger covered on your car insurance policy regardless of who is at fault. The minimum limit is $5,000.

•Bodily Injury Liability — this pays for medical expenses if you injure someone in a car accident. You can purchase of at least $15,000\ limit per person up to $30,000 per accident.

•Property Damage Liability — if you damage someone’s property in an accident and you are found at fault, this coverage pays for it. You must buy at least $5,000 of coverage.

Motorcycle owners are required to sign and acknowledgment of Financial Responsibility Statement and give car insurance information such as policy number and the effective date and expiration date of the insurance policy.

I am from Pennsylvania, and I usually drive my friend’s uninsured car. Will my auto insurance cover it if I get involved in an accident?

Betty

Lancaster, PA

Pennsylvania is one of the largest states that adopted the no-fault law. The no-fault law states that if there was a car accident, the parties involved will be covered by their own car insurance company regardless of who was responsible for the mishap. This no-fault law is an attempt to minimize delays and red tape. Lengthy lawsuits trying to determine who was at fault and who needs to pay who can be quite tedious and bothersome.

In your case, before you borrow anybody’s car, be sure to verify if it has auto insurance coverage. Your friend has to obtain his or her own insurance coverage for the car. It is against the law to acquire a vehicle and not have it covered. This is because every federal government requires its motorists to have financial responsibility if they cause unfortunate accidents. So your friend is obligated to insure it.

If ever you get into an accident while driving your friend’s car, then his or her insurance will kick in first. Your auto insurance policy will be a back up to your friend’s coverage if it so happens that his or her policy limits cannot pay for all the expenses incurred following an accident.

If I got involved in a car accident without insurance and driver’s license in Pennsylvania however it is not my fault. Could I be charged with a crime if someone got killed in the accident?

Fred

Pittsburgh, PA

Operating a vehicle without insurance and without a valid license are both against the law in the state of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania laws states that every car that is required to be registered should be covered by financial responsibility (FR). Most motorists choose to get Financial Responsibility in the way of auto insurance.

The penalties for not having auto insurance, or another form of FR, can include:

1. A three month suspension of your driver’s license
2. A minimum of $300 fine
3. $50 reinstatement fee to restore your driver’s license
4. A three month suspension of your vehicle registration
5. $50 reinstatement fee to restore your vehicle registration
6. That the car may not be driven by anyone while the registration is revoked or suspended.

Since you were driving without the required state insurance and without a valid license you will likely received some of the penalties above if you were convicted by the responding law enforcement officer. There might be other penalties too if you get involved in an accident and if a death occurred.

If you don’t have SR22 insurance proof simply because you left it at home or somewhere else, then you don’t have much to worry about other than wasting your time. You’ll have to go to court, but if you can provide proof that you were insured at the time then you won’t have to pay a fine. However, you should remember that in the future you need to have your insurance card in your car no matter where you’re going. Even if you file SR22 insurance every month as proof of insurance, you need to prove your financial responsibility another way if you are pulled over.