Do I Need To Have Auto Insurance On A Car I Seldom Drive?
Reader’s Question:
I’ve always wanted to be a journalist since I was a kid. And now, I’m living my dream! Although I have just started, I can tell that this is what I’ll be doing for a long time. Trouble is, I travel all the time! I have a car, insured in Pennsylvania, which I rarely use. Is it wise to keep this auto insurance? I really barely use the car, you know.
Jean
Philadelphia PA
How amazing for you, Jean, to live the dream you’ve always had! I’m sure that your lifestyle has drastically changed because of all that traveling, not to mention the hours required of your job. But, nothing beats passion! I’m sure you don’t mind the changes because like you said, you’ve always wanted to be a journalist! Great!
You know, Jean, it’s all about risk. Whether or not you want to keep your existing auto insurance should be determined by how much risk you are comfortable at. True, you may use your car very so often, but remember that accidents can happen anytime, no matter how long or how infrequent you’ve been on the road. What you can do is perhaps let somebody else – a family or a friend – use your car and enroll him or her as an authorized driver? This however will entail costs so you should also consider if you will be willing to take this option.
Another option is to reduce the coverage so you can reduce your premiums as well. If you feel that because you are on the road less frequently and will therefore require less coverage, then you can look at other auto insurance packages that cost less but with reduced coverage. You can get free quotes from this page by entering your zip code in Philadelphia.
Lastly, you can check with your insurance company if they offer discounts for reduced mileage. Many insurance companies in Philadelphia offer this kind of discounts and it will be beneficial for you to check if yours does.
It’s not necessary to stress yourself with these things, Jean. I’m sure that your local insurers will be more than happy to assist you. The important thins is that you’re living your dream.
I will certainly look out daily for you in the papers!
How Much Does SR22 Or DUI Insurance Cost?
Filed under: SR22 Pennsylvania, SR22 Philadelphia, Teen insurance Pennsylvania
Q: I’m going to have to get an SR22 for DUI conviction…how much can I expect to pay?
A: According to MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) a whole lot. On average, the least amount you’re looking at paying for SR22 for DUI in one year is $3600, up to around $6000 dollars. Once you’ve picked your jaw up off the floor, there’s more where that came from. Car insurance isn’t the only cost of a DUI. Not only will your license be suspended for six months before you can even try to get it back, but you will have to pay a mountain of fees and fines. The average amount a first time DUI offender pays in all is close to $11,000. And that’s before insurance.
You also risk being unable to get insurance from many places if you have to file an SR22 for DUI conviction. Your current car insurance provider may cancel your policy and every other car insurance provider may say there’s no room at the inn for you. If that happens, you’ll have to get insured through the Pennsylvania assigned-risk pool, which is even more expensive.
Paying for an SR22 for DUI is no walk in the park, but it isn’t impossible either. If you look up car insurance discounts, compare rates, and keep your record clean, then you can save money and possibly look forward to cheaper car insurance rates in the future.
Why Does SR22 Insurance Cost So Much?
Q: What’s SR22 insurance got to do with pricing? Why are my rates so high?
A: Even if you are pretty good driver and have a history of being so, having SR22 insurance will almost always immediately racket you into a category of higher risk. This happens because of the way car insurance companies rate policies, which is on a basis of risk. So what’s SR22 insurance got to do with it? Well, even if you didn’t get you SR22 insurance requirement because of a moving violation or anything particularly dangerous, most of the reasons for a license to be suspended are pretty risky–drunk driving, accumulating ticket points, getting into an accident. Others, which aren’t quite as risky, such as driving without insurance, are still negative in the eyes of the car insurance company because they want customers who are able to pay them consistently. If you have a record of being uninsured, then you’re less likely to do this.
Lucky for you, it won’t last for ever. What’s SR22 insurance but a temporary thing? In five years, so long as you stay out of trouble in the meantime, you’ll no longer see the effects of SR22 insurance on your record.
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