I am planning to buy car insurance in PA but I would like to know if I need to get drivers license first to purchase insurance? What auto insurance companies in Pennsylvania are the easiest to work with and have the best rates?

Lee

Philadelphia, PA

No, you do not need to get drivers license to get Pennsylvania automobile insurance.

Although you can buy automobile insurance without your drivers license, if you just moved in PA you will need to get drivers license to register and title your vehicle.

The minimum liability limits required in the state of Pennsylvania are:

• $15,000 for injury or death of one person in an accident
• $30,000 for injury or death of more than one person in an accident
• $5,000 for damage to property of another person

This insurance is usually referred to as 15/30/5 and it is better to get higher limits to better protect yourself and your assets.

If you are leasing your car, your lien holder may require you to get physical damage liability of collision and comprehensive coverage.

I recently moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania and I have a Delaware license. I am planning to buy a vehicle. Do I have to switch to a PA license before I can obtain vehicle insurance in Scranton?

Jake

Scranton, PA

You should be able to insure a vehicle in Scranton, PA with your DE driver’s license but it would be advisable to change over your Delaware license to a Pennsylvania license before purchasing, registering and insuring a vehicle just to make the whole process easier. You will need to go to the PA Bureau of Motor Vehicles to get a Pennsylvania driver’s license and register and title a car in this state.

The PA Department of Transportation (PennDOT) states that all new residents with out-of-state non-commercial driver’s licenses must get a Pennsylvania Driver’s License within sixty days of establishing PA residency.

If you do buy and insure a vehicle in Scranton Pennsylvania before you exchange your DE driver’s license for a PA license then once you do obtain your PA license, during the sixty day period you have after you becoming a resident of Scranton PA, you need to tell the insurance provider of your new license.

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.

I’m from Allentown, Pennsylvania and I’m thinking, what are the penalties if you get caught driving without insurance?

Paul

Allentown, PA

If Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) finds your car insurance has lapsed for over thirty one days you will have your car’s registration suspended for three months. If you get caught operating the vehicle without car insurance your license will be suspended for three months as well.

The vehicle’s registration plate, card , sticker and your driver’s license must be surrendered to PennDOT to serve the suspension. Reinstatement fees of $50 and proof of valid car insurance must be submitted prior to the time your registration and/or driving privileges are to be returned.

Other than these penalties for not having car insurance on your automobile if you are cited and stopped for operating a vehicle, your car might be impounded and fines will likely result, as well as the aforementioned suspensions.

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.