When operating a motor vehicle it is almost always a good idea to have automobile insurance. In the state of Pennsylvania, however, it is required. Like many other states, residents must purchase a certain level of protection in place in order to traverse the open road, and not doing so can result in some fairly serious penalties. Drivers may find themselves with a minimum fine of 0, a three-month suspension of their driver’s license and vehicle registration, plus additional restoration fees. Furthermore, they could have their car impounded.
It is important that motorists understand the requirements of the PA auto insurance laws in order to become properly covered. Drivers must have policies consisting of medical benefits of at least ,000 to cover any possibly injuries sustained from an accident that affect the driver or anyone else who may be on their policy, regardless of who was at fault. Car owners must also have Bodily Injury Liability (BIL) which covers a minimum of ,000 for medical expenses for anyone the policyholder may hurt in an accident, and ,000 to represent the total amount available for a single accident. Additionally, they are required to carry property damage liability (PDL) of at least ,000. For convenience purposes, some companies offer a single limit of ,000 to meet both the BIL and PDL requirements.
When choosing coverage, drivers have the option of choosing either Limited or Full Tort coverage. The difference between each of these is that limited tort coverage comes with lower premiums, saving the motorist money, yet they will not be able to recover certain damages in the event of an accident, such as payment for pain and suffering, unless certain requirements are first met. Someone with full tort coverage, however, retain the right to sue any negligent party and collect and damages they may win. Before choosing between these two options its advisable to first go through and consider the differences and weigh the benefits of having lower premiums versus retaining the ability to file a lawsuit against a negligent party.
Additional PA Car Insurance Coverage
There are several other ways for a motorist to increase their protection which are not required by the state. Although Pennsylvania was ranked as having one of the lowest percentages of uninsured motorists in 2007, with only roughly 7%, some drivers may still opt into purchasing Uninsured Motorist coverage. This covers bodily injuries done to the driver, their passengers, or their family should they acquire any injuries from being involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist. Additionally, many people choose to include Comprehensive coverage into their policy in order to pay for damages resulting from hazards or theft. Generally, this covers damages from things such as fire, flood, vandalism, or striking an animal. Typically, the exact forms of protection are detailed in the declarations page of the the policy.
To become more adequately protected, PA motorists are encouraged to simply increase the limits on their policies. By doing so, not only will they be meeting the state standard, but they will also have increased coverage in the event of a traffic accident. For example, the Keystone State requires ,000 medical coverage. If the policyholder is in an accident that results in the insured suffering a serious injury that ,000 could quickly be used up. If there were passengers in the vehicle that were similarly hurt, then the driver may find themselves paying a considerable amount of money out of pocket to compensate for injuries that they may be liable for. By increasing this amount, or any of the other amounts, an insured driver could end up saving themselves from large bills in the future. If additional coverage is still desired, however, residents are encouraged to explore the Pennsylvania Automobile Insurance Guide to compare their options and remain informed on state policies.
Source: http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/pennsylvania/
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Tags: Insurance, Pennsylvania, Requirements