Consequence for Driving Without Car Insurance

Many dangers exist when driving without car insurance. Researching, purchasing and maintaining valid car insurance is one of the primary responsibilities of owning or leasing a vehicle. For one reason or another, however, many drivers neglect this important responsibility. In fact, a study by the Insurance Research Council (IRC) estimates that 1 out of every 6 drivers in the United States may be driving uninsured by the year 2010.

People give various excuses for not maintaining a valid insurance policy on their vehicle. Some will say that they cannot afford car insurance, while others will say they forgot about it. Still others will argue that they simply do not need car insurance. Whatever the reason, there are legal and personal consequences for neglecting this responsibility. The following are some of those consequences:

Legal Fines

Driving without car insurance is illegal. If a driver is in an accident or pulled over by the police, one of the consequences of not having insurance will certainly include a fine of some sort. While the specific dollar amount of the fine will vary from state to state, all states require all driversto carry valid car insurance. State-specific monetary penalties can be found by contacting either the state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or a local law enforcement office.

Legal Penalties

In addition to a monetary fine, many states take the penalties a step further by suspending the uninsured's vehicle registration and/or driver's license and impounding the uninsured's vehicle. Some states will even arrest an uninsured motorist. Law enforcement considers driving without insurance to be a very serious offense and will levy punishment as such.

No Protection for You

If an uninsured motorist is involved in a vehicle collision and they are at fault, the uninsured is financially responsible for any repairs to or replacement of their personal vehicle. Besides uninsured motorists, drivers with the minimum insurance coverage are also financially responsible for their own vehicle. When it comes to car insurance, though, many people have an insurance policy that covers damages to their own vehicle as well as the other parties. This benefit is lost when a motorist doesn't have car insurance.

No Protection for Others

This is one of the primary reasons why it is illegal to drive without car insurance. If one driver causes an accident, the other driver must be compensated for the loss of their vehicle (and in many cases, any pain, suffering, lost wages and medical bills associated with the accident). Without insurance, the driver at fault is monetarily responsible for covering all of these and more. Also, many auto insurance policies cover some amount of legal liabilities, too. Without it, the uninsured would be personally responsible for all their court costs in addition to paying for the other driver's replacement vehicle, medical costs and whatever else they ask (or sue) for.

Driving without a valid car insurance policy is a serious offense, both legally and socially. Also, it can be a very expensive risk. Understandably, car insurance is not affordable for some people. However, the cost of being caught without it will greatly outweigh the annual cost of having it.

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