I just bought a car here in Washington State. What’s my grace period for getting car insurance to avoid getting a penalty?

Jenny

Seattle WA

There’s no grace period for a liability coverage according to the Insurance Commissioner of Washington state. Also, the grace period to adding another vehicle to your insurance policy would be different from one company to another. It is important then to check with your insurer the maximum time required to file or add your newly bought vehicle to your existing policy. Most dealers would often require a physical damage coverage before it leaves the dealership.

If you’re replacing an old car to your policy, most insurers would extend that existing policy to your new car. If you’re adding a new car to your policy, you could inquire whether they would extend your existing policy for a certain amount of time or should you add the new vehicle to your policy with the required coverage.

If you’re just about to get an insurance policy on your car, then it is more practical to give your preferred auto insurance company an update on the type of car you’re planning to buy before it actually leaves the dealership. Request your dealership a fax of the car information to work with your insurer the practical coverage to apply.

I have auto insurance in Washington. I was just wondering if my car insurance will be effective in the state of California.

Jane

Seattle WA

It depends on your situation.

If you live in Washington and your vehicle is registered in WA and you want to just visit California, then typically your WA car insurance would conform to CA car insurance requirements.

If you go to school in CA but are still keeping your WA residence then your car insurance in Seattle WA may continue to cover you in CA. You will need to contact your car insurance company to be certain that you will be covered while you are in California.

If you plan to move to California, then you will need to register and insure your car in CA. If your car insurance company in WA also does business in California then you can just request to change it over to a new policy in California.

If you want to be sure that your car insurance in Washington state would also be effective in the state of California, I suggest that you speak with your car insurance agent.

For how long do I have to continue my SR22 insurance here in Washington?

Dorris

Seattle, WA

Good question. The state of Washington would usually require drivers who has gotten their driver’s licenses suspended to maintain an SR22 form for at least three years, without any lapses or cancellation of the SR22 insurance coverage. Although the length of the required period to carry this special type of auto insurance may vary depending on the reason for the suspension of your license, most common of which includes: DUI (Driving Under the Influence), operating a vehicle without a license or insurance coverage, causing or involvement in a car accident without carrying adequate liability insurance, just to name a few.

SR22 insurance is required by the state to make sure that drivers who have shown risky driving behaviors are carrying adequate insurance coverage in case they manage to injure anyone or damage properties in the event they cause a car accident. It would be best to get in touch with Washington’s Department of Licensing to get the specific details about the length of time you will need to carry your SR22 insurance there in Washington. Allowing your SR22 insurance to get canceled or to lapse can cause sever penalties and much more expensive insurance costs in the future.

To find the best rates for SR22 insurance Washington Policies, we highly recommend running a free SR22 insurance search using the quote tool on this website. This tool allows you to find and compare for the most affordable policies available in your area quickly and easily.

Is SR22 insurance a type of insurance policy? I’d like to know more about this since I’ve heard a few things about this. Thanks

Gilbert

Spokane, WA

In reality, SR22 insurance is not a kind of insurance coverage. It is more of a certification from an insurance company issued to a state’s department of motor vehicles stating that the holder is covered by an insurance company. SR22 insurance is usually required from drivers who have ran into major traffic violations such as DUI. Those who were caught driving without vehicle insurance are also required to show SR22 insurance, as well as those who were involved in car accidents without proper insurance coverage.

SR22 insurance in Washington can be expensive. Most insurers in your area will charge you with high premiums and insurance rates because once you are requested to give SR22 insurance, you are considered as high risks by insurers. SR22 insurance in Washington should be maintained by the driver for the next three years. SR22 insurance must be carried by the driver, or else he faces graver consequences.

I know that my auto insurance company will take care of me when I meet an accident, and that they’ll also take care of the damages to the occupants of the other car, too. However, what would happen if the other driver sues me? Would my auto insurance policy cover this? I have liability coverage

Kevin

Seattle, WA

Kevin, if you have liability insurance coverage, then your insurance policy will cover the damages done by the accident which you caused. If you did not cause the accident, then the other guy’s insurance policy will cover the damages. If the other driver guy decides to go to court, then your liability insurance coverage will still take care of your fees.

Liability insurance covers the expenses that the legal battle that results from the accident will cause. If you get sued in Washington, your auto insurance company will defend you in court. Be rest assured that your auto insurance company will hire a competent lawyer to defend you in court. The insurance will do its best to find a very good lawyer to represent you as the auto insurance company is also obligated to handle the legal payouts if ever the insured party loses the legal battle.

If you lose in court, the auto insurance company will pay for the fines/payments imposed by the court. It is because of this nature of liability insurance coverage that makes this crucial to motorists and even other professionals such as doctors and businessmen. Liability insurance coverage takes care of you when you figure in an accident, it also takes care of the other people who were affected by the accident and it takes care of you even after the accident.

I’m a beginner driver, and I just got my driver’s permit a couple months back here in Washington. Last night, I was driving home from my part-time job. I didn’t see a kid that was on his trike till it was almost too late. The kid’s okay, but I crashed the car into someone’s mailbox. Will I have to pay for the guy’s mailbox myself, or will the auto insurance company cover this? I’m not insured, but hoping I can use my parents’ auto insurance.

Leo

Bellingham, WA

Oh, well, they say there’s always a first time for everyone. It’s a really great thing that you had the presence of mind to avoid hitting the kid even if you are just a beginner driver. He must have been so scared when he realized what happened!

Of course, hitting some guy’s mailbox instead isn’t the best way to go. And you will be expected to repair anything that you damage. I suggest you tell your parents about it and help them get in touch with their auto insurance provider in Washington. In general, you do not need your own auto insurance as you do not have your own license yet and you do not have your own vehicle, as well. So you should be covered under your parent’s auto insurance since you were driving their vehicle. However, some auto insurance companies require their policy holders to have all people driving the vehicle listed in the policy. Also, most states in the USA require different amount of liability insurance, so if your parents have this, then this should be able to cover the cost of the repair for the mailbox. The thing is if they only got liability insurance, then you can repair the mailbox but not the damages on the car. So, check to see if they also got collision insurance as this part will shell out the cash for repairs to the vehicle. Otherwise, I hope your job pays you more than enough because you’ll be the one paying for repairs to the car. Next time, please drive safely and keep your eyes on the road.

If I received a ticket from another state and not in my home state in Washington, will that increase my car insurance rate?

Henry

Bellevue, WA

Your insurance rate may increase if you received a conviction for a traffic violation outside of the states you live in. However, a rate increase due to out-of-the-state violation depends upon the different factors such the rating system of the insurance provider and the how the state deals with outside traffic citations.

Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Michigan and Wisconsin are the only states in the US that are not members of the Drivers License Compact. As DLC members, states are required to report out-of-state convictions of drivers to the state where the person is licensed. The 5 states
that are not DLC member still share this information with other state since these states have their own set of agreements.

An out-of-state tickets may or may not be placed on your homestate driving record. If state opts to place the ticket on your driving record, your insurance provider will eventually find
out once they see your MVR. If the state chooses not to place the ticket on your homestate driving record, the insurance company will not see this unless they do an extensive ticket search where you will have to list this out-of-state citation

Whether or not your insurance rate will increase because of this out-of-state offense will depend upon the rating system of the insurance provider. You can contact your agent for more information about the rating system. You can contact your state DMV to check if an out of state offense will be placed on your driving record.

With all these talks about global economic crisis I am really getting nervous. I am trying to save every penny and would really appreciate it if you can give me some tips on how to get cheaper auto insurance in Federal Way Washington WA.

Tess

Federal Way, WA

Yes, Tess; it is indeed rather bleary and bleak. Everywhere around us, you hear that it can be a really bad year. Despite it all, let us not totally despair. We have survived many a crisis in the past and I’m sure that we can survive this one, too.

In some households, insurances may be the first thing to be scrapped when their finances are faced with some difficulties. In other households, however, insurances are a must. This is because the potential expense when something bad happens and you are without insurance will be enormous and can be quite crippling. It is really a matter of how risky you can afford to be.

It’s good that in your household, auto insurance is not scrapped. Apart from the fact that it is required by law, it is also one of the more handy insurances around. There are some ways on how you can save on auto insurance premiums, it just takes a little patience and research. First is to shop around for the cheapest coverage you can get around Federal Way Washington WA. Go online, type your zip code on the space you see on this page and get free quotes which you can compare side by side. The company that gives you the lowest quote online will most likely give you the lowest premium. You can lessen your coverage to include only those that you feel are utterly necessary. You can also ask auto insurance companies in Federal Way Washington WA for discounts when you install anti-theft or safety features in your car.

Finally, you increase your chances of lowering the cost of your premium if you will sustain a good driving record. This will make you attractive to insurance companies and therefore they will offer cheaper-priced auto insurance packages for you.

With the current economic situation, we are fine tuning our budget. What can we do to lower our auto insurance premiums and find the most affordable car insurance available?

Jonas

East Seattle WA

Hi Jonas,

Thanks for your inquiry about affordable car insurance. You might be surprised that there are ways to lower your cost and find affordable car insurance. We always recommend that all insurance policies be reviewed annually. This not only serves as a good way to refresh your mind about your coverage but to make sure the riders are appropriate and that the policy is tailored to your needs. Suiting the policy to your budget is part of finding affordable car insurance.

Check your driving record to make sure it is accurate. If your have a good record, you may be entitled to a premium discount. Additionally, your policy will be more affordable car insurance if you select an annual coverage instead of a shorter term policy.

Carriers in the East Seattle area will also make your policy more affordable car insurance if you add anti-theft devices to your vehicles. To make your coverage more affordable car insurance, you may want to consider increasing your deductible.

We recommend the easiest way to find more affordable car insurance is to complete the auto insurance inquiry form on this site. You will then receive multiple proposals for affordable car insurance, which you can review at home before finalizing your decision.

I would like to know when auto insurance companies in Washington check driving records?

Carol

Spokane, WA

An insurance carrier in Spokane, WA can check your driving record anytime. The most common times that they check your driving records are:

• when you apply initially for auto insurance coverage
• when you request a change to your car insurance policy such as adding or removing drivers, change auto insurance coverage, etc.
• when you add a car to your car insurance policy or change the covered car
• when your car insurance policy comes up for renewal
• every two renewal cycles

Some insurance providers use a random method for checking driving records. Other insurance providers randomly spot check some car insurance policy records at the above intervals. This isn’t common, however it may happen with some car insurance companies.