Will No Seat Belt Ticket in Utah Effect My Auto Insurance Rate
Reader’s Question:
I know that I am a responsible driver. I practice defensive driving and I have a level temper when I’m on the road here in Utah. Here’s the thing, now that I’ve elevated myself to a nice level, I got a ticket for not wearing my seat belt just last week. How is this going to affect my auto insurance premium?
Helen
Salt Lake City, UT
Now, we all know that your driving history will affect your auto insurance premium rate, the question is how fast and how much. Based on your self elevation sentence, I would assume that this is your first traffic violation. If that is the case, then there is a small to no chance of that affecting your auto insurance premium. Again, this is assuming that there are no speeding tickets stashed somewhere in your car. Auto insurance companies would usually consider the gravity of the offense before they do anything to your auto insurance premium rate. However, if you make this a habit, then this is not going to look good on your driving history and it will surely raise your auto insurance premium.
Besides, auto insurance companies don’t usually check your driving history if it’s not renewal time. Even if there are indeed speeding tickets stashed somewhere in your car there in Utah, it will not instantly affect your auto insurance premium. And also, you would have to be convicted first for the traffic infraction for it to appear in your driving history. If you contest it and get acquitted, then it does not exist. There are also ways of having the violation removed. Taking defensive driving classes and similar lessons would usually appease the court and not pursue the case, especially since this is your first time.
Cheap Liability Insurance Coverage in Utah
Reader’s Question:
I am getting quite confused about a lot of things regarding these insurances. I’m from Sandy, Utah, and I was about to get an auto insurance. So, I asked my friend, and he told me that I would need liability insurance. He couldn’t explain well what it was all about, though, so here I am asking.
Asher
Sandy, UT
Hi there, Asher. I also asked my agent about that liability insurance thingy, and he explained it to me quite well, actually. Anyways, I don’t know how it is there in Sandy, Utah, but as far as I know, most of the states here in the country make it compulsory that drivers have liability insurance. Just check your state’s laws for this.
By law, liability is required although you do not need to have any additional coverage. Liability is actually cool because it may protect both the other party and yourself especially if the one at fault in the accident is you. I think it covers physical injuries and it also pays for medical bills and lost wages, the properties you damaged in the accident, and also for punitive damages in case the other driver decides to see you in court.
Here is the catch, though. My agent told me the auto insurance company only covers the amount that you have purchased or less. Like if the cost of damages that were involved in the accident totals to $100,000 but the liability coverage you bought is only for $50,000, you’re in trouble because you are going to be the one to pay for the excess. And this is going to be a legal obligation that you will have to accomplish regardless of your bankruptcy or death. So, it affects you for life. It is kind of disturbing because the plaintiff has the power to sue your estate for uncollected damages. But I think it is better to have this just for protection. Just imagine if you don’t have it then suddenly need it.
Does New Driver in Utah Get Auto Insurance Coverage From Parent
Reader’s Question:
This is Savannah from Layton, Utah. My parents gave me their spare car as a present, and I just got my driver’s license. If they’re covered, the car is still titled to them, would I still need my own insurance?
Savannah
Layton, UT
Good day to you, Savannah! I am Denny, and I just acquired my first car 2 months ago in pretty much the same way you did– courtesy of my parents.. Though I live just three blocks away from them, they’d like me to be as independent from them as possible. So they had the car title transferred to my name, and I had to get my own insurance because of that.
I think the main idea is that you would only need to get your own car insurance if the car were “legally” yours, so to speak– that is, if it’s titled to you. Now, I don’t know how things are with you and your parents there in Layton, Utah, but if you’re still living with them, and they have insurance for the car that is still under their name, then you shouldn’t need to get your own insurance. What you need, though, is to have them list you as the primary driver of that car. And you might also ask them if they could have you listed as an occasional driver of the other cars for good measure– as you would only get coverage for driving their other cars if your name is included in the policy.
