Monday, 26 December 2011
Carrying Proof Of Auto Insurance A Good Idea
The best way to protect yourself and others while driving is to make sure you have an adequate amount of auto insurance and keep the policy certificate in your vehicle. Of course, there are still some places where auto insurance isn’t required by law, but those days may soon be coming to an end as more and more states are requiring drivers to possess a minimum amount of insurance.
Keeping a copy of your policy in the car will enable you to prove that you have insurance. However, in some states such as Virginia, it’s law to have auto insurance, but it’s not the law to prove it. According to an article by the republic.com, this has been causing some confusion in the state as drivers have received tickets for not being able to prove insurance.
Some Virginia motorists have been fined and charged court costs after failing to show local police proof of insurance after being pulled over during traffic stops. Virginia state law requires drivers to possess liability insurance for their auto or to pay $500 to the Department of Motor Vehicles for driving without it. If you don’t have the insurance policy or haven’t paid the $500 fee you can be fined up to $500 for a misdemeanor. However, the law doesn’t state that motorists have to carry proof of insurance with them.
Still, some Virginia officers have been ticketing drivers for an offense that doesn’t exist. Local court records have shown that police officers have written out several tickets regarding no proof of insurance and this has resulted in fines of $100 for some motorists plus court costs of $10. The obvious solution to the problem would be for the state to require drivers to carry proof of auto insurance while driving or proof that they’ve paid the $500 fee for an uninsured vehicle.
It was reported that the General Assembly considered such a mandate a minimum of three times in the past, but never passed it. You should always know what the auto insurance requirements and laws are in your area, but you can also save a lot of hassle by always carrying proof of insurance with you every time you drive.
