Can You Cancel Your Car Insurance Policy Without Being Charged?
Reader’s Question:
Will Texas car insurance companies charge you if you decide to cancel your insurance?
Rey
Arlington TX
Insurance companies in Texas need to protect their business from uncertainties by including clauses in policies that deal with cancellations. Most car insurance companies will impose a charge if you cancel before the maturity date. The amount will vary depending on the insurer. If you have no urgent reason, do not change car insurance companies because that could cause you to unnecessarily incur fees.
If changing policies can wait, then wait and don’t be hasty since the new offer may not turn out as well as you expected. In the event that you are canceling your insurance because you are dissatisfied with the company’s services, make sure to tell them of your intention through a written notice. The company will likely renew your insurance if you don’t make it clear to them that you don’t need their services anymore. Also, car insurance companies can report you to the Department of Motor Vehicles if your insurance lapses and you are in a probationary period because of a major violation like driving under the influence or driving while drunk. Coordinate with your old insurer properly to avoid having to explain to the DMV, suffer an additional period of probation, or worse, a cancellation or suspension of your license.
Cheap Houston Car Insurance For Your New Car
Reader’s Question:
We are getting a new vehicle. What should we do in order to save on our car insurance? Thank you.
Maricel
Houston, TX
Contact first your current Houston Texas car insurance provider and ask if they are giving you discounts if you renew your car insurance policy with them. Normally, it is cheaper to just get a new car insurance policy than renew your current insurance coverage. However certain Houston Texas car insurance companies offer discounts to entice their policy holders to renew their policies with them.
If there are no discounts in the offing, then shop for a new Houston Texas car insurance company that can provide you with cheaper rates. You can ask the insurance company holding your life and health insurance policies and ask if they can give you discounts once you get a vehicle insurance from them.
Shop around the Internet and compare rates and features of Houston car insurance companies. There are plenty of websites offering car insurance rates and the best part about it is that you can compare car insurance company rates within minutes. Once you picked the company offering the cheapest rate, call them up and inquire about the requirements you have to pass as well as the terms and conditions of the vehicle insurance policy you are interested in buying.
Auto Insurance With An SR22 in Texas
Reader’s Question:
What is the purpose of having auto insurance with an SR22 here in Texas? I don’t think I have to get SR22 but I’m just curious how come many people have to get it.
Raul
Abilene, TX
Insurance with an SR22 is needed by a lot of motorists considered as high risk to insurance companies. SR22 is a form filed by the insurance company to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) that proves that the person has the proper auto insurance coverage. Insurance with an SR22 is usually required of drivers who have been convicted of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). SR22 filing serves as an assurance to the DPS that the motorist carries insurance required by the state. In case the insurance with SR22 ends or laps coverage, the insurer has to notify the DPS right away. As soon as this happens, DPS will suspend the driving privileges of the motorist as well as his/her driver’s license.
In Texas, insurance with SR22 is required for two to three years after the driver’s license has been reinstated. This information still has to be checked with the DPS to be sure about the particular SR22 insurance requirements. This is usually sent through mail in an official letter once the driver’s license has been reinstated.
To obtain insurance with an SR22, the driver has to shop with an expert insurance broker who could explain the policies available for insurance with an SR22. It is still necessary that anyone who needs insurance with an SR22 has to compare all the options available and pick the best one.
How To Get Low Rate Car Insurance Coverage in Texas
Reader’s Question:
Good day! I’m George from El Paso Texas. I ran into this website and I just found out that there are lots of policies and coverage that they are offering and man, most of them are expensive! I want to know which ones are the most important. I don’t want to waste money paying coverage that I really don’t need.
Jim
El Paso TX
Nowadays, almost everything in the auto industry is getting expensive. From auto parts to repair, you name it. Even auto insurance costs are increasing at a high rate. This is because of the numbers of traffic accidents are arising. Now, to answer your question, I will explain the most common coverage people are applying when it comes to auto insurance.
In most states, it is required to acquire the so called liability coverage. This liability is categorized into three. The Bodily Injury Liability which pays claims made against you incase you hurt or kill someone. Coverage is limited up to your relatives living with you and it also pays your legal fees if you get sued. Second is the Property Damage Liability, what it does is pay for claims made against you in case you have an accident with another car or object. Last is the Personal Injury Protection, insurance company pays your medical expense if you’re in another vehicle or just walking.
Then there are other coverage that is not required by most states but it is important to acquire. The Collision Coverage, it pays for damage done to your car caused by another vehicle no matter whose fault is it. Even damage from an object is covered by these coverage. Next is the Comprehensive Coverage which pays for damage done to your vehicle from acts of nature, vandalism and theft. Last is the Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage, it pays for damages done to you and your passengers in case it is the fault of an uninsured or underinsured owner. Hit and run cases are also covered by this coverage.
Now, after you decide which coverage you want. Visit your auto insurance website and acquire quotes from them. Most of them (or almost all) are free. Compare their rates and coverage and choose the one that you can afford. Sometimes they have an online chat or they have telephone customer service in case you run through a difficult query.
Do You Need Cheap Auto Liability Insurance in Texas?
Reader’s Question:
Do I need to have to have just liability auto insurance here in Texas?
Alyssa
Amarillo, TX
The Texas law requires that all drivers be financially responsible when they are on the road. This financial responsibility comes in the form of automobile liability insurance. This insurance is used to cover the expenses incurred during the treatment, repair or replacement of any type of damage that has been brought by the accident in which the insured vehicle is involved. The coverage of the automobile insurance policy will depend on what the insurance company and the owner of the vehicle have agreed upon. Therefore, whatever is not covered by the auto insurance policy will have to be personally taken care of by either the owner of the vehicle or the driver.
In Texas, each vehicle is required to have an insurance that could pay $25,000 for the medical expenses of one injured person, $50,000 for the medical expenses for two or more injured persons, and $25,000 for the expenses in having the other party’s vehicle repaired. This minimum liability coverage is referred to as the “25/50/25 coverage.”
The medical and vehicle repair expenses may turn out to be costly than expected. Therefore, more people are getting auto liability insurance that is beyond the state’s minimum requirement to protect their own assets (cash or any type of asset that may be used to pay for the damages). You may ask your automotive insurance agent about the other coverage options, so that you could choose which option is best for your needs.
Car Insurance with Roadside Assistance Texas TX
Reader’s Question:
I hail from Texas, but I’ve been on the road a lot lately since I became a photojournalist. I’m wondering whether paying extra for roadside assistance would be a smart move.
Simon
Houston, TX
There are a few things you need to consider regarding this issue. Roadside assistance is always an offer given to you by your car insurance provider. This particular service provides such assistance as towing or roadside repair, like changing a flat tire or jump-starting a battery to stranded motorists. Some policies with roadside assistance may also include offering emergency taxi or shuttle service. Help from Roadside Patrols or Highway Police may also be extended to you if you have the roadside assistance coverage in your motor vehicle insurance policy – they’re quite efficient in Texas.
Here’s the thing though, adding roadside assistance to your coverage may cost you an extra $60 a year on the average. So you’re going to have to ask yourself, “How often is my car going to break down?” Since you are always on the road because of your job assignments, availing of the roadside assistance feature may seem like a good move. It could help you worry less about being stuck in the middle of nowhere without any help for your car trouble. But there’s a preventive approach to car trouble. A little regular maintenance can go a long way to avoid these irritating situations. It wouldn’t hurt to know a little troubleshooting and making sure you’ve brought along a working spare tire or an extra can of gas. Bottom line, you’re going to have to weigh cost against convenience.
Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance coverage, car insurance, car insurance cost
Minimum Car Insurance Coverage Texas TX
Reader’s Question:
Hi, does anyone know what minimum car insurance I need to get in Texas? I just moved out here and am kinda lost.
Fran
San Antonio, TX
Howdy Fran! Welcome to Texas! If you’re looking at getting just the minimum car insurance coverage required in Texas, here is what you will need. You will need at least 20 grand in Bodily Injury liability coverage with a maximum of 40 grand per accident. You will also need 15 grand worth of Property Damage liability coverage. Texas uses the tort system which means that in case of an accident, someone will be determined to be the party at fault and will be tasked to cover the cost of any death or damage as a result of the accident.
Aside from the minimum insurance requirement in Texas, however, you may also want to get additional coverage for collision damage which will cover the cost of repairs to your car, as well as personal injury protection which will pay for any injuries caused to you and your passengers in the event of an accident. Why don’t you throw in comprehensive insurance, as well, which will cover most anything from theft to damage caused by floods, rains, and whatever else that could happen.
I suggest you go and visit some websites out there that offers free quotes from different car insurance providers in Texas. This will help you get started in finding the most affordable car insurance that is tailor fit to your needs.
Tags: affordable car insurance, auto insurance, auto insurance coverage, car insurance
Cheap Automobile Insurance Texas TX
Reader’s Question:
Aside from the basic liability coverage that Texas requires, what other cheap automobile insurance coverage are there that I could avail of?
Zachary
Houston, TX
The Texas Automobile Policy has 8 different kinds of coverage on their list. Aside from the basic liability coverage that the law there in Texas requires of motorists, the more common ones you may also avail of are the medical payments coverage, personal injury protection coverage, coverage for uninsured or underinsured motorists, and collision and comprehensive automobile insurance coverage. Other coverage include: coverage for towing and labor, new or additional automobile coverage, coverage for stereo equipment, and coverage when driving outside of Texas (other states, Mexico and Canada). But be reminded that only the basic liability coverage is required. All the other ones are just optional coverage that you may buy depending on your automobile insurance needs.
Texas is a tort state, which means that in an accident there in Texas, someone has to be found at fault. The person at fault and his automobile insurance company are going to be the ones responsible for all the expenses involved in the accident. This is actually the reason why in all states, it is required to carry a certain amount of automobile insurance for proof that a motorist has the financial capacity to pay for damages in the event of an accident.
If you decide on buying cheap additional automobile insurance coverage for your car, you might want to consider going online for comparisons on instant auto insurance quotes because additional coverage always mean additional expenses.
Tags: car insurance law, cheap auto insurance
Car Insurance Coverage Question Texas TX
Reader’s Question:
I plan to visit a friend in Canada. Is my car insurance valid in Canada even though I’m insured in Texas? If my insurance is valid in Canada, for how long?
Kyle
Houston, TX
If you plan to go to Canada on a vacation and not to stay there permanently, insurance providers normally cover
trips like this. They can provide informations like for how long is this valid and if your policy is enough
for the laws in Canada particularly in the area in which you will be driving.
If your insurance provider in Texas confirmed with you that they will cover your short trip to Canada, ask them for
a yellow non-resident Inter-Province Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card, which would mean that your insurance company will cover not less than the minimum requirement of the Canadian law. You also need to bring with you paperwork of the car’s registration in case you are asked by the Canadian authorities to present it.
In case you plan to move to Canada and stay there permanently, you have to go through the import and registration instructions. To find out more about this, you can contact the Canadian Registrar of Imported Vehicles.
Tags: auto insurance, car insurance
Auto Insurance Company Texas TX
Reader’s Question:
What should I do if I don’t find any auto insurance company in Texas, that would insure me?
Lorelei
Corpus Christi, TX
There are a number of reasons why auto insurance companies would not have your vehicle insured. Different companies use varying methods to determine your risk as a driver. What you should do is just continue shopping around. Although some companies would not be willing to insure you, I am sure that there are other auto insurance companies there that would not turn you down.
Also, you can try shopping with an independent auto insurance agent there in Corpus Christi, Texas. Since independent auto insurance agents represent a lot of different auto insurance companies, this will help you save a lot of time because you could get substantial information about several companies as compared to calling the company one by one.
If this still does not work for you, you can buy your auto insurance policy from the Texas Auto Insurance Plan Association (TAIPA), which is actually a special risk pool providing coverage for those drivers who could not find willing auto insurance companies in the standard market. They offer basic coverage that is required by the state’s law, personal injury coverage and uninsured motorist coverage. The only problem here is that their premiums are higher, to as much as double, than those in the standard market, and they do not offer the other types of coverages, such as comprehensive and collision coverage.
If you need more information on TAIPA, you can just contact them.
