Driving without auto insurance coverage is a crime in all 48 states of the United States of America. There are severe penalties for not driving without a valid auto insurance policy all over the country.
There is something known as minimum auto insurance coverage that all auto owners must own. And this minimum limit varies from state to state. The minimum coverage specifies the minimum limit for personal injury sustained due to an accident. It will also state the minimum amount that one must be covered in order to provide for medical coverage for all individuals involved in the accident. And finally it will state the minimum amount of money that must cover property damage accrued as a result of the accident.
In certain states, additional minimums might be specified. Like tort damages or medical benefits coverage. Tort coverage is necessary to ensure that all car owners have the minimum financial support in order to begin litigation. This is very much necessary in order to fight an effective legal battle. And attorney fee is not necessarily cheap these days. And medical benefits coverage is required to cover for basic post emergency procedures and treatments and also prescription medicines.
All this is required in order to ensure that all auto owners are in a position to support themselves and the people who have gotten injured as a result of their errors. It gives a just and equal playing field to both the parties when the case is taken to court.
Given all the benefits that auto insurance coverage gives us, it should be pretty easy to see that getting insured is for our own protection. But even after all the obvious benefits a few individuals might want to save a few bucks. But do remember that the law enforcement agencies are always watching. And there is no easy way to wiggle out of it once you are caught.
The penalties for not driving with auto insurance coverage are harsh and even severe at times. It all depends on the circumstances in which you are caught.
Firstly, your license can get revoked. And everybody knows what a hassle it can be to get another one. The time spent on it is just not worth the little gain. You might also end up paying a fine of over 300$. And this will also add on to your driving history. And automatically, when you go for insurance you will end up paying more as a result of this. Your driving history is also accessible by your new employers who might want to conduct a background check.
And the worst case is a jail sentence. If you have been involved in an accident and killed or seriously injured someone, and you do not own auto insurance; it is going to really weigh down up on you at court. You could even be convicted of homicide in such cases. Usually in auto accident related deaths, it is not registered as murder. It is suggested that unintentional death or death due to negligence or culpable homicide. But if you have been drinking or if you do not own insurance, then you can be put away for a very long time. Driving without auto insurance is not only reckless; it is putting your own self and your family at risk.
