I am from Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky, and I heard that Kentucky is a no fault state. But what exactly is a no fault insurance?

Max

Lexington-Fayette, KY

Max, you are right. Kentucky is indeed a no fault state. So, this means that auto insurance policies there are a bit different than the standard ones that work in other states. Presently, there are 12 states that are no fault. These states are New Jersey, Hawaii, Kansas, Florida, Minnesota, North Dakota, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Utah. But there are three states that are under a choice no fault law and where you are right now, Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky, is among them along with New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

What this means is that the motorists have a choice to reject the lawsuit threshold and just retain the right to sue in court for any injuries that are involved in any vehicular accident. What you have to take note of is the nature of the no fault insurance system because no fault auto insurance is in fact misunderstood widely. No fault auto insurance is just a system that makes it compulsory for the drivers to carry insurance for their own protection, but at the same time it limits the capability of the drivers to sue the other parties or drivers for damages. By law, the no fault system makes your auto insurance companies pay for your damages, which have to be within your policy. The company would cover the payments regardless of who was at fault in the accident that the driver has involved himself in. The other drivers who are involved are going to be covered by their own insurance companies.

The good thing about this is that you are guaranteed immediate medical attention, and it also lowers the legal fees. Actually, there is still a lot more to know about this. Just ask around.

I was contacted by an insurance carrier in Owensboro and they told me that they compared their car insurance rates to our insurance carrier and they said they offer better car insurance rates. They said they were looking at our insurance policy and said we could get a better deal with them. How is it possible that they have access to our auto insurance information?

Desiree

Owensboro, KY

Normally a competing insurance company is not permitted to have access to your current insurance policy. For marketing, typically an insurer will look at your current registered cars and try to rate it with that. Competing insurance carriers/agents can access general information about you like your age, where you live, tax status, etc., however they should not have access to your actual car insurance policy without your permission. They are in violation of insurance privacy regulations if they do.

Most likely the insurance carrier that called you was using a marketing strategy to get your business. As for comparing their car insurance rates with your insurance carriers rates overall, that is possible since some insurers do publish sample insurance rate quotes. For instance, you live in Owensboro Kentucky, here the Kentucky Department of Insurance (DOI) provides a consumer guide that lists insurance carriers authorized to sell auto/homeowners/renters insurance in KY and those insurers have provided rate comparisons for certain situations.

If you believe that the insurance company that contacted you truly did have a copy of your car insurance policy then you can have the KY DOI, the insurance regulator for the state, investigate the issue and you can file a formal complaint with this state agency.

What is the fine for driving without car insurance in  Kentucky?

Collins

Owensboro, KY

Driving without auto insurance in Owensboro and in all areas in Kentucky can be rather severe. For the first offense you are cited, you will be required to go to court and can be fined between $500 up to $1000 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days or both.

Your KY license plates and registration can be suspended for 1 year or until proof of car insurance is presented. You could also lose your drivers license for up to one year. The penalties increase for each subsequent offenses of not having proper proof of car insurance liability.

If you were found driving without auto insurance in the state of Kentucky you may contact the court listed on your ticket for information on the possible penalties you may receive in court. The clerk of the court can likely advise you what the normal fine amount is for a first time violation of driving uninsured in the county in which you were cited.

What will be the penalties if a seventeen year old is caught driving without license in Richmond, Kentucky?

John

Richmond, KY

Driving without a license in Richmond Kentucky is a Class B misdemeanor. It is also a Class B misdemeanor for the individual permitting you to operate their vehicle knowing that you are not licensed and thus he or she could also be charge and penalized for letting an unlicensed motorist drive their car. A Class B misdemeanor in the state of Kentucky can come with up to ninety days in jail and/or a fine of up to $250.

At seventeen one is still a minor and a serious violation such as driving without a license may cause a delay in you being able to get your driver’s license. You would need to verify with the KY Transportation Cabinet to know how this offense could affect your licensing process.