Should I Accept My Auto Insurance Company Settlement Offer?
Reader’s Question:
I’m Gayle from Fayette, KY and had a recent car accident. I want to know what actions must I take after a car accident? Do I need to accept a settlement offer from the insurance company?
Gayle
Fayette, KY
Hi Gayle. Under the Kentucky law (KRS 189.635) you are required to call the police to report the accident if someone is harmed or injured; or one of the cars is rendered inoperable. If no police investigation is made and either the car suffers $500 or more in damage expense you must report the incident to the State Police within 10 days. Next, your car insurance company requires you to report the accident to your insurance company and fill out the appropriate forms.
As for your second question, the answer can be a Yes or a No. Car insurance companies in Fayette, KY are notorious for offering settlements that are far less than the injured party deserves. However, if the car insurance company is offering what you feel the car is worth, then you can accept it. It will also be advantageous if you consult an experienced lawyer that is knowledgeable on car accident laws. By contacting an auto accident injury lawyer you may be able to receive a much larger settlement than the car insurance company has offered.
How Many Traffic Tickets Can I Have Before My Auto Insurance Increases?
Q: How many speeding tickets will it take before my auto insurance premium is affected?
A: It depends both on your position with your auto insurance company, your history with them, your history concerning tickets, as well as the severity of the ticket itself.
If you have been with a car insurance company for a long time, then many times they will have an option for you to bypass any rate raises which come from an accident or a ticket. If you are already getting auto insurance, then it’s possible that you have already used this up if it was ever available to you, although some car insurance companies will allow you to do this as many as two times. You might see similar results if you are considered a preferred customer in your company. A preferred customer is someone with an impeccable record who has almost no chance of filing a car insurance claim. In many companies, it is difficult to have this status taken away from you once you have it.
Some tickets will be more likely to raise your rate than others, especially if you have auto insurance. Running a red light and driving over 15 miles over the speed limit are almost guaranteed, but driving with an expired registration sticker might not have any effect at all.
Kentucky Non Owner SR22 Insurance – Check These Rates
Q: I have non owner SR22 insurance in Kentucky and recently defaulted on a student loan. I renewed my insurance policy this month and the rates are suddenly much higher. Are these two things related? Is this legal?
A: Since I can’t see your records with your car insurance company, I can’t tell you for sure, but I would say that it is very likely that the two are related, and it is also very legal. Although car insurance companies won’t do this every time you renew your policy, many do check your credit when you get a new policy and do so again once every one to three years. Companies who do this, and most do, are following the lead of companies which sell other types of insurance by using credit reports to compile an insurance risk score.
For those who have bad credit and are excellent drivers, it may seem more than a little unfair for them to be charged so much on their insurance for something they think is unrelated, but many 24 year old male drivers could say the same. What studies show, though, is that if you have bad credit, you will probably be filing a few car insurance claims. People with bad credit also have a history of, like you, defaulting on payments, and car insurance companies want customers they can be sure will pay them every month.
What Happens If My SR22 Car Insurance Payments Are Late?
Q: What happens if my SR22 car insurance payment is late this month?
A: Your car insurance company will decide the outcome of such a situation, and it could prove very risky and expensive for you depending on their policies. Some car insurance companies have grace periods, so if your SR22 car insurance payment is done a few days late, you will still be able to pick up your car insurance coverage from where you left off. However, not every company guarantees that you will be covered for any claims you file during that period of non payment. Also, even with companies who have grace periods, late payment isn’t something you can do without consequences. If you pay late too often, then your car insurance policy could be completely canceled.
As for SR22 car insurance companies who do not have grace periods, it’s even worse for you to pay late. Your insurance could be canceled as soon as the day after it was due, and then the company will send an SR-26 form to your DMV office informing them that you have not paid your insurance. Your DMV will then suspend your license, and any driving you do after that will be illegal. If you want to reinstate your license, you will have to go to your DMV office and pay any fines and fees involved, and this can be pricy. You will also have to get SR22 insurance again.
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