By All drivers in California are under mandatory requirement by law to have a car insurance coverage but how do you properly ascertain if a car insurance is valid before proceeding to buy the car, hire it or report to the police in the event of an accident or even before involving your car accident attorney?
You may think you don’t need to know about this because you do not wish to get involve in any car accident but what happens when a driver hits your car and runs away? Your saving grace will be if you know exactly how to find out if the car has a valid insurance so you can report to the police and get things sorted out in your favour.
In your best interest, whenever you are involved in a car accident, do not leave the scene of the accident before calling the police to file an accident report even if it was the other party that was at fault. This advice is coming from a car accident attorney because they have seen cases where the person at fault filed a claim for damage.
Consequences of Driving without Insurance in California
Driving without insurance in California is an utter violation of California Vehicle Code Section 16020–16033.
First offense: Minimum fine of $100. Additional fees and penalty assessments will result in a total fine of about $450. Second or subsequent offenses can result in fines totaling between $900 and $2,500.
It is important you take time to review the penalty before driving. Though cancelling your auto insurance might help you save some money but the fact that it puts other drivers in danger and increases your chances of “wasting” more money if you are caught makes it even more unrecommended.
How to Verify Auto Insurance Coverage in California
First, to actually prove that you have a car insurance coverage when driving within California your insurance company will forward a proof of insurance card listing the covered cars and drivers and showing the policy number and expiration date.
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This car insurance policy number and expiration date will help the law enforcement officer to verify your auto insurance coverage. Your policy or a temporary binder also is acceptable evidence of insurance. But however, you will be attracting a hefty fee as charges if you were caught without an insurance.
Alternatively, you may want to visit https://www.dmv.ca.gov/wasapp/cisa/index.html to know if a driver that bashed your car also has car insurance coverage as you wait for the police to file your accident report. This DMV insurance inquiry is also what most law enforcement officers use to verify a car insurance coverage in California.
Requirement for Car Insurance Coverage in California
In the State of California, you are not qualify to own a duly registered vehicle without a car insurance coverage.
Due to the fact that California is not a “no-liability” insurance state, you will not be eligible for car insurance coverage if you don’t have the financial capacity to take care of the financial responsibility.
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The rule is that your car can’t be licensed to operate within the State of California if you don’t provide the proof of financial ability to pay for damages that might arise due to accident.
Having the coverage is not enough if you don’t carry it about in your vehicle to provide it when required by a law enforcement agent.
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