Reader’s Question:

Hi! I’m planning to get married soon and I’m wondering if there would be any changes in my auto insurance cost once my civil status changes, too. By the way, I got my insurance here at Boise, Idaho.

Stella

Boise, ID

Hi, do you have your own insurance policy or are you covered by your parents’ auto insurance policies? You need to know that the rates in insurance policies are based on different factors, such as one’s civil status or age. If a person just got married or maybe is planning to get married soon, he or she could ask for a reconsideration of his or her insurance policy rates. In your case, you may contact your automobile insurance policy agent there in Boise, Idaho and ask to have the rates recomputed. You will notice from the computation a considerable drop in your insurance rates, which is basically due to your plan of settling down. This is because many auto insurance companies believe that married people are more “stable” and are considered less of a risk. The same thing goes with those aged 25 and above who are also believed to be stable and careful drivers with less chances of getting into accidents while on the road. However, if your current automobile insurance policy is from your parents, you will notice that the change is minimal, if there is any. This is because your parents’ auto insurance policy is already getting a special rate with the consideration of being “low-risk” drivers. And since you are covered under their policies, you get the same rate, too. But you may want to talk to your insurance policy agent to ask for rates better than those you are getting from your parents’ since settling down entails a different sense of “stability” as compared to being a dependent of your parents.

Good luck on the wedding!

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance cost, car insurance rate

Reader’s Question:

What is exactly is the difference between comprehensive automobile insurance and collision insurance? I’m Anne from Nampa, Idaho, and I need information. Thanks!

Anne

Nampa, ID

Well, hello, Anne from Nampa, Idaho. I’m Dave, and I’ll be glad to fill your information needs. Let’s start first with collision automotive insurance. It’s the type of insurance that covers you when your car, as the name implies, collides with something, may it be another car or some other inanimate object. You’re also covered for a car rollover, which means literally just that, your car rolling over. For cases like these, the automotive insurance company will pay for the damages up to the car’s fair market value. Fair market value is the price that the car would get in the current market place, provided that both buyer and seller are informed about the property and are free from trade pressures. Simply put, it’s how much the car would sell at the time. Additionally, collision insurance policies work on a no-fault basis, meaning that you are covered regardless of whose fault it is.

Comprehensive insurance, on the other hand is the type that protects you from damages that are caused by everything else apart from collisions. Hence, the name comprehensive. Instances of such are fortuitous events, like flood or earthquakes, vandalism or theft. But of course, you have to read your policy carefully to know the exact details of your insurance plan.

Tags: car insurance cost, collision insurance coverage, comprehensive insurance coverage

Reader’s Question:

My seventeen year old daughter just got her license last week and I am just wondering if I need to add her now to my car insurance policy in Boise, Idaho?

Mary

Boise, ID

I would suggest that you talk to your car insurance agent in Boise Idaho to be certain if you need to add your daughter to your car insurance policy because insurance carrier’s guidelines varies. Generally though, auto insurance companies would want your daughter to be added to your car insurance policy once they get their learners permit or provisional license.

You may want to be sure that your child is fully protected once they hit the road so you need to verify with your car insurance company if you need to add her to your car insurance policy.

Usually if you add a teenager to your car insurance policy in Boise Idaho, it increases your car insurance rate since they are considered inexperienced therefore may be a risk to car insurance companies. Once you add your teenager to your policy, make sure your ask for any kind of discounts that may be available to you. Some insurance carriers offer good student discount with teens who has good grades so do not forget to ask what the requirements are to get this. Another discount that you may take advantage of is the driver education course discount in which is available for younger and older drivers.

Tags: auto insurance, Car insurance discounts, teen insurance, Young driver car insurance

Reader’s Question:

I co-sign for a car loan in Nampa Idaho however the primary on the car loan does not have auto insurance. I am just worried that if in case of an accident, will I be held liable for anything?

Jeremy

Nampa, ID

If you co-sign on a car loan in Nampa, Idaho then it is likely that you could be held liable if in case there was an accident and the car was not properly insured. You are partly responsible as the co-signer, for those who use or operates the automobile and what happens while they are operating the vehicle.

Normally the the lien holder or the financial institution on the car will require you to have collision and comprehensive coverage above the state’s mandatory liability auto insurance. In this manner their asset which is the automobile is protected. If the automobile insurance lapses or cancelled on the automobile they might decide to take out auto insurance on the car themselves and add the cost, which will be higher, to the car loan.

It would be best to verify if the vehicle you co-signed is insured to make sure anyone who drives the car or the vehicle itself is fully protected.

Tags: auto insurance, comprehensive insurance coverage

Reader’s Question:

What do you think the penalty for a second ticket for driving without insurance insurance ticket in the state of Idaho? Am I going to Jail?

Rick

Nampa, ID

The Idaho driver’s manual states that if you violate ID insurance laws, you will, for the first violation, be required to provide proof of financial responsibility for a year. If you commit a second violation in a 5-year period, you will be required to provide proof of financial responsibility for 3 years. The acceptable form of proof of financial responsibility is a certified statement of liability auto insurance coverage from your insurance company which is an SR-22 certificate.

The state of Idaho laws states that driving without car insurance is an infraction punishable by a fine of $75.00 for any individual to violate the provisions of this section for the first time. A second and any subsequent conviction for a violation within a period of 5 years shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by jail time in the county jail not exceeding 6 months, or both.

As you can see a fine and possibly jail time for driving without insurance in Nampa Idaho. I sure hope you do not see jail time, as that seems extreme for your case.

Tags: auto insurance, driving without insurance, sr22 insurance

Reader’s Question:

I just hit a deer in my vehicle and was wondering how much the damage would have to be for the insurance carrier in Pocatello, ID to total the vehicle. Is it the suggested retail value of the vehicle or half of it?

Bill

Pocatello, ID

When an insurance appraiser calculates the damages to your vehicle, he or she will determine how much it will cost to repair the vehicle. The repair appraisal is similar to the “blue book” value of your vehicle. The blue book value is the retail value or the fair market value of the car. So, how much would you have to pay a auto dealer or person for a vehicle as similar as possible to yours. If the cost of repairing your vehicle exceeds the fair market value, the vehicle is considered totaled.

If your vehicle is determined to be totaled, and if you think that the fair market value offered by the insurance company in Pocatello, ID is too low, you get more information. Get signed statements from car dealers that say the value of your vehicle. Look in the classified ad section of the newspaper for cost of vehicles similar to yours. You may use this information to negotiate a fairer settlement for you. Always obtain the information you need to support your case.

Tags: auto insurance claims, car insurance, car insurance cost

Reader’s Question:

I would like to know if I can remove my daughter from my car insurance in Meridian, ID, who is 22 years old and still lives with me. If she turns in her drivers license is that proof to the insurance company that she is no longer driving my car?

Amanda

Meridian, ID

While insurance carrier’s guidelines may vary if you can prove that a driver on your car insurance policy has turned in her drivers license voluntarily then you should be able to remove her from your car insurance policy in Meridian, ID generally.

To check what your insurance carrier requires of you in order to take your daughter off of your car insurance policy, speak with your car insurance agent. To see if your state has any auto insurance laws regarding this type of situation you may contact your state’s insurance regulatory body.

Tags: auto insurance

Reader’s Question:

My 17 year old daughter just got her license, do I have to place her in my car insurance policy in Post Falls Idaho?

Howard

Post Falls, ID

Insurance carrier’s guidelines vary so you will need to contact your insurance broker or agent to check if your insurance company will require your daughter to be put on your car insurance policy. Generally most insurance companies do require you to put your child on your car insurance policy, either after they have received their provisional license or full license. When they need to be placed on as a driver differs from one insurer to another.

Adding a teenage driver to your insurance policy usually increases your car insurance rates by quite a bit since they are inexperienced and prone to be in more accidents. So when adding your daughter to your insurance policy verify with your insurance company about any possible discounts you can get. Many insurance providers offer a good student discount.You may also check if your insurance carrier offers discounts if your daughter takes a driver education class.

Tags: automobile, car insurance cost, Car insurance discounts, teen insurance, Young driver car insurance

Reader’s Question:

My 15 years old son who does not have a license yet, without my permission took my vehicle, drove it and got involved in an accident with another vehicle due improper left turn. No injuries on both cars but both vehicles have damages. The other vehicle is insured, my car is not. This occurred in Boise, Idaho. My question is , what legal consequences he might have or what should we be expecting from all this?

Jerry

Boise, ID

If the household member that took the vehicle is found to be at-fault in a crash there is the possibility that you could be held responsible since you are the owner of the car. The driver is liable as well and the other party will go after for the damages and may file it with their insurance provider.

As for your son’s case; the state maintains driving histories even for those without a drivers license, and requires all motorists under seventeen to comply with the requirements of the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Program before they can get a drivers license.

If there was a police report filed, then he could have a lot of violations filed against him including driving without owner’s permission and driving without a license. These infractions could affect his eligibility to obtain his license, and as well as his insurance rates in Boise Idaho once he gets his license.

Tags: auto insurance, driving without insurance

Reader’s Question:

In Meridian, Idaho, when a premium finance provider submits a termination notice to the insurance company , what effective date should the insurance company use? The date of receipt by the carrier or the date the Premium finance company requests?

Bill

Meridian, ID

It is typically the premium finance company that request cancellation of the insurance policy on a certain date. Then, the insurance provider terminates it on that date and returns the premium to the finance company to pay off the loan.

As for the statutes or insurance laws in Idaho, you should be able to find out this information from the insurance regulatory bodies of each state in your area in insurance laws or . Or you may want to check the statutes of each state’s insurance codes or laws.

In Idaho the Statute covering the Idaho Insurance Code is under Title 41.

Tags: auto insurance