It is not worth trying to save money by driving without Nebraska car insurance. The modest amount you might save by circumventing the law will be far outweighed by the serious consequences that you will face for being uninsured. Driving without insurance in Nebraska can result in severe penalties. Uninsured drivers can face license suspension or even incarceration.
Nebraska requires minimum insurance
Auto liability insurance provides crucial protection for drivers if they are involved in an accident and are determined to be responsible for injury to others or damage to their property. Nebraska law requires that all drivers must have minimum liability coverage in order to cover this scenario.
These required minimum limits of liability insurance in Nebraska are:
- $25,000 per person to treat bodily injuries
- $50,000 per accident for bodily injuries, which is for more than one person
- $25,000 per accident to cover property damage
These minimum limits may not be sufficient to protect you and your family in the event of a serious accident. It is a smart idea to discuss these limits with your carrier, calculate your assets that could be at-risk in a lawsuit and understand Nebraska’s insurance options before setting your limits.
Driving without insurance in Nebraska carries severe penalties
Your license will be automatically suspended if you are convicted for driving without Nebraska’s minimum liability insurance. You will also be fined and required to prove your financial responsibility for any future driving liability. With each subsequent offense, the penalties and fines are more severe.
Inability to provide proof of insurance
You will be issued a citation for “No Proof of Insurance” if you are the owner of a vehicle and you are not able to produce evidence of insurance when requested by a Nebraska law enforcement officer. There are steps you can take to lift the suspension if you have the required insurance and don’t have the proof.
You will need to submit a Letter of Verification to the Department of Motor Vehicles showing insurance was in place. The DMV may remove the suspension from your record upon receipt.
Conviction of no proof of insurance
You could be charged with this offense if you cannot prove that you were insured after receiving a “No Proof of Insurance” citation. Your driver’s license may also be suspended. You will need to pay $50 and follow Nebraska’s SR-22 requirements in order to reinstate your driver’s licence.
SR-22 requirements
To reinstate your Nebraska driver’s licence after it was suspended for driving without insurance, you must follow the prescribed steps. This will prove that you are financially responsible for any future accidents. You will need to prove that you are properly insure. A judge or DMV may issue this requirement.
The Nebraska DMV will issue an SR-22 Certificate of Insurance. This is the most common way to prove financial responsibility. Your auto insurance company will complete and submit the SR-22 form. It must be kept on file for three year from the date that the “No Proof of Insurance” citation was issued. You should know that each vehicle that the convicted driver owns must have a separate SR-22.
In an accident and not having insurance
The law enforcement officer will request proof of insurance from any driver involved in an auto accident in Nebraska. This is an essential step in the accident reporting process.
You will usually be given a court date within 10 working days if you cannot provide proof of insurance. At that time, you will need to show proof that you were covered at the time of the accident. You will be subject to the above-mentioned consequences if you are unable to do so.
Nebraska is an at-fault state which uses a comparative negligence standard to allocate responsibility among those involved in a car accident. Unlike in a no-fault state, this means that whether insured or not, your responsibility will be set by how much of a percentage each party in the accident was at-fault. Your insurance will pay the driver’s portion.
A Nebraska driver who isn’t insured and is involved in an accident will be responsible for paying the entire liability. A court judgement could make an uninsured driver financially liable for the untold medical expenses and permanent injuries sustained by other drivers and passengers. This could result in bankruptcy or worse.
Questions frequently asked
What happens if you give false information about your insurance?
A conviction for driving without insurance in Nebraska will have consequences that could take several years to unravel. False information regarding your coverage could make matters worse. This could lead to additional penalties. Providing false insurance information is a crime that carries potential serious penalties. False information can lead to the cancellation of your policy or denial of a claim.
What is the cost of Nebraska car insurance?
The average annual car insurance premium for full coverage in Nebraska is $1,531 or $128 per month, based on quoted annual premiums from Quadrant Information Services. These amounts are only estimates. The actual premium you pay will depend on the factors that car insurance companies consider when setting premiums. These factors include your age, driving record, and any discounts available to you.
Do I have to report any accidents to my auto insurance company?
A common myth is that car insurance companies raise rates when they learn about an incident. Although not all claims will affect your insurance rates; however, the risk of failing to report an incident can expose you to a costly liability lawsuit. Your claim could be denied if you fail to notify your insurance company immediately after the incident.
