Driving without car insurance is expensive
According to the Insurance Information Institute in 2015, 13% of Americans were uninsured. Driving without insurance is dangerous and expensive. Additional fees are often added to ticket fines. You could end up paying more in fines for one offense than for your entire year of car insurance. You may be cited for driving without insurance, and you will have to pay $1,000. Your state could also suspend your vehicle registration and license plates. These may require you to pay additional fees in order to be allowed to drive again. It’s much cheaper to buy car insurance in a state such as Virgina where the average annual cost of car insurance is $785.60. Insurance providers might consider you a high risk driver and raise the price of your car insurance. This will make it harder to find a rate that is affordable.
Penalties for the Seven Most Populous States
Your state can notify you that you don’t have car insurance in two ways: through law enforcement or internal databases. Every state has its own way of handling this offense, so it is important to know the penalties your state imposes. Below are details about the penalties and fines you could receive in seven states with high populations: California (Texas), Florida, New York (Illinois), Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania), and Ohio.
What are the penalties for driving without car insurance in California?
California residents pay $1,962 per year for their car insurance. If you don’t provide proof, the fees may be higher. If you are stopped by police officers in California, you will need to present your driver’s licence, vehicle registration and proof of liability insurance. This can be done by showing your policy, or by showing a state money deposit.
You will be charged $100 to $200 for failing to show proof of liability to the police officer in your first offense. Additional processing fees may be required, which can easily add up to $100. You can appeal to court if you don’t have proof that you are insured for your first offense. In this case, you may be able pay an administration fee instead of your fee. You could be issued a citation of up to $500 for each subsequent offense.
California law requires that you provide proof of liability to the DMV if your car accident results in injury, death or property damage exceeding $750. If you are unable to prove your liability, your license will be suspended for one year. The license suspension will be extended to four years for the second offense.
What are the penalties for driving without Texas car insurance?
Texas drivers must show three things if pulled over. Your driver’s license and vehicle registration are required. You also need proof of insurance. If you’re a Texas driver, According to the Texas Department of Insurance, in the event of an accident, you must be able to prove that you can pay for the damage you caused. A citation will be issued to the driver for the first offense of not being able to show proof of insurance. It can carry a $175-$350 fine. The driver will be fined $250 for each subsequent offense. You could be fined up to $1,100 for your first offense. For each subsequent offense, the fine will go up to $350 to $1,000 and the $250 annual surcharge for the following three years.
The state of Texas has an “indigency” program that allows those who are unable to pay the annual surcharge to be charged a lower rate. Drivers who are eligible for this program must still pay the original ticket. You could also be subject to fines such as having your license suspended and having your vehicle impounded if you don’t show proof of insurance. Additional charges may apply if your vehicle is impounded.
What are the penalties for driving without car insurance in Florida?
Florida drivers need to ensure that their car insurance policies are up-to-date. The law requires that your insurance provider must report any expiration of your car insurance policy to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. A three-year suspension of your license could be imposed if you don’t provide proof that you had a new policy in place before the expired one. Florida drivers must not only show proof of their liability when they register their vehicles but also provide evidence of financial responsibility in the event that there is a traffic violation, accident or other type of incident.
Florida law also requires that you turn in your license plates if your car insurance policy is cancelled. Florida is home to 27% of uninsured motorists. Mississippi and New Mexico are close behind. A $150 fee will be charged for your first offense. You will be required to pay $250 if you are convicted of a second offense within three years. After your second offense, however, the fee rises to $500. You also risk having your license suspended for 3 years if you don’t pay these fees.
What are the penalties for driving without car insurance in New York?
According to the Insurance Research Council, just 6% of New Yorkers were uninsured in 2015. This was the second-lowest rate in the United States. New Yorkers are subject to some of the most severe penalties and fees in the country. Many states have lower fees for the first offense and higher penalties for subsequent violations. Uninsured motorists in New York can be fined anywhere from $150 to $1500 for each violation. Drivers who are convicted of multiple offenses may be sentenced to 15 days in jail and their registration and driver’s license can be revoked.
Similar to other states, New York’s insurance providers will notify the state when your insurance policy has expired. If you can’t provide proof that your policy is current, you will be charged a fee each day you are not covered. If your insurance policy has been inactive for between one and 30 days, you’ll be charged $8 per day. This is a maximum amount of $240. You will have to pay $900 if your insurance lapsed for more than 90 days. To retain your driver’s licence, you will have to pay $750 civil penalty fees if you are involved in an accident or cannot provide information about insurance.
What are the penalties for driving without Illinois car insurance?
All Illinois drivers must have proof of insurance that includes liability insurance and coverage against uninsured motorists. This proof must be presented in the form an insurance identification card. Important to remember that driving without insurance in Illinois is considered a “petty crime,” meaning that the offense will not land you in jail. All Illinois drivers must have minimum liability insurance. Those who are caught driving without it will be fined. Illinois charges the highest amount for first offenses at $500. The fine will remain the same for second offenses, but will rise to $1,000 for third offenses.
Drivers in Illinois who drive without insurance are also at risk of a three month license plate suspension. This is equivalent to losing your driving privileges. You can be fined at least $1,000 for illegally driving in Illinois if your plates are expired. You will need to pay $100 more to get your license plates reinstated so you can drive legally again. You must also show proof of insurance to pay this fee. Similar to other states drivers can appeal the citation to court for a reduced fee. You may be eligible to reduce your fine by presenting information from your insurance policy to the court.
What are the penalties for driving without car insurance in Pennsylvania?
At 7.6%, Pennsylvania is the ninth-lowest percentage of uninsured motorists in America. Drivers in Pennsylvania who are stopped by police must prove financial responsibility. A $300 ticket will be issued for the first offense. The state of Pennsylvania will also suspend your driver’s licence and vehicle registration. You and no one else will be allowed to drive your vehicle during this three-month period. You will need to pay approximately $100 each for your vehicle registration and driver’s license renewal.
However, you can avoid the three month suspension by paying the $500 civil penalty fee and the $88 reinstatement fee. Your driver’s license will remain suspended but this option allows others, such as family members or friends, to drive your car. This option can only be used once per 12-month by drivers. You will not be allowed to pay the civil penalty fee if you are caught twice within a year. If you know that your Pennsylvania car insurance policy is about to expire, you can immediately notify the state government so they can surrender your vehicle registration. This will save you from paying penalties.
What are the penalties for driving without car insurance in Ohio?
The Ohio penalty for driving without insurance is $160. The state will suspend your driver’s license and take your plates for 30 days. To restore your driving privileges you will need to pay the required fines and provide proof of your car insurance. For each additional violation, your fines will rise to $360 and $660 respectively.
The penalties and fines for third offenses are more severe. The state may then seize and sell your vehicle. You will also be subject to a two year suspension of your driver’s license and you won’t be able register a vehicle under your name for five consecutive years. You could also face severe penalties if you are involved in an accident without having car insurance. Your driving privileges could be suspended for up to two years if the accident damages exceed $400.
