Wednesday 7 December 2016

Colorado Car Insurance

Are you looking to be guided on Colorado car insurance laws? The most important thing you should know about the state of Colorado is that they follow the tort system which means that someone has to be found responsible for causing the accident and the said person together with his or her insurance company will shoulder the cost of all the damages incurred from the accident. This is set by the Colorado Division of Insurance.

Colorado Auto Insurance Requirements

Colorado has relatively high liability minimum requirements for its policies which is really not surprising considering that they follow the tort system. If you plan to drive in the state of Colorado, you need to have bodily injury liability coverage under your belt as this is what is mandated by their car insurance law. The minimum coverage requirement for bodily injury liability is $25,000 per person or $50,000 per accident. The state of Colorado also requires its motorists to avail of property liability coverage. The minimum coverage requirement that motorists should carry in Colorado is $15,000. Although these are what is mandated by the state, financial experts advise that if your budget can afford it, you should get more than just the minimum coverage requirement since medical costs cost can shoot up uncontrollably. If your insurance policy cannot shoulder all the costs if you’re the one who’s responsible for the accident, you could end up getting sued by the injured party and that’s not something you’d want. To ensure that such events won’t happen to you, financial experts recommend that you carry a minimum of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident.

Colorado’s Average Auto Insurance Premium and How to Lower Yours

How does the car insurance annual premium in the state of Colorado compare to the national average car insurance annual premium? Colorado is the 26th most expensive state for car insurance with its average state car insurance annual premium amounting to $1,508. It falls slightly below the national average car insurance for annual premiums which is $1, 440.99.

Bodily injury liability and property liability are the only two coverage mandated by the state of Colorado for their motorists however if you want to truly be protected, you should avail of other coverage as well. For instance, you should choose to have collision coverage. This type of coverage will come in handy for paying the repairs of your car as liability coverage only gives protection to the other party.

Another type of coverage you should consider availing is the comprehensive coverage. This type of coverage almost always comes as a package deal with collision coverage. Comprehensive coverage will pay for the damages incurred by your vehicle for accidents caused by natural elements such as falling trees, fire, flood etc. You can also file for a claim with your insurance company if your car is stolen considering you have comprehensive coverage as part of your policy. When you have collision, comprehensive as well as liability coverage, this is considered as a full coverage auto insurance policy.

A lot of people are concerned with auto insurance costs. Why wouldn’t they be? It can be pretty expensive to have. If budget is a concern for you, there are ways to lower your monthly car insurance premium rate. Skipping car insurance is definitely not the best option.

If you want to find the best and cheap car insurance policy for you, it is best that you shop around first before settling on an insurance provider. Shopping around before settling is also a great way for you to save on car insurance costs. Another way to do so is to look at the type of car you want to drive or are driving. Why does this matter? It matters because insurance companies consider the type of vehicle you drive when they compute the cost of your car insurance premium.Colorado’s Most Stolen Cars

Last year, 2010, there was a total of 11,114 motor vehicles that was reported stolen in the state of Colorado according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. The top ten vehicles stolen in this state which you should definitely consider avoiding are:

1996 Honda Accord
2000 Honda Civic
1995 Acura Integra
2001 Dodge Ram
1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee
1990 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
1998 Jeep Cherokee
2004 Ford F150 Series/Pickup
1989 Toyota Cammy
2002 Ford Explorer
Colorado Law on Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

You have heard of the saying don’t drink and drive right? Well that’s because it’s dangerous to do so. There are a lot of consequences that driving while under the influence of alcohol can bring and that is why a law about driving under the influence is implemented in a lot of states in the US. Each state has its own law regarding the punishments that motorists would have to face if they are caught breaking this law just like every state has its different laws when it comes to car insurance.

In the state of Colorado, if your blood alcohol content registers above 0.08, you will be convicted with driving under the influence. How can authorities tell if you consumed alcohol prior to getting behind the wheel? Authorities can test it either by using a breath machine or by drawing blood so if neither test is done to you, get a lawyer ASAP to get your DUI charges reduced or better yet, dismissed.

If you’re convicted of driving under the influence (DUI), there are different penalties that you will be facing depending on your type of offense. If you’re a first DUI offender in Colorado, your punishment involves jail time which can be for as short as five days to as long as one year. If you don’t want to serve jail time it is possible for you to prevent it. By agreeing to subject yourself to an alcohol treatment program, jail time can be waived. There is also a fine that you have to pay if you’re caught driving under the influence for the first time: it can be anywhere from $600 to $1,000. First time DUI offenders are also required to render community service of 48 hours to 96 hours. Your driver’s license will also be suspended for a year.

If you’re caught for the second time to be driving under the influence, you will be required to pay a fine, which can amount anywhere from $500 to $1,500 and your driver’s license will also be suspended for a year. Second time DUI offenders will also have to serve a minimum of 90 days and a maximum of 1 year in jail although it can be waived by agreeing to enroll in an alcohol education class. Lastly, you also would be required to render community service of 60 hours to 120 hours.

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