By requiring car insurance in nearly every state, U.S. auto insurance laws are. The U.S. helps protect people involved in accidents that aren't their fault.
These laws try to ensure that all drivers who could cause an accident have insurance that covers a minimum level of costs for any injury or damage. Car insurance is mandatory in almost every state. The only exception is New Hampshire. Drivers must purchase and maintain some type of auto insurance to stay financially and legally protected in the event of a collision or injury to another person or property.
You may be breaking the law if you don't maintain coverage. However, some counties don't require you to buy car insurance. Instead, they require that you show a sign of your financial responsibility, such as a security deposit, a cash deposit with the state, or a self-insurance certificate. Car insurance is required for drivers in all of the United States, except those in New Hampshire.
There, the state will allow drivers to forego insurance, as long as they can prove their financial responsibility and can pay for an accident if they are responsible. Car insurance is a significant cost of owning a car, but it's considered so important that most states require coverage by law. However, not all 50 states require coverage, and many offer alternatives to insurance company coverage. A no-fault state is a state in which all parties who drive use their own insurance to cover their own injuries and damage to the car, regardless of who caused the accident.
Liability insurance covers other drivers' medical expenses and property damage due to an accident in which you are determined to be at fault. Everyone should have the minimum amount of car insurance as required by state law, but it's good to contact your insurance agent to see if you need additional coverage. Massachusetts was the first state to make car insurance mandatory for drivers in 1927 (surpassed by the financial obligation and the Connecticut premise). Anyone is capable of having a car accident, so drivers are responsible for having insurance if they cause an accident.
In most states, you must obtain at least the minimum required amount of car insurance to drive your vehicle on public roads. The insurance company will then file a document, known as SR-22 in most states, that certifies that you have the required amount of insurance. Auto insurance is required by law in 48 of the 50 states to help pay for accumulated bodily injuries and property damage if you are at fault for an accident. Car insurance can be expensive, but you need to ensure that drivers on the road (including you) are protected.
It's important to understand that liability insurance won't cover your own bodily injuries or car damage in the event of an accident. The penalties you face for driving without car insurance can vary by state, but the penalties often worsen the more you're caught driving without insurance. Car insurance is important because if a driver causes an accident, they may be responsible for paying for the injuries and property damage of the parties involved, depending on the state. The real problem comes when a driver has a car accident, or simply stops, and can't prove that they have car insurance or financial responsibility.
