Everything you need to know about how insurance laws work and how traffic violations will affect your car insurance rates.
- Liability Requirements by State: Find out what car insurance coverages you must have to drive in your state. While nearly all states require minimum levels of liability, which pays for others’ injuries and damage you cause in an accident, some states also mandate that you have additional types of car insurance, such as uninsured motorist or personal injury protection.
- Tort Insurance Law: Learn how tort law plays in car insurance accidents. Some states are “tort states,” which means you are responsible for compensating people you injure in an accident. Typically, this is covered by your liability insurance up to your limits.
- No-Fault Insurance Law: No-fault insurance laws come into play in “no-fault” states, which means car insurance you’re required to buy pays for your injuries regardless of who caused the car accident. Find out the information you need on the 12 no-fault states.
- How Tickets Affect Your Insurance: Learn what happens to your car insurance policy when you get a ticket. In some cases, your rates may go up.
- Driving Without a License: The penalties for driving without a license are outlined by each state.
- Driving Without Insurance: Penalties by State: Find out what fees and penalties you face if caught driving without insurance.
- Lapse in Insurance Coverage: Here we show you how much your rates increase if you let your insurance lapse, as well as what fees and penalties you face in your state.
- Cellphone Use While Driving: This article outlines laws governing cellphones’ use while behind the wheel. You’ll also learn whether or not a cellphone ticket will raise your car insurance rates.
- Total-Loss Thresholds: Whether your car is totaled after an accident depends on your state’s total-loss threshold law. Legally, insurers must declare a car totaled and apply for a salvage title once damage reaches a certain point under your state’s law. Learn what you need to know about your state’s total-loss threshold.
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Laura Longero
Executive Editor
Laura Longero is an insurance expert and Executive Editor at CarInsurance.com, where she specializes in helping consumers navigate the complexities of the financial and insurance industries. She has 15 years of experience educating people about finance and car insurance. Prior to joining CarInsurance.com, she worked as a reporter and editor at the USA Today Network. Her expertise provides readers with practical guidance, helping them make informed choices about their financial and insurance needs.
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John McCormick
Editorial Director
John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.
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Leslie Kasperowicz
Executive Editor
Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.
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Nupur Gambhir
Managing Editor
Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.