Friday, October 1, 2010

I live in Delaware and have full coverage with a $500 deductible. My windshield is cracked and needs to be replaced and I heard that insurance companies are supposed to cover broken windshields if you have full coverage, due to state law.

In Oklahoma are insurance companies for motor vehicles required to give a grace period on paying premiums and if so, how long is the grace period?

In Oklahoma auto insurance companies are not required to give a grace period on paying premiums.  The Oklahoma Insurance Department specifically notes on their site that there is no grace period if your premium payment is late to your car insurance company.

There may be times when an auto insurance company will reinstate a policy once the overdue payment has been made, but if you have had a loss during that period, there most likely will be no coverage. 

Oklahoma state law requires minimum Bodily Injury Liability coverage of $10,000 per injured person up to a total of $20,000 per accident, and Property Damage Liability coverage with a minimum limit of $10,000. This basic coverage is often referred to as 10/20/10 coverage and is required to be in place.

Oklahoma Motor Vehicle section 7-606 is the state law for failure to maintain security on a motor vehicle. Here it states that an owner or operator who fails to comply with the Compulsory Insurance Law of OK shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be subject to a fine of not more than Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00), or imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and in addition thereto, shall be subject to suspension of license and registration.

When an insurance company sends out a renewal notice it can also count as notice of cancellation since it has listed on it the date and time your policy will cancel if you do not pay.  Oklahoma Insurance Law (O.R. 365: 15-1-14) deals with cancellation notices and non-renewal notices. Here it states:

Unless otherwise provided, insurers shall give at least ten (10) days notice prior to the date of cancellation and twenty (20) days notice prior to the date of non-renewal of the insurance policy. If notice is given by mail, said notice shall be deemed to have been given on the day said notice is mailed. Proof of mailing of the notice of cancellation or non-renewal to the named insured at the address shown in the policy, shall be sufficient proof of notice.

As we mentioned a cancellation notice of this type may be done by insurance companies mailing bills to policyholders, at least 10 days before the due date, advising that the policy will cancel on a specific date and time (usually 12:01 AM) unless the premium is paid. These companies may then cancel the policy of those who fail to send payments on time.

Without a grace period if you do not pay before your car insurance payment's due date your policy will be cancelled and there will be no coverage.  You may be able to get your policy reinstated if you contact your insurer and make your payment however that would be up to their guidelines. 

If you have had a lapse of coverage and are looking for auto insurance in Oklahoma CarInsurance.com can help you get the coverage you need.  Get instant car insurance quotes and buy your policy online.

I am traveling to Ireland on vacation and will be renting a car. Can I use my driver's license from the state of Texas in the USA to be able to drive a rental car in Ireland from Dublin to North Ireland Belfast to Londonderry?

I have a G2. Can I drive with it in Miami, FL, USA?

Yes, you should be able to drive in Miami, Florida using your G2 license from Ontario, Canada.

We contacted the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (HSMV) and the representative stated that you can indeed drive in FL with an out of state learner's permit or junior license such as your G2. You must have a fully licensed supervising adult over the age of 21 in the passenger seat though at all times if you have only a permit and follow the restrictions with your type of GDL license or permit.

The FL Highway Patrol also stated that they will honor your Canadian G2 Driver license. This Florida law enforcement agency noted that if there are any restrictions impacting your Canadian License, they would apply in Florida as well.

If you want to get more specific information about what restrictions you may have on you to drive in Florida with your G2 from Ontario, Canada check with the FL HSMV directly.

Before driving in Miami, Florida or any other area of the United States make sure that your Canadian car insurance will cover you or if you are borrowing a car that the insurance of the owner will extend to you as a driver.

In Connecticut what will happen if I get pulled over because I haven't renewed my registration? I do have a valid license and insurance.

If you get pulled over and cited for expired registration in Connecticut you typically get fined.

Connecticut General Statute section 14-12(a) states that no motor vehicle shall be operated or towed on any highway, except as otherwise expressly provided, unless it is registered with the commissioner... (2) a resident of this state who operates a motor vehicle he owns with marker plates issued by another state shall be fined not less than one hundred fifty dollars nor more than three hundred dollars. If the owner of a motor vehicle previously registered on an annual or biennial basis, the registration of which expired not more than thirty days previously, operates or allows the operation of such a motor vehicle, he shall be fined the amount designated for the infraction of failure to renew a registration, but his right to retain his operator's license shall not be affected. No operator other than the owner shall be subject to penalty for the operation of such a previously registered motor vehicle.

The usual fine for driving without registration thus appears to be between $150 and $300 however if you just have not renewed your registration within 30 days of it expiring than it is an infraction that comes with a lesser fine. From the last infraction fine schedule we saw for CT it listed this offense as being $93.

If you were cited for driving in Connecticut with expired registration you should contact the court listed on your ticket to find out what exactly your penalties will be. The $93 might be the fine amount you'll pay or it could be a base fine which court costs, etc are added to. Also if your registration was expired for over 30 days this may come with a heftier fine amount.

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