My son was in an accident while driving my car in Minnesota. The other driver was declared to be at fault. We are from Wisconsin, and he only went there to visit an aunt. Will my car insurance policy still cover for his medical bills since Minnesota is a no-fault state and the accident happened there?

Jennifer

Milwaukee, WI

Normally when driving out of your licensing state, in this case Wisconsin, your car insurance can be expected to follow the laws of the state in which you happen to be driving in. Minnesota happens to be a no-fault state. This simply means that those involved in an accident make their claims through their own car insurance, specifically the Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policy.

If your son doesn’t have his own car insurance, you, the car owner, will have to carry the burden through your own car insurance. Following the Minnesota PIP, you son is entitled to coverage of medical costs, replacement, wage loss, and even funeral expenses up to two thousand dollars. The minimum coverage amount is forty thousand dollars. Broken down, that’s twenty thousand dollars for medical expenses and the other twenty thousand for non-medical expenses. If things happen to cost more than this PIP limit, you or your son can claim against the other motorist’s liability coverage since he or she has been declared liable.

If you need more information and advice regarding claims for out-of-state accidents, don’t hesitate to contact the Minnesota Department of Commerce, which is the agency that regulates insurance in that state. Alternatively, you can get in touch with the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, the insurance regulator for your state.’

What is Wisconsin’s mandatory auto insurance coverage?

Gary

Milwaukee, WI

Wisconsin’s financial responsibility law is intended to make sure that all licensed drivers in Wisconsin are liable for the damages that may arise from getting into an accident to which they are found to be at fault. This financial responsibility may come in the form of a vehicle liability insurance policy, certificate of self-insurance, surety/guarantee bond, or personal funds.

If you decide to satisfy the required financial responsibility by getting a vehicle liability insurance policy, you have to abide by the state-mandated minimum coverage requirements. Your policy must be able to cover 25 thousand dollars for the injuries or death of one person, 50 thousand dollars for the injuries or death of two or more persons for a single incident, and 10 thousand dollars for property damage and vehicle repair. The policy must also have uninsured motorist coverage worth 25 thousand dollars/50 thousand dollars to cover bodily injuries only.

If you feel the need to protect your assets, you may opt to get coverage that is beyond the required minimum set by the state. Your additional coverage will depend on your needs; therefore make sure that you get the appropriate policy for you. You may also check for deductibles that are applicable to your policy. Deductibles are additional payments that you make to pay for the damages. Your payment plus the payment made by the insurance company compose the total amount for a certain portion of the claim. To better understand this add-on and your other options, try seeking advice from different insurance agents.

Hello out there! I plan on buying a used car here in Wisconsin. Is it okay if I just get the minimum auto insurance required? Do I still have to get the add-ons my auto insurance agent suggests that I buy, too?

Mandy

Madison, WI

Hey there Mandy! Most people will purchase a used vehicle to save on the costs of down payments and monthly payments, which would be higher than if you were to purchase a new vehicle. But just because your vehicle isn’t brand-new, this does not mean that you have to be stingy with the auto insurance that you get. Of course, it would be practical if the comprehensive auto insurance and collision damage insurance premiums you sign up for cover just the amount you need for repairs or replacement of your vehicle. You may want to increase your deductibles for these types of insurance to lower your premiums. However for property damage liability and personal injury liability insurance, it is not practical at all to get just the minimum amounts of auto insurance coverage. Imagine what would happen if you got in a really bad accident. Would the minimum amounts be enough to pay for the damages? Will it be enough to pay for the medical expenses of any of the injured parties?

You may think that sticking to the minimum auto insurance requirements will save you some money right now, but getting more coverage will most likely pay off in case you do get into an accident. I suggest you try visiting some sites online that offer affordable auto insurance in Wisconsin.

My wife drivers license has been suspended for almost ten years. Can she still obtain car insurance. I have a learner permit and I have a used vehicle and I need car insurance. I tried to obtain car insurance however the insurance provider said that I need a full valid drivers license. Can my wife get the auto insurance in Appleton, Wisconsin?

Robert

Appleton, WI

It is possible that some insurance carriers will be able to insure your wife no longer have suspended drivers license and is getting her new valid drivers license. State laws vary with regards to suspended license and auto insurance laws.

Your car insurance and your spouse’s auto insurance will likely be categorize as high risk since you only have learner’s permit and is considered inexperienced driver and your wife has a suspended driver’s license for ten years.

You may be able to obtain car insurance quote from various websites and you can start getting quotes here. Just enter your zip code to get affordable auto insurance quote in Wisconsin.

I was caught driving without insurance and was required to obtain an SR22 in Wisconsin. What do I do? Where can I get the cheapest SR22?

Gian

Appleton, WI

As you probably know, driving without insurance is liable to be punished by law in Wisconsin. If you get suspended on this violation, you need to secure yourself of another type of insurance called as SR22 Wisconsin. An SR22 is needed to lift your suspended license and reinstate your driving privileges in Wisconsin.

Even though it is in the law, we are never obliged to spend a lot just for an SR22 alone. There are several ways to obtain a low cost SR22 Wisconsin. In order for us to save from our premiums, we must take the opportunity to shop around for the cheapest SR22 deal that fits our budget.

Insurance rates differ from one insurance company to another. An insurance company may only offer their cheapest deal if you meet their expectations to qualify. Therefore looking for the cheapest insurance policy seems not to be the case then. A cheaper insurance policy would all depend on the qualifications and needs of the motorist.

Insurance companies are typically competing against each other with their insurance deals. This is a good opportunity for us consumers to take advantage of their rates. However, we must still be careful with the cheap SR22 packages that they are offering if they really contain the coverage that we are really need.

Be a wise consumer by checking carefully not only with the price but as well as with the policies written on your coverage. It might be a cheap coverage but their limit might be too low. Like for an example, instead of gaining extra savings on your premium, you might end up paying more because you have already exceeded beyond the coverage limit.

Will my car insurance rates in West Allis, WI change if I buy a new car here?

Jessica

West Allis, WI

In most cities, like West Allis, WI, Jessica, yes, your car insurance rates may change if you buy a new car. Insurance companies price their rates based on many factors, including the type of automobile you drive. However, that does not necessarily mean that your rates will go up. Like for example, if you purchase a new vehicle with a lot better safety features on it, your rates could actually go lower.

Basically, the price of your policy is affected by the amount of insurance you buy. If you purchase a new car through bank financing, most likely, you will be required to carry a certain amount of comprehensive, collision and liability insurance which would mean that you’ll be paying higher premiums.

If you are going to purchase a car directly, you might get an opportunity to decrease those levels so you can save money on your premiums. Most states are obligated by law to have minimum coverage requirements, but if your car is bank financed, it is almost certain that you will be required to carry coverage well over those amounts.

One bit of advice, just make sure that you know the minimum coverage levels in West Allis, WI. But you don’t have to choose those levels right away. Think it over for a while so you can analyze what levels you are comfortable with and then get quotes for each of those different levels. Choosing a higher level may only mean paying a few extra dollars but it will provide you with some peace of mind knowing that you are covered if any incident should occur. When buying a new car, always remember to look around for the best insurance deals possible especially if your planning on financing your car through a bank.

I am a college student and I come back home in Green Bay, Wisconsin for only a month during winter break. I do not have a car in college. I would like to know if there was some auto insurance plan that would cover me for only a month that I am home and have a vehicle, so I wont be paying insurance when I am not driving.

Jeremy

Green Bay, WI

It sounds as if when you are home in Green Bay, Wisconsin , you will be driving your parent’s car. If this is the case then your parents will need to verify with their insurance carrier to check what options are available to cover you when you come home. If you are still using your parent’s residence as your address of record, their insurance carrier may still consider you to be a household member that needs to be on the auto insurance policy, especially in order to be covered and operate a car when you come home to visit during winter breaks.

Insurance carrier’s guidelines vary therefore you will need to speak with the insurance agent regarding you being away at college from your parent’s insurance carrier. Most insurance carrier require that all household members are included on the car insurance policy, including any children away from home or at college that may drive your car during the occasional trips home.

I am currently under my parent’s car insurance policy. I cant afford to get car insurance yet on my own since I am only 18 years old.. I live with my parents in Wisconsin but they are planning to move in Illinois. Can I stay on their auto insurance if I wont be living in the same household? I have my own vehicle.

Kenosha WI

Peters

No, it is not likely that your parent’s insurance policy will be able to continue to have you and your vehicle if they move out of state. The state of Illinois has different auto insurance liability requirements than the state of WI so that is one problem that may arise but also most all insurance companies will not cover an individual and the vehicle that is not part of the household. Since your vehicle will be garaged in Kenosha Wisconsin and not at the address of your parents then an insurance provider will not usually allow you or your vehicle to be covered on your parent’s insurance policy once they move, especially to a different state.

You can check if there are ways in which to lower the car insurance premium. You can look for car insurance discounts such as safety features on your vehicle for one. Other ways in which to obtain discounts may be taking a driver improvement course or safety course, some insurance company lower car insurance rates if you take approved traffic class. In addition if you are going to school and maintaining good grades some insurance companies give good student discounts.

I am just wondering if there are insurance provider in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that will insure delivery drivers like me?

Bennett

Milwaukee, WI

If you have an employer and you are not an independent contractor verify with your employer to know if the insurer in Milwaukee will provide you coverage while you are engaged in that employer’s job.

Business or commercial driving rates, newspaper carriers, delivery services and real estate agents fall into this same category, are higher than those in standard personal auto policy policies.

Since most personal car policies will exclude coverage for the car while it is being used for business purposes you will likely have to get a commercial or business use policy for your car since you will be delivery property for money.

How long does a speeding ticket remain on your record for insurance carriers? Was it three years? What is the current auto insurance rate in Wisconsin?

James

Green Bay, WI

Normally insurance carriers have a look back period to rate on an offense conviction for three, five or seven years. Since your speeding ticket would be on your driving record for five years then an insurance carrier could rate you on this violation for that time period or for a lesser time period.

Since insurance carriers look back period and rating systems differ so you will need to contact your insurance provider to check how long they will rate you on the speeding ticket.Your insurance agent in Green Bay, Wisconsin should be able to inform you about your insurance carrier’s rating system and/or you can contact the Wisconsin insurance regulator with whom surcharge and rates information must be filed with.

Rates vary from person to person, zip code to zip code I can only suggest you get a quote and find your rates.