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.

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 required to carry an sr22 and I just want to know if this will cover just myself or anyone who uses my vehicle?

Justin

Thank you for asking Justin.

Typically, car insurance follows the motor vehicle first and the driver second. There are financial liability laws in most states so the motorist should also have had car insurance or they will end up with a conviction for driving with no insurance and have their license suspended or revoked until they get an SR22 or the financial responsibility certificate.

Normally, an SR22 is only liability insurance so it will likely cover the motor vehicle struck and damaged but not the at-fault vehicle’s damages.

To be certain what your specific SR22 policy covers contact your insurance company. They will be able to give you more information on what the sr22 covers.

Goodluck!

MariCAR

Hi there, I just moved to Wisconsin and I hear that the minimum insurance required to drive a vehicle here is different. Can anyone tell me the minimum insurance I need?

Elle

Milwaukee, WI

Hi, Elle. You’re right. Wisconsin does have a different car insurance policy than other states in the US. You see, most US states will only require certain amounts of bodily injury and property damage liability insurance. However, in Wisconsin, the state requires liability insurance and uninsured motorist insurance as well.

Here are the amounts that you will need for each type of insurance: a minimum $25,000 per person and maximum $50,000 per accident of bodily injury liability insurance plus $10,000 for property damage. For uninsured motorist coverage, you will also need the minimum $25,000 with a maximum $50,000 per accident insurance coverage. The bodily injury insurance will cover injury of other people in an accident up to the amount as specified in your coverage. The property damage insurance will pay for any damages to other people’s property in case of a crash. The Uninsured motorist insurance will keep you covered for accidents caused by the negligence of an uninsured driver or a hit and run driver.

Failure to have the required amounts of insurance required in Wisconsin can result in fines, suspension of licenses and impounding of your vehicle. So please make sure that you have enough car insurance coverage and that you keep proof of your insurance coverage in your vehicle at all times.

Just move to Appleton, Wisconsin  and I am hoping someone can give me a smart guide to auto insurance requirements here.

Amy

Appleton, WI

Wisconsin might have very different requirements from where you came from and I can give you just some basics.

Although I strongly recommend that you get complete information concerning auto insurance in Wisconsin residents by calling the Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance located in Madison.

I know that all Wisconsin residents are required to carry uninsured motorist insurance. This auto insurance will provide recompense for drivers who are involved in an accident for which a driver who does not possess liability insurance is responsible. Without this coverage you would have no other option but to pay for their medical expenses and repair bills yourself and it is a given that they will always attempt to recoup losses from you.

Although, liability auto insurance is not required in Wisconsin, it is strongly suggested that all drivers purchase liability insurance. The prospect of being held financially liable for the gigantic expense of medical and repair bills resulting from an accident in Wisconsin can be a daunting one. Minimum level of liability available in WI is 25/50/10.

This means liabilities are twenty five thousand dollars for injuries suffered by a single driver, fifty thousand dollars for the combined medical expenses of all of the occupants of the vehicle and ten thousand dollars for all property damages, including damage to the vehicle of the victim.

Do I still need to carry an SR-22 insurance to get an occupational license in Wisconsin if I already have full car insurance?

Harry

Janesville, WI

In the state of WI, proof of financial responsibility should set a liability insurance in the amounts of at least $25,000 and $50,000 for personal injury or death and $10,000 for property damage. This proof of insurance is filed by obtaining an SR-22 certificate issued by an insurance company licensed to do business in WI. Substitutions, such as a bond from an insurance company or a cash deposit of $60,000 posted with the WI Department of Transportation (DOT) will be accepted in some cases.

An SR-22 is required by the state in order to obtain an occupational license or to reinstate a driver’s license after operating privileges or vehicle registration has been revoked. You can have more auto insurance than what the state requires as a proof of insurance but you will still need your insurer to file the SR-22 since it is a requirement for obtaining an occupational license. So even though you have full coverage, it does not matter since it is mandated by your state law.

I would suggest contacting WI DOT for more information on what is needed to get an occupational license in Janesville, Wisconsin. You will need to obtain new auto insurance coverages through an insurance carrier who does work with SR22s if your current insurance provider does not file the SR-22 form.

How long do I have to carry SR22 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin?

John

Milwaukee, WI

You may contact the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) to verify for sure about your particular situation but normally in WI you will need to get and maintain a SR22 for three years.

According to the Wisconsin DOT, for the SR-22 proof of insurance, it must be filed for three years from the reinstatement eligibility date, or for 3 years from the court entry date of a damage judgment that was effective before September 1, 2000.In addition to that, this states also noted that if at any time during the three-year filing period, an individual wishes to stop filing insurance, and discontinue driving in Wisconsin, they can avoid paying the reinstatement fee in the future by surrendering their driver license to the Wisconsin DOT while the insurance is still in force.

Proof of financial responsibility in Wisconsin is certifying that you have liability insurance in the amounts of at least $25,000 up to $50,000 for personal injury or death per accident and $10,000 for property damage per accident (25/50/10).

A: You have to remember that the car insurance, at least the part of your car insurance required by law, isn’t for you at all. You have to have liability insurance so that if you crash into someone else’s car, you’ll be able to pay for their damages. Even a car as ancient as yours can cause damage. Beyond that, you are also required to have your SR22 policy if you want to drive at all. If you don’t have an SR22 form filed every month, then your license will be canceled. No getting out of it.

However, there is something you can do to make your SR22 car insurance premium cheaper than it currently is. Instead of trying to get rid of your car insurance altogether, simply try to get rid of as much of it as possible. Cut your coverage until you arrive at the minimum amount required by law.

If you’re worried about paying for damages you cause, you can cut your collision and comprehensive coverage but keep your SR22 liability coverage high. If you aren’t, then you can keep it at the minimum.

A: T he car insurance world often has options for everyone, from those with the highest risk and the oldest age, up to those who don’t even own a car. Even people who have no car in their name must be insured when they drive, though. In most cases, this would be covered by the car insurance of the owner of whatever car they are driving, but since SR22 requires you to have insurance to get your driver’s license back at all, you must get a different type of policy if you want to do this.

SR22 insurance for non owner drivers only allows the policy holders liability insurance. Although they can change the limits of this, they can never add on coverages, such as collision or comprehensive, because there is no car available by which to rate these policies.