Let's say your policy has lapsed and you haven't renewed it. Or maybe your car insurance premium grew too expensive, so you decided to cancel it and didn't purchase another policy. What happens when a police officer pulls you over and asks for proof of insurance in these cases?
First, it's always important to cooperate. If you don't have proof of insurance, provide the other requested items while informing the officer that you don't have proof of insurance. Officers now have a way to tell whether or not you carry insurance before they pull you over, so there's no use in lying. Once you've been caught without insurance, there are a few things that could happen.
- You receive a fine. Fines for driving without insurance vary per state. New Hampshire does not have a fine for driving without insurance. In Kansas, fines for driving without insurance range between $1,000 and $2,500. In Missouri, the fine is $500 on average.
- Your license may be suspended. Driving without insurance is considered a serious violation in most states and can force a court to revoke your license.
- Your vehicle may be impounded. Whether you're driving or parked, an officer may impound your vehicle if it is not covered by car insurance.
- You may be required to carry an SR-22. An SR-22 requirement comes from the court or state. It is a separate piece of paper stating that you carry the correct amount of car insurance as dictated by the state. An SR-22 is not insurance. Nor is it always the same as proof of insurance. You must carry both if you have an SR-22. In most states, you must carry an SR-22 for 3 years after the incident.
- You may be towed. In some states, police can now electronically track whether you carry car insurance. So, even if your vehicle is parked, you may be fined and towed. This is up to the officer who comes across your vehicle, however.
- You may be sued after an accident. If you don't have insurance to help pay for damages after an accident, you can be left not only without a car (and in debt), but also with a lawsuit on your hands. Even if you don't cause the accident, having no insurance can limit how much money you receive after the accident.
Repeat offenders will pay higher fines and may suffer worse consequences. You won't likely be arrested for driving without insurance the first time, but unpaid fines can grow to warrants that could result in arrest.
To avoid this hassle, it's important to review your state's minimum car insurance requirements. Missouri and Kansas have some of the same minimum requirements.
Missouri
- Bodily Injury Liability: $25,000 per person
- Bodily Injury Liability: $50,000 per accident
- Property Damage Liability: $10,000
- Uninsured Motorist Coverage: $25,000 per person
- Uninsured Motorist Coverage: $50,000 per person
Kansas
- Bodily Injury Liability: $25,000 per person
- Bodily Injury Liability: $50,000 per accident
- Property Damage Liability: $10,000
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage: $25,000 per person
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage: $50,000 per person
- Personal Injury Protection: $4,500 per person
Since Kansas is a no-fault state, it requires drivers to carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. Missouri is an at-fault state, meaning the driver ruled to have caused the damages must pay for injuries and property damage done to the other driver and passengers. Both Missouri and Kansas may suspend your license for driving without insurance.
Being caught without car insurance is a serious issue. You don’t have to invest in full coverage to drive legally, so check your state's insurance requirements and drive safely.
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