Posts Tagged ‘washington auto insurance’

Washington Basic Auto Insurance Coverage Amounts

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

For Washington drivers, the basic auto insurance coverage amounts are set by the state legislature. This is a tort state for car insurance purposes, which means that the driver who has been found legally responsible for an accident must pay for the damages he or she caused. Property damage and bodily injury liability insurance coverage are required by law.

Property damage coverage is used to pay for repairs to the other driver’s vehicle following the accident. It also pays for damage to other property following the event, including sign posts, mail boxes, fences, guard rails, buildings and sheds. At least $10,000 must be put in place for this purpose.

Bodily injury liability coverage is also a legal requirement in Washington. This is the part of the policy which is used to pay for medical bills and other expenses related to the accident, and pays a certain amount for funeral benefits if the accident caused one or more deaths. Drivers in Washington must buy at least $25,000 in coverage to compensate one accident victim or injuries and $50,000 to pay for injuries and damages sustained by two or more accident victims.

Car insurance buyers can buy a policy with a higher limit than the minimum level of protection required by law if they wish, and it’s a good idea to consider buying one. With the ever-rising cost of health care, the coverage available under a basic policy can be used up very quickly if the accident causes injuries requiring hospitalization.

WA Minimum Auto Insurance Coverage Requirements

Monday, August 15th, 2011

In WA, the minimum auto insurance coverage requirements are determined by state lawmakers. Liability insurance pays for injuries and damages claimed by the occupants of the other vehicle involved in an accident.

Property damage liability coverage is used to pay for the cost of repairs to the other driver’s vehicle. It also pays for repairs to other property damaged in the accident, including sidewalks, guard rails, sign posts and buildings. The minimum level of property damage liability coverage required in Washington is $10,000.

Bodily injury liability insurance is the part of the policy used to pay for personal injury claims stemming from an accident. It covers medical bills and rehabilitation costs, and pays out a funeral benefit if the accident resulted in one or more fatalities. The minimum level required for this type of coverage is $25,000 to pay for injuries and damages claimed by a single accident victim and $50,000 to pay for claims made by two or more accident victims.

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is not mandatory in Washington, but it is a good idea to add these types of coverage to an existing policy. Uninsured motorist coverage pays for injuries and damages sustained by the policyholder and the occupants of his or her own vehicle when the at-fault driver doesn’t have any coverage. Underinsured motorist coverage is used to top up the at-fault driver’s available coverage when he or she doesn’t have enough insurance to fully cover the level of damages stemming from the accident.

WA Minimum Auto Insurance Coverage Explained

Sunday, August 7th, 2011

Under WA state law, drivers must have at least a minimum level of coverage in place. In this tort state, third party liability coverage must be put in place to protect the policyholder from having to pay for injuries and property damage he or she causes in an accident.

Bodily injury liability coverage pays for medical bills incurred by the occupants of the other vehicle in an an accident. It also pays out a funeral benefit if the accident results in one or more fatalities. The minimum level of this type of protection required by law is $25,000 to compensate one accident victim and $50,000 to pay for all injuries and damages stemming from the same accident.

Property damage liability insurance is also required under WA state law. This is the part of the policy which pays for repairs to the other driver’s vehicle. It also covers the cost of repairs to public property damaged in the accident, including buildings, sheds, fences, sidewalks and sign posts. At least $10,000 in coverage must be bought for this purpose.

Third party liability coverage pays for damages caused in an at-fault accident up to the limit the policyholder puts in place. If the policy limit is not high enough to pay for the damages caused, the at-fault driver is responsible for paying the difference personally.

A driver who buys a policy with the minimum auto insurance coverage required under WA law may not have enough protection to fully cover damaged caused in a serious accident. A better choice is to buy as much protection as the driver can afford.

 

Washington Basic Auto Insurance Coverage Amounts

Friday, August 5th, 2011

Washington auto insurance buyers have the option of buying a basic policy with a limited level of protection if they wish. Under state law, drivers must have a minimum of $25,000 in third party liability protection to pay for injuries and damages sustained by a single accident victim. At least $50,000 in liability insurance must be bought to pay for all injuries and damages of the occupants of the other vehicle in an at-fault accident.

Property damage liability coverage is also required under Washington state law. Consumers must buy at least $10,000 in coverage to pay for repairs to the other vehicle, as well as any public property damaged or destroyed in the accident. Public property includes items such as guard rails, fences, sheds, sign posts and mail boxes.

The occupants of the other vehicle cannot make a claim for the cost to repair or replace personal property damaged in the accident. They would have to submit a claim for this type of loss through their homeowner’s policy.

Washington auto insurance buyers must carry proof of coverage in their vehicles at all times. The insurance card must include the following information:

  • policy number
  • name of insurance provider
  • effective date of coverage
  • expiry date of coverage
  • make and model of the vehicle
  • name of insured driver

A driver who has purchased a Washington basic auto insurance policy online will be able to print off a temporary card which should be placed in the vehicle until the insurance policy documents and card arrive.