Having enough Missouri auto insurance is a sensible decision that every responsible driver should take into consideration. Suppose you got into a vehicle accident wherein unfortunately you end up injuring the other driver and damaging the property of the nearby house, the state of Missouri requires that you pay for all the damages you have caused because of negligence. If the government of Missouri found out that you do not have any Missouri Auto Insurance, you are definitely in for more trouble, and apart from the legal consequences the financial consequences can be huge. So, it is important that you get sufficient cover to meet your needs.
The state of Missouri, just like the other states in the US, requires its residents who drive to have Missouri Auto Insurance. This is not primarily for the insurance companies to earn profit (though it certainly does that), but for the drivers to protect themselves, other people's welfare, and property from damage, as well as any other people that might get involved in an accident.
Having Missouri Auto Insurance also proves that you as a Missourian are a financially responsible person, because the fact is that the liability cost from an auto insurance can be huge not only interms of direct property costs such as repairing damage to cars. BUt in such areas as medical expenses and legal liability costs if it is found that you were responsible for any accident.
Missouri Auto Insurance Law - The Basics
The law on auto insurance in Missouri requires every policy holder to adopt the basic automobile coverage which is 25/50/10, which translates to: $25,000 for injury to a person, $50,000 for injury to all the persons involved in the accident, and $10,000 for property damage.
Other additional coverage that a Missourian must get involves the uninsured motorist coverage of $50,000 for auto accidents and $25,000 for injury to each person. People who are not residing in Missouri but happen to stay in the state for a particular time must get their insurance coverage from their respective states.
As mandated by the Missouri Auto Insurance law, the motorist is required also by the Department of Revenue to have insurance policies and at the same time keep proof of their insurance in their vehicles so that in time of accidents the motorists can present it to the police officer.
You should be aware that all of these are minimum requirements, and in reality they are rather low for what real-world expenses are in the event of an accident. So you would be well-advised to instead check out the costs of increased coverage by putting in higher amounts when you seek out Missouri Auto Insurance Quotes, and in that way you can better guage what more comprehensive car insurance might costs as compared to the basic cover.
Types of insurance both for residents and non-residents
There are two types of Missouri Auto Insurance. One is for residents and the other for non-residents of the state.
For residents, you have to submit the following documents in order for you to prove that you are worthy to drive a vehicle in the state:
- Proof of financial capability that is filed to the Department of Revenue.
- Certificate of self-insurance from the Missouri Department of Revenue.
- A motor insurance policy that has the basic 25/50/10 coverage.
On the other hand, non-residents should have documents coming from their respective states in order for them to drive any type of vehicle in Missouri.
Responsibilities of a Missourian driver
As mentioned previously, it is illegal to drive a vehicle around the state of Missouri if you do not have a proper insurance policy with you. If you fail to submit the proof that you have insurance, you can be punished in any or all of these three ways:
1/ Deduction of 4 points from your driving record. Remember that once you have lost 8 points within a period of 18-months, you will lose your driving privilege in the state.
2/
You might enter an order of supervision by the Missouri Drivers License Bureau.
3/
If you fail to present proof of insurance, the Driver License Bureau has the full rights to suspend your license and you will be given a notification of the decision.
You should avoid all that grief by simply getting a few Missouri Auto Insurance Quotes right now, seeing which of them has the best balance of cost and cover and then take out the policy.
In the long run you will save yourself a lot of headaches, and will be able to drive safe in the knowledge that is anything happens you have proper cover.