Car operators in Utah and in all of America must always have their Cars insured. It is their choice of how much coverage to have, but there is a minimum established by Utah auto Insurance laws, and the DMV of every state. The minimums for most states have been set at $25,000/$50,000 and $10,000. This means that if you get in an accident, each person in the other car is covered up to $25,000 with the maximum payout being $50,000, and property damages are covered up to $10,000.

As long as your insurance policy is current, your insurance company assumes responsibility for expenses up to the amount on your policy if you get in an accident. However, if you do not have current insurance, or if you have cancelled it, your insurance company will not pay a dime, you will be forced to pay it all.

Because of the problems that occur when an uninsured driver gets in a wreck, the government goes to great lengths to make sure drivers have valid insurance. There are stiff fines and punishments in almost every state for driving uninsured, even if you haven’t been in a wreck. What could happen if you are caught without insurance? It is different for every state.

If you are a resident of Utah, you are forced to pay 100% of the damages, and your license is revoked until you do so. You license can be taken away for up to six years while you are paying for damages. Can you go six years without driving? If you live in Michigan and get in a wreck while insured, you are only liable for $500 in damages. But if you are not insured, you are required to pay for all of it, no matter how much it is.

Perhaps the stiffest punishments are in Texas. In order to get a driver’s license in Texas, proof of insurance is required. If you are caught at any time uninsured you are hit with an initial fine of $350. On only the second offense you can be fined upwards of $1000 and your vehicle can be impounded for up to six months.

In California the liability limits are much lower than most other states, yet they treat driving without insurance very harshly. If you are caught without current insurance, your driver’s license will likely be taken away for up to a year. You car can be impounded and your registration will be suspended until you have proof of current insurance. Like other states, without insurance you are fully responsible for all damages in a wreck.

It is very important to have current and adequate Insurance. It is not worth the risk to go without insurance just to save a little money, because it is never worth it in the long run. Check with your insurance agent or with the authorities at your state’s DMV to make sure you know the laws and regulations concerning the specific coverage minimums in your state.