How would I know if my own car insurance here in New York covers the damages that I may cause from a borrowed car?

Hank

Southampton, NY

You need to go over your car insurance policy in New York and you must do this before getting into any accident. And remember that you should not just read it, make sure that you understand it as well. If you cause an accident using a borrowed car and you have your own car insurance, review your policy if it will cover that kind of claim. Find out if the claim is within the range of your policy and check also all the exclusions. There are also some conditions that may hinder the approval of this kind of car insurance claim.

Read through your car insurance policy and go to the “Damage to Your Auto” portion. In case the underwriting agreement for this portion states that the car insurance provider will give coverage for direct and accidental loss to “your covered vehicle” or any vehicle that you don’t own, minus the deductible, you have surpassed the first obstacle. Then, any exclusion, if appropriate, would limit the extensive terms of the underwriting agreement. You also have to go over the conditions of your car insurance policy because most car insurance policies state that for non-owned vehicles, your policy would just kick in after the car owner’s insurance pay up to its limit.

Tags: car, car insurance, car insurance policy

A friend of mine got into an accident and he’s having problems with the other driver because he told a different story to his car insurance company here in New York that’s why my friend’s claim was denied. What could he have done after the accident so that he wouldn’t have such hard time being paid for his claim?

Emil

Niagara Falls, NY

I’m pretty sure that the other driver’s car insurance company in New York will put up with their policyholder’s account of what happened so that they can ultimately keep away from paying your friend’s claim. This kind of situation comes to pass always and the first thing that the car insurance provider will do is to deny your friend’s claim. The at-fault driver’s insurance provider would undoubtedly accept their policyholder’s stand.

This situation usually happens in such cases that there were no police accident report submitted, which is why calling the authorities to the scene of the crash is very essential. In a lot of states, if a police investigator at an auto crash concludes that the damage is small (normally less than $500), he won’t make an accident report. But the approximation of repair shops for that same car crash may dash into thousands of dollars.

The best thing to do after an accident is to get eyewitnesses and the other driver’s full details. You also have to bring the car right away to a body shop in order to play down any queries about what caused the damage. Take note of all the other party’s address and car insurance policy details, including testimonies and contact details of any eyewitnesses at the scene. In this case, if beyond questions come up later, you hold a better part of proofs collected at the scene to boost your position on how the accident happened.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance claims

I know that I would need to pay extra for gap insurance for a car that I will loan here in New York. Once I get the new car, is it automatic that it already has gap insurance coverage or do I have to purchase it from my car insurance provider?

Ace

Bronx, NY

A lot of car loan contracts already have gap insurance coverage but need you to be in complete conformity with the loan so that the gap insurance coverage would pay out. Majority of gap insurance policies that are included in a loan contract need you to keep on making monthly payments until the gap payment is completed. If you will loan a car from a bank, they likely don’t have a contract that gives you an automatic coverage for gap insurance. A lot of car insurance companies offer gap insurance but some big companies don’t.

If you loan a car and would like to buy gap insurance from an insurance company, please note that most insurers only offer gap insurance for those who have purchased brand-new, untitled vehicles and those who already have collision and comprehensive coverage. So if the gap insurance is not included in the finance contract, it is suggested that you buy this coverage when you initially buy insurance for the new car in New York, since this is the time when the gap is the biggest. Other car insurers would let you buy gap insurance up to 11 months after buying your vehicle, or if the vehicle is in the model year in which the insurance is bought.

Tags: car insurance, gap insurance

I just started working here in New York. Since I terminated my car insurance in the other state when I lived before and planning to get a new one here, I’m a little bit flustered since every state has different laws with car insurances. What are the differences of the law here in New York in other state?

Justin

Brookhaven, NY

The cost of not having a car insurance are unquestionable in today’s lifestyle, since we will not be able to afford a vehicle repair or medical expenses if we had either a minor or major accident on the road. You have to at least know the basic requirements of the consumer’s state of residence.

Since New York is a “no-fault” state, it only means that when an accident occur both parties have to pay for the damages settled by both of their Car Insurance Company for neither of them are held accountable of the accident. With this law, it had shrunk the number of charges and had brought drivers to be attended to immediately as this has intended to do. If you have the Personal Injury Protection (PIP), it will cover all your expenses in terms of medical care. PIP doesn’t only cover all the medical expenses but also lost wages that resulted due to the accident. If worse comes to worst, it also pays for the funeral expenses if there is a need. But even there is this “no fault” policy, if the other’s car insurance policy is not enough for all medical expenses, the other should pay for the excess.

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance policy

I am trying to have the most affordable auto insurance as much as possible here in Albany, New York. How do you think would I be able to get the cheapest one?

Kalen

Albany, NY

Most owners of motor vehicles do not necessarily think about what they would have to use the auto insurance for when they are in the process of choosing a policy. They only think about the amount they would have to put out immediately or monthly rather than the amount they would have to pay in case they have to file a claim. You can check out the deductible and liability levels and find out what you could comfortably afford every month.

While it is ideal to own the best coverage, not all of us could make the necessary payments. In this case, you would have to settle for something much more affordable so that the payment could be made in a timely manner. It would be detrimental not to have any auto insurance than having average insurance if an accident happens. In any case, you may want to go beyond the minimum liability requirements for your auto insurance in Albany, New York. If you’re at fault, lawyers could go after your assets if you don’t have enough insurance to cover the damage. In this situation, you need to have liability coverage to protect those assets.

Tags: auto insurance, auto liability insurance, cheap auto insurance

I have three cars insured under my car insurance policy. My teenage daughter got a DWI in Bronx, New York and I wanna know if she needs to get her own insurance after this. How much increase would I have on my premium rates if she stays on the policy?

Carmen

Bronx, NY

It would be a personal decision between you and your teenage daughter whether or not she gets her own car insurance policy after she has been charged with DWI in Bronx, New York. If she owns a car, then this may be an option. But if she doesn’t, she may have to stay on your car insurance policy in order to driver your cars. All of these could also depend on the car insurance provider’s guidelines.

Your car insurance provider’s rating system would determine how much your rates can rise because of your daughter’s DWI offense. Since the rating systems vary among car insurance providers, you would have to talk with your insurance agent to see what the rate increase could be. Normally, a DWI conviction is considered as a serious risk by a lot of car insurance providers and therefore, her premiums would probably reflect this. The insurance agent could also help you check if you can exclude your daughter from your car insurance policy.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance policy, car insurance rate, drunk driving insurance, DWI

If I hire a DWI lawyer to help me in my DWI case here in Oyster Bay, New York, what are the things that I would have to discuss with the lawyer? Can I also talk with the lawyer about the effects of DWI on my car insurance?

Fraser

Oyster Bay, NY

There are a lot of things to talk about with a DWI lawyer if you have been charged with DWI in Oyster Bay, New York. You can discuss with the lawyer several factors about your DWI arrest. Starting with the DWI stop, you can tell the lawyer the details if the arresting officer followed legal procedures. Tell him/her also about your detailed story prior to the arrest, if the officer had a probable cause, reflection on your behavior with the officer, a defense of your character and the validity of the field sobriety tests.

You can question if the officer had any reason or evidence to stop you for DWI and if the field tests were legitimate. You also have to consider your story before the DWI arrest including details like what you ate that day, what you drank and how much. You definitely can talk to a DWI lawyer about the effects of your DWI on your car insurance. If your insurance gets cancelled, the DWI lawyer can talk with a representative from your car insurance company and demand to have you reinstated at old rates. But even if you don’t get your old policy back, you can still get car insurance from another carrier like the one available from this website so get a quote now.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance quotes, DWI, DWI lawyer

What advice can you give me on how to deal with my auto insurance after my DWI conviction here in Brookhaven, New York?

Danny

Brookhaven, NY

You just have to pay your auto insurance premiums on time every month and renew your auto insurance policy as usual. But just a reminder, though, you have to be ready to see a big increase on your auto insurance premium rates because of your DWI conviction in Brookhaven, New York. You may consider yourself lucky if your auto insurance policy is not cancelled but still, it’s not luck if you’ll have increased auto insurance premium rates.

So if your auto insurance policy is cancelled, higher-risk-driver insurance companies specialize in covering so-called risky drivers like you because of your DWI conviction. But also be prepared to face auto insurance premium rates that are several times higher than your current rates. You may also want to get your record expunged as soon as possible after your DWI conviction. This could be years down the road but it would allow you to apply for regular insurance again and receive better rates than the higher-risk-driver companies offer. You could still find the lowest premium rates for your auto insurance by entering your zip code on the top portion of this page and get a free quote.

Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance quotes, DWI, DWI conviction

My friend borrowed my car and he got into an accident caused by drunk driving here in Staten Island, New York. Will I be held liable for the damage and can I file a claim with my car insurance company.

Harry

Staten Island, NY

It is really very risky to loan someone your car, even if you trust the person because we’ll never know when accidents would happen. Since your friend borrowed your car and got into an accident in Staten Island, New York caused by drunk driving, you can file a claim with your car insurance company. You would have to pay any deductible that applies but the bad news is that your rates may go up as a result of your claim, especially if you have made other recent claims.

Let’s say you didn’t know that your friend was drunk driving, but it was still your own car, so you’ll be held responsible somehow. But if he took your car without permission take it, in most cases, you will not be held liable for the damage. If he is uninsured and caused damage that exceeds your policy limits, the injured party could come after you for property-damage and medical expenses. So next time, you have to think twice about having someone else drive your car.

Tags: auto insurance claims, car insurance, car insurance company, drunk driving insurance, DWI

I plan to cancel my current car insurance policy because I am paying a lot of money now than I used to before my DWI charge here in Islip, New York. What do I have to do in case I fail to formally cancel my policy?

Valeria

Islip, NY

I do understand why you want to cancel your current car insurance policy after an increase on your premium rates because of your DWI charge in Islip, New York. It is very common to have a rate increase after a drunk driving charge or any alcohol-related traffic offense. But if you switch car insurance companies and you don’t formally cancel your previous policy, you are going to have to prove to your former car insurance company that you already have a new coverage. Normally all you have to do is to send a copy of either the front page of your new premium statement or your current insurance identification card.

You just have to make sure that the document you are sending them has your name and your current policy number on it, and sent it along with the cancellation form. Of course, if you have moved to a state in which car insurance is not required, you don’t have to prove you have a new coverage. But if you are still looking for another car insurance company which will give you a new coverage, you can get an online rate quote anytime from this website.

Tags: car insurance, drunk driving insurance, DWI