I was advised that if I will have a loan on my car here in Washington, I need to get gap coverage for it along with my insurance. What exactly is this gap coverage and what does it have to do with having a loan on my car?

Marc

Lakewood, WA

The horrid fall of your new vehicle’s value the moment you drive it away from the seller’s area can have shocking and unwarranted burden on your pocket if your vehicle will be declared a total loss in an accident. In case you are eligible for a payment on your totaled vehicle on your car insurance in Washington, your insurer will give you the actual cash value of your automobile. Then again, the total payment your car insurance provider estimates as the vehicle’s actual cash value could be thousands of dollars further than what you have a loan from the bank or finance company. Because you will be accountable to pay the rest of your loan even if your vehicle is totaled, you may need to produce hundreds, possibly thousands in cash, except if you purchased gap coverage.

Your gap insurance coverage would pay the disparity between the approximation of your car insurance provider’s actual cash value of your vehicle and the money that you still have a loan from the bank or financial company. You may think that when your vehicle is totaled because of an accident, you will recoup the amount you owe on the vehicle or the money you paid for it if it is new enough. Apparently, vehicles do not cling to their value similar to what you think. When you drive away the vehicle, you have immediately lost some of the fees that you paid for.

We have three cars at home and only my car is insured, my wife’s and son’s cars are not insured. My wife keep telling me that her car should also be insured together with my son’s car, she says it’s really important to get it insured. Why should one’s car get insured here in Washington?

Todd

Everett, WA

Washington requires all the cars on the road should be insured before getting it on the road. If you have escaped yourself from this requirement, you will not be able to escape yourself from a huge disaster when you got yourself in an accident. Car Insurance is just like having a savings account that you can get in case of emergencies on the road.

Car insurance is just as important as the homeowner’s insurance for with a Car Insurance with you on the road, it will help you survive, not from death or physical injury but at least you will be saved from financial problems in case you got yourself in an accident. Car Insurance doesn’t only cover you in case of accident but also the other party. Car insurance is not supposed to be expensive for the state has set a minimum requirement but this might not be able to get everything covered if you had a major accident. Just imagine yourself getting a car accident which is your fault and the other party is not insured, though it is breaking the law if you don’t get yourself insured, you still need to have both of your mishaps covered. This is how car insurance protects you, not only you but also the other party that makes it really important.

Is it true that my car insurance provider here in Washington can increase my auto insurance rates during winter?

Claude

Bellingham, WA
It is quite possible for your auto insurance provider there in Washington to increase your rates during the winter season. And you can’t really blame them, winter is a very perilous time to be on the road. The likelihood of getting involved in a car crashes due too icy, slippery roads, poor visibility due to fog or snowstorms and the freezing temperature causing havoc to your vehicles machinery, and even the danger of getting hit by frozen tree limbs and other kinds of falling debris. All these factors significantly increases your chances of filing a claim with your insurance provider, thus making this season a “high-risk” season, and hence the higher auto insurance rates.

It is not that difficult to prepare your vehicle for the winter, though. What you would want to avoid is to file for a claim, since this really a major reason for your insurance rates to increase. Here are some tip’s on how to prepare driving for the winter season:

1. Pre-Winter Checkup – Do take your car to a trusted auto mechanic and have them check your vehicles level of anti-freeze, transmission and brake fluids as well as its heater and defrosting system.
2. Drive with Discretion – If the weather is really bad, refrain from going out.
3. Use major roads – Stick to major roads and highways that are well plowed from snow so less chances of accidents.
4. Prepare for emergencies – have flashlights, blankets, stored food & water and emergency towing numbers handy.

I’ve been hearing stories going around here in Washington of people being victimized in car insurance scams. How do I recognize this and is there anything I can do to protect myself?

Bertrand

Kent, WA

Car insurance scams have become a very serious matter today. Not only do car insurance scammers make a living out of conning people, costing them their car and their money while putting their livelihood and even lives in great danger. The more you become aware of how these people operate their scams and fraud business the better prepared you’ll be to recognize this, avoid it and protecting yourself from ending up in a hospital, with violations against your driving records, an escalated insurance rate and a badly damaged vehicle.

Scammers are very creative; they can stage a car accident and make it look genuine, without you knowing you’re already an unwilling participant. There’s a scam that will involve a car accident with another vehicle that would look really damaged, hence the higher payout for them, but what you won’t know is that the said car has already been inflicted with damage before the staged accident takes place.

There are also those who will cause you to have a rear-end crash, making it look like it’s your fault, either by suddenly breaking in front of you so you won’t have enough time to stop or weave you into the path of another accomplice vehicle, causing you to collide with it.

It is important that you take the necessary steps in preparing for these scenarios. The best way would be to enroll in accredited defensive driving schools there in Kent, Washington. These classes will educate you on how to avoid being a victim of car insurance fraud and also has the added perk of qualifying you for discounts with your car insurance for being a safer driver.

My mom agreed to buy me a car for my 18th birthday but she told me that I’d have to pay for the insurance. Do I really need to get auto insurance here in Washington ?

Michael

Kent WA

Wow! Michael, you’re quite lucky your mom just offered to buy you a car when I turned 18 – I had to save up to buy my own AND pay for the insurance as well.

So, as you may have already guessed, yes, you need to at least have liability insurance – it’s a social responsibility. In case you get into an accident, liability insurance will cover injuries, damage to property and even legal fees, if the accident is your fault.

As a first-time car owner and a teenager, to boot, your insurance premiums in are likely to be high. The insurance market dictates the highest prices for first time driver’s car insurance as well as teenage car insurance because research show that a lot of serious auto accidents in the US involve first time drivers and teenagers. But don’t fret, there are things you can do to cut down on the costs of premiums in Kent Washington. For instance, you can probably avail of first time drivers car insurance discounts offered upon completion of divers’ education programs. Premiums will also be cheaper for small and sensible cars rather than the flashy fast cars we all want to have. Finally, even if you may have to pay high premiums at the onset, a good driving record will lower your premiums in future auto insurance policies – so drive safely!

So you know how much need to start saving to get auto insurance in Kent Washington, you can request for free quotes right away on this site – just enter your zip code on the blank box

I had this terrifying accident a couple of weeks ago with my wife and two children here in Vancouver, Washington. A van hit us in full impact because it was running to fast. My wife has the most impact that until now she is still under recovery. Do we need to use our own insurance or the other driver’s insurance?

Todd

Vancouver, WA

There is a law here in Washington known as the Tort System of Insurance whereas the driver who is at fault is the one going to pay for it. He will have to use his own Car Insurance to pay for the damage he had caused. He will use his’ for the physical damage and of all medical expenses you and your family has suffered.

Washington Law also includes a minimum requirement for the Bodily Injury Liability is $25,000 for each person who has suffered in the accident up to $50,000 per accident. The law also includes a minimum of $10,000 for the Property Injury Liability. Other Insurance Company in Vancouver, Washington will propose you to get a Personal Injury Protection but it would be better not to accept this since Washington Law does not require it but it is also helpful in paying for the damage you have suffered in an accident. There is also another policy that Washington doesn’t require but it will help you if you got yourself involved in an accident to an uninsured driver or those who has no enough coverage for the accident. There are Insurance Companies that offers you the most reasonable policy nobody can ever imagine even if with a driving record.

I need to save money so I may have to cut down on my other expenses. How can I be able to save or lessen the payment for my auto insurance here in Washington?

Niko

Bellingham, WA

The very first thing that you would have to do to save on your auto insurance in Bellingham, Washington is to compare auto insurance from different providers. You may go online and use consumer guides from the state of Washington’s insurance department. These guidelines would give you information on the coverage you need and give you sample auto insurance rates, generally from the largest providers. You need to obtain at least three auto insurance quotes from different companies. Also, in buying a car, consider a low-profile car because cars that cost too much to repair or those which have higher theft rate have higher insurance rates as well.

Asking for higher deductibles could also lower you annual or monthly insurance payments. If in case you file a claim, the deductible is the amount of money that you pay before the auto insurance provider pays for the rest of the damage. If you have higher deductibles, that means you would have lower insurance premium rates. An example is that if you increase you deductible from $200 to $500 on comprehensive and collision coverage, that may lessen your premium by 15 to 30%.

My brother was charged just recently for DUI here in Washington. At this early stage of his DUI, what are the things that he should know about?

Camila

Federal Way, WA

Your brother should know a lot of things about his DUI case in Federal Way, Washington especially now that the DUI laws are getting tougher. First of all, a DUI often results in a suspension or revocation of the driver’s license, even if the DUI results in an acquittal and before conviction. At the end of the suspension period, he would be eligible to reinstate his license and there is a fee involved, but if his license is revoked, he would have to go through the whole process of getting a new license.

He would also have to be prepared for a hefty fine and he can ask the court if he can have time to pay or pay over time. Most courts would actually prefer that he be able to pay his fines and buy shoes for the baby. It would be much preferable to having to throw him in jail at the taxpayers’ expense. He also has to be ready for a substantial increase on his car insurance. So if he’s in search for a cheap but reliable car insurance, he might want to check out the free quotes available from this website.

I just moved in to Washington days ago. My colleagues often told me that the Washington laws about DUI are one of the toughest in the nation. I like having a night out with my friends and drive myself off home. What are the basics that I need to know about DUI in Washington?

Elizabeth, Everett WA

Hey Girl,

I am more like you, kinda the party girl yet have the guts to drive home even after getting a few drinks. Your friends are right, here at Washington laws are stricter and you should be aware of that.

Here are some basics that you should remember when confronted with a police officer arresting you for DUI.

1. When the officer punches a hole right in your driver’s license, it means that the Department of Licensing is giving you an official notice that your driver’s license will be suspended for the mere fact that you are being suspected for DUI.

2. If asked to take the Breathalyzer test and you refused, you will have your driver’s license revoked for at least 1 year.

3. With regard to your car insurance, an additional 3 years will be given to you it is as if you are convicted. Same consequence applies.

If I were you girl, I aint going to drive when you are totally drunk. You will never know when you will be arrested for DUI. I was lucky to have passed the tests a couple of times and not faced conviction. However, just last month I was arrested and facing charges. It changed my life and I tell you, it is very difficult to find a job and get your life back after being convicted with DUI especially here at Washington. For just one night of happiness and being drunk out with friends, your life will change dramatically as DUI conviction has done to me. Next time you drink that tequila and you want to drive yourself home after a night out, think it twice if it’s all worth it.