I know that the penalty for DUI offense here in Washington involves jail time. I’m not quite sure though for how long. Can you tell me? Also, can you tell me the other penalties for DUI conviction?

Beth

Olympia, WA

Sure Beth!

For first time offenders, the penalty for DUI offense in Washington includes a jail time for 24 hours up to one year. However, instead of a jail time, the court may allow you to serve a 15-day home electronic monitoring program, which is the minimum time.

Moreover, the fine would be $350 to $5,000. Also, your operating privileges would be suspended for 3 months minimum or 90 days. And after a month or 30 days, you may get a restricted license depending on the court’s ruling. Also, you may be required to get an ignition interlock for your car which you would pay personally.

It would never be a good idea to be cited for a DUI offense. As you can see, the DUI penalty is serious. Plus, once convicted of DUI, your auto insurance rates will be astronomical. And you will be labeled as a high risk driver and this normally makes it difficult for DUI offenders to get insurance provider that would insure them.

Meanwhile, if you are looking for ways on how you can lower DUI insurance rates, you can use the Internet. Shopping for DUI insurance through the Internet can give you affordable DUI insurance rates. So start getting your insurance quotes now to save on your insurance premiums.

I’m looking to buy a second car for my town house here in Everett, Washington and I wanted to know what attributed of a vehicle would affect its insurance rates?

Myers

Everett, WA

The kind of vehicle you have, make and model, coupled with the location where you live, your age and driving record will have a big impact on how your car insurance rates will come out. But let’s focus just on the things in your car that can affect your insurance rates there in Everett, Washington:

Make and Model
whoever you choose to buy a car from and the particular model you choose, are all part of a rating system that an auto insurance company will look into as part of the process of determining your rates. They will look into statistical data from sources such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showing the likeliness or frequency of this manufacturer’s vehicle getting involved in car accidents. This spans years of accumulated data and information, giving insurance companies valuable information in their end to compute insurance rates.

Car Theft
If you have a top of the line vehicle, it will be more prone to car theft and vandalism as compared to an older model. Since car insurance companies insure the financial worth of your vehicle a newer, more expensive kind or model of vehicle will translate into higher insurance premiums.

Safety Features
Finally, the safer and more secure your car is from accidents and theft(installing anti-lock breaks, for example) the better your chances of getting lower insurance rates.

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