What happens if i dont pay car insurance

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If you don’t pay your insurance premiums, you won’t be covered when driving and you’ll be vulnerable to financial liability if you're in an accident. Ultimately, you could lose your coverage, your premiums might increase, or a collection agency may try to hunt you down for payment. You could even lose your car.

To ensure you’re covered when driving, it’s important to always pay your car insurance premiums on time. If you’re having trouble getting the money together for your premium, you can always look for comparable coverage at a better rate.

That’s where Jerry comes in. Jerry is a car insurance broker and comparison shopping app. Signing up takes just 45 seconds out of your life, and then Jerry shows you competitive quotes from more than 40of the country’s top insurers.

If you’re worried about having enough cash in the bank for your next payment, Jerry can help you find the right coverage at a better price than your current coverage. Not only will you save money, but you’ll be protected when you’re on the road.

Read on to find out what could happen if you don’t pay your car insurance premium.

Not paying your car insurance premiums can have serious repercussions, including a hike in premiums and possibly losing your car.. Here’s what will happen if you stop paying for your car insurance.

If you miss a premium payment, your insurer will send you a sternly worded letter reminding you to pay up. You’ll most likely receive this letter in the form of an email or a text message. You might be charged a late fee if you make your payment past the due date.

If you find yourself in this situation, do your best to pay up. The consequences only get worse from here on out.

If you stop paying your premiums, your coverage has lapsed—which means you’re not protected when driving.

If you’re in an at-fault accident and you have no insurance, you could be liable for damage to the other driver’s car or any injuries sustained. Such an event could be financially devastating.

Even if you’re just pulled over by police while uninsured, the consequences can be grave. Most states mandate a minimum level of insurance, and you could face serious fines or penalties by driving while uninsured.

Missing just one premium payment can lead to your insurance company canceling your policy. If this happens, you’re likely to face higher premiums for a new policy, since insurers will be able to see your payment history and flag your missed payment. A missed premium payment can paint you as a risk to future insurers, no matter the reasoning.

If you miss a payment and your policy isn’t canceled, your premium may rise once you’ve settled up with your insurer.

Key Takeaway Do everything in your power to never miss an insurance payment, as your insurer may cancel your policy as a result.

Some insurers will send a collection agency to pester you about your missing payment. While you’re not likely to encounter Dog The Bounty Hunter, having a collection debt can impact your credit score. This can hurt you in many ways, such as when you’re:

  • Applying for a credit card

If you are financing your car through a lender, you’ll be required to maintain a certain amount of insurance in order to protect their investment. If you default on an insurance payment and are stripped of your coverage, your lender may be legally entitled to seize your car from you.

It's more likely that your lender will require you to get forced-placed insurance, a less-than-ideal insurance policy. Either way, you'll want to keep paying your car insurance to ensure you don't lose your car or end up with a bad insurance policy.

Depending on your insurance company, you may have a grace period before you’re stripped of your coverage. When offered, it’s usually between 10 and 20 days.

If your insurer decides to revoke your policy, you’ll be notified of the cancellation. That said, your insurer may reinstate your coverage once you pay the premiums that you owe.

If your policy lapsed, it’s important not to drive again until you are insured. If you manage to pay any outstanding balance to your insurer after only a few days, you can usually negotiate so that your coverage is reinstated.

Longer lapses in coverage are more problematic. The longer you go without insurance, the more difficult it is to buy insurance in the future. Insurers may see you as a risk and refuse to insure you. If a provider does decide to insure you, you’re likely to pay significantly higher premiums due to your extended lapse in coverage.

If you manage to get insured, it’s vital to pay your premiums on time and maintain a clean driving record. If you go 6 to 12 months without a claim, you may be in a position to ask your insurer about lowering your premiums.

If you’re annoyed at how expensive your car insurance premiums are, take heart. With Jerry, finding affordable car insurance is a piece of cake!

Sign up takes a mere 45 seconds, and then you’ll be able to sort through competitive quotes from 45 top car insurers. The average Jerry customer saves an average of $879 per year! Here’s what one had to say...

"Most useful app I’ve ever downloaded! I’ve been dealing with agencies and quote websites for the longest time and this app made it so much easier than it’s ever been. In a matter of MINUTES I was able to get multiple quotes, cancel my policy, start my new one, save $230 a month, AND it automatically does quotes for you every 5 months to make sure you’re paying the lowest possible price" — Jerry user

Nope. It’s incredibly important to pay your premiums on time, as you risk losing your coverage if you don’t. If you can’t afford to pay your rates, you can always shop around for a better policy that is more affordable.

It absolutely can. And a dent in your credit score can have a serious impact if you’re trying to buy or rent a home, buy or lease a car, apply for a loan or credit card, or make investments.

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Whatever reason you have, not paying your Auto insurance bills is an expensive mistake that can have long-lasting and hard-hitting repercussions. If you do not pay your bill, your policy lapses, which ultimately means you are no longer insured. If you happen to get into an accident during this time, you will not have your insurance to help out financially with any portion of the accident (this includes you, your car, any other cars involved, any other injuries sustained by others involved, and any resulting legal fees). You also will likely lose your license if you get into an accident without insurance.

Even if you don’t happen to get into an accident during this lapse in Auto insurance, there are other consequences to consider. If you financed your car through a bank or finance company, they have the legal right to make sure their asset is protected. In the loan paperwork you signed, there is a clause that explains exactly what will happen if you let your insurance lapse. This could mean repossession or it could be force-placed insurance imposed on you. Force-placed insurance tends to be drastically more expensive with reduced coverages and if you fail to pay for the policy, your car will more than likely be repossessed. You can replace the force-placed insurance policy with another insurance policy you find but you will have to pay for the amount of time you had the force-placed policy.

If you do happen to have a lapsed policy be sure to not drive the car under any circumstances and end the lapse as quickly as possible. If you simple forgot to pay your bill and it’s only been a few days, call your insurer and ask if they will reinstate your policy as they may be willing to help out. However, expect your premium to be higher if the lapse goes past a week. If you have not had insurance for months, know that insurers are more likely to charge a higher rate and some may not be willing to insure you at all. Here are some tips for finding an affordable policy even after a lapse in coverage:

  • Explain the lapse to the insurer to see if they will help you find a better rate
  • Shop around with different insurance brands. A Brightway agent will be able to shop the market and give you options from various insurance brands.
  • Ask for any and all discounts that you qualify for
  • Once you’ve gone 6 to 12 months without incident, ask your insurer to recalculate your rates

If you ever find yourself in a position where you are concerned about paying your Auto insurance bills on time, consider the following information in order to avoid coverage lapses:

  • Look into the option of suspending your policy if you know you will be gone for a certain amount of time. Not all insurers offer this, and your car will not be covered during the suspension. Also, vehicles purchased with a car loan are usually not eligible.
  • Consider lowering your coverage levels to make the policy more affordable. This may not be an option if your vehicle was purchased with a car loan.
  • Try to set up automatic payments to ensure that your bills always get paid.
  • Understand that there is no grace period for Auto insurance payments. Make sure to make any payments before the expiration date.

*Information courtesy of Trusted Choice