Car Insurance Tips – What to Do in Case of an Accident in Maryland
Reader’s Question:
I have been driving for 8 years now, and I reside in Baltimore, Maryland. I have never been involved in an accident, and that’s why I’m curious about what to do if in case I figure into an accident. What are the things I need?
Terry
Baltimore, MD
Now, that is what I call a responsible driver. Terry, thank you so much for asking me this question. They must be doing something right there in Baltimore, Maryland.
All drivers should be as prepared as you are, or even more so in the event of an accident. First thing to remember is never panic. But that will be hard to do if you don’t have an auto or car insurance. Well, judging from your question, I can bet my momma’s dollar that you have comprehensive auto insurance.
Okay, back to your question. As I’ve said, don’t panic. Check yourself for injuries as well as your passengers and, of course, the people in the other car. In case, you get hurt, try not to make matters worse and just stay where you are and stay relaxed if possible, especially if you think that your neck might be injured, as it might lead to paralysis and death. If able, call 911.
Assuming everyone is okay, be sure to get pertinent details like name, address, contact number, license number of the driver, insurance policy of the other driver or drivers involved in the accident. Having these details, don’t forget also to check if the license plate is current and that the numbers in the registration and the pink card matches. If there are witnesses, don’t be shy to ask them to stick around until the police get on the scene. Keep on rocking, Terry.
Will my Car Insurance Cover Hospital Bills in Maryland?
Reader’s Question:
My 17-year-old step daughter hit a cyclist in an intersection in Maryland while using a car under my name. The victim sustained minor wounds and was brought to the hospital for first aid and a few stitches. My stepdaughter is listed under my motor vehicle insurance policy. Will my insurance shoulder the hospital bills incurred as a result of the accident?
Carla
Baltimore, MD
Yes, your motor vehicle insurance provider will shoulder all the hospital costs incurred by the injured party since you have declared your stepdaughter as a Maryland licensed driver in your insurance policy.
But before making a call to your insurance provider, it is always best to ask yourself if it is really necessary to file for a claim. This is because your inquiry will be put down on your insurance record permanently, even if the accident was not your fault. It is always best to keep your insurance record clean and one way is to decide how badly you need to file a claim.
If you can shoulder the hospitalization cost without considerable financial difficulty, then it is best to avoid marring your record. But if you still wish to continue with filing the claim anyway, be sure to file it immediately since your insurer will act as your advocate in this matter and will take care of the claims process. Fill out a report and take note of every detail about the accident. Try to find witnesses to the accident scene to back up your stepdaughter’s story just in case a dispute from the other party comes up.
Auto Insurance Law on Household Members in Maryland
Reader’s Question:
Here in Baltimore Maryland, what are the laws regarding household members that I should know when applying for auto insurance?
Tina
Baltimore, MD
Automotive insurance companies in Maryland require insurance applicants to disclose names and ages of all members of the household. You may also be required to identify which among the household members will be included in your auto insurance policy. Depending on your answer, the company may ask additional or follow up questions in order to determine the rate of your policy.
If there are household members who are 15 or 16 years of age and older (depending on the state where you’re in), you should include them as well in your policy. These residents may drive your vehicle or be passengers one way or another, so you need to cover them, too, with your policy. However, the decision to include them will always depend on you, and their inclusion in your auto insurance policy may affect the insurance company’s decision on granting your insurance or not.
If there are instances wherein you do not want any household member to be included in your policy, you would have to disclose your reason. Auto insurance companies’ qualifications for eligible insurance applicants may differ from another. And additionally, if the state requires certain qualifications to be met, then you would have to meet that requirement. Some state laws require personal liability insurance, and to get this policy, one has to disclose all the members of the household. Therefore, you need to be able to explain to the auto insurance carrier your reason for not disclosing or including a household member in order for them to gauge properly the risk they’re taking if they grant you the insurance.
Driving Without Car Insurance in Maryland
Reader’s Question:
I borrowed my friend’s car here in Maryland, but his car doesn’t have insurance. Is it unlawful to drive it?
Brennan
Baltimore, MD
Yes, Brennan, it is definitely unlawful to drive a car that doesn’t have car insurance. You should know that most states require drivers and car owners to have at least the minimum car insurance coverage mandated by state laws. Your car insurance should be valid, and of course you should also have a valid registration. So, if the car you’re driving is not insured, it could mean that the car’s registration has been suspended.
And even though you have insurance, your policy is attached to your own car, which covers you or possibly your other licensed family members. So, if you drive an uninsured car and you get into an accident, your car insurance policy may not be able to cover you–unless the car that you drove was listed on your insurance policy as an additional vehicle. But otherwise, if you get caught driving an uninsured car by traffic police, you will be charged with Driving Without Insurance. So, just to be on the safe side, if you really need to drive a friend’s car because of whatever valid reason you may have, just make sure that you are listed on the car owner’s policy as a secondary or additional driver for that particular car so that when accidents happen, or if you get pulled over by cops, there will not be too much of a problem.
Try calling your local insurer there in Maryland, so you can clarify the details of your policy And drive safe!
How To Get Budget Automobile Insurance Quotes in Maryland
Reader’s Question:
Do you have any tips for getting budget automobile insurance quotes in Maryland?
Derek
Baltimore, MD
Hi, Derek. I’m sure a lot of people from Arizona are asking the same thing! The costs of automobile insurance quotes have risen steadily throughout the years. There are some things within your control that can contribute to the automobile insurance quotes that you get.
Your driving record is the best among these. If you can keep a clean driving record, this can help to lower your future premiums. Most insurers will also offer discounts for vehicles with safety features in place. This would be your airbags, seatbelts, and etcetera.
You also control the coverage amount that you wish to get. Of course, you should never go below the insurance limits that your state requires. However, you can choose not to get other insurance types that your agent offers for optional coverage. If you still wish to get optional coverage for comprehensive insurance and collision insurance, you may opt to pay for higher deductibles. This is the amount that you will have to pay out of your own money if an accident should happen. Please make sure that you can afford the deductible if you choose to raise it, otherwise the insurance company will not cover this cost.
If you’re out shopping for a new car, it will be good to know that the type of vehicle that you own also affects your auto insurance rates. Try getting a vehicle with a high safety rating. The best way to get the best rates for insurance is to do your homework and shop online. Tons of websites out there offer instant automobile insurance quotes within your budget with no strings attached.
How to Save On Auto Insurance Cost in Maryland
Reader’s Question:
I haven’t really been in an accident or made any traffic violations and I feel that I am just spending too much on my insurance policy. I don’t really want to stop paying my insurance but as much as possible I want to save money. Is there a way where I could cut my costs and still keep my insurance?
Lesly
Baltimore, MD
You may think that you don’t really need automotive insurance because you haven’t been in any accident but the thing is you get car insurance for the basic reason that you cannot foresee the future and you want to protect yourself from financial liabilities in case you get into an accident. It’s all about the future and the possibility of getting into a big accident, never mind bumps or scrapes or scratches. If you want to save, you may want to consider eliminating certain coverage that you no longer need. Consider comprehensive and collision insurance for old cars that you declared but currently have low value and are no longer being financed. There have been instances where cars such as these were dropped by their automotive insurance companies although these vehicles still have significant value. It turned out that when one of the vehicles got wrecked, the person sustained a heavy amount of loss, which translates to bigger claims made to the car insurance company.
So be careful when you assess your car’s value and when deciding whether to drop the coverage or not. You could also take advantage of discounts offered by your vehicle insurance company there in Baltimore, Maryland. In some cases, insurance companies give out different discounts to their good risk clients such as those with accident-free records, with multiple vehicles, low mileage, those with safety or security devices, etc. Try asking your insurance agent about these pre-scheduled discounts so you don’t miss the chance of getting them especially if it’s applicable to you.
If Someone Borrows my Car, Will it Affect my Car Insurance Rate in Maryland?
Reader’s Question:
My boyfriend was driving my automobile yesterday and he was pulled over and was given several tickets; driving without a license, ticket for speeding and driving under the influence (DUI). I am worried, will this affect my car insurance rate in Bethesda, Maryland.
Jane
Bethesda, MD
In general, traffic tickets that your friends receive ( or those you allow to drive your car) while driving your automobile will not affect in any way affect your auto insurance rates. The traffic tickets for driving under the influence,driving without a license and speeding should all have been issued to your boyfriend, as the driver, and not the automobile, so basically it will show up on your boyfriend’s driving record and affect his own car insurance rate.
If your boyfriend had wrecked the vehicle while driving your automobile it would have affected your auto insurance in Bethesda, Maryland because it would most likely be your car insurance that would have to pay out on the car insurance claims resulting from an accident.
You may be able to get car insurance quote here if you want an affordable car insurance in Bethesda, Maryland.
Car Insurance Was Cancelled Before the Accident in Maryland
Reader’s Question:
My 16 year old daughter caused an accident however our car insurance in Baltimore, Maryland was cancelled 2 days ago before the accident and I would like to know if we will still be covered?
Chelsea
Baltimore, MD
I am sorry to tell you this but neither you nor your daughter would be covered for the accident she caused your car insurance policy in Baltimore, Maryland was cancelled. Once the car insurance policy canceled, because of non-renewal, non-payment or other reasons,the coverages will not be extended to you.
If your daughter was cited for driving uninsured she will have to face the penalties the court places on her. The penalties vary and it depends upon state laws however the penalties may include things such as a registration and license suspension for the car, and fines.
Regarding the damages she may have caused to other people’s property, she as the driver and you as the vehicle owner will be held liable for personally paying for any repair cost. Your state’s insurance regulator may be able to inform you on your liability as a owner of uninsured car whose minor was in an at fault vehicle accident.
How to Get Car Insurance with International Drivers License in Maryland
Reader’s Question:
I am a 21 year old French student. I am going to school and work in Baltimore, Maryland for a year or 2 and want to purchase a vehicle for that period. I have a French and International drivers license and I would like to know on how to go about obtaining car insurance in Baltimore. Thank you for your help.
Reggie
Baltimore, MD
If you plan to live in Baltimore Maryland for awhile, and go to school, you need to check with the MD Motor Vehicle Administration on what to do to get a Maryland driver’s license.
If you are able to exchange your international drivers license for a US drivers license from Maryland it will be much easier to obtain car insurance so that you can purchase, register and title a vehicle to drive during the time period that you are here in the USA. With just an international driving permit (IDP) an insurance carrier might insure you however they typically will want you to obtain a state license within thirty days or so.
Your age might have some problems with some insurance carriers or might make your car insurance higher since you are under the age of twenty five. You can start getting car insurance quotes now in Baltimore Maryland so you can have an idea how much insurance you could expect to pay in Baltimore Maryland.
Car Insurance Claim Question in Maryland
Reader’s Question:
My car insurance cancels in 2 weeks but I had an accident yesterday. Will my car insurance still cover the insurance claim even though we are due to cancel with them in two weeks? I live in Frederick, Maryland.
Glen
Frederick, Maryland MD
As long as your car insurance policy was in place at the time of the incident, meaning there is no insurance lapse and that it was paid up and in effect, then the accident should be covered by your auto insurance coverages.
If you are due to cancel with your insurance company due to already getting another auto insurance policy with a different insurance provider then having insurance claims made for this incident would not normally be an issue. If you are being canceled because of other reasons then you still should be able to make car insurance claims but it could be more of a difficult situation.
Since your car insurance policy with your current insurance carrier is going to cancel in two weeks it may be helpful if the insurance claims are placed now when your insurance policy is still in effect.
Since you are in in Frederick, Maryland, if you have any difficulty with your auto insurance claims related to this incident you can contact the MD Insurance Administration, the insurance regulator for Maryland.
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