You may have noticed the big dispute over the mandate to buy health insurance. The Supreme Court will tell us later this year whether it's constitutional. In the meantime, we've had mandatory auto insurance for decades. The consequence of this mandate is that no insurance company can refuse you real auto insurance quotes on grounds that would amount to discrimination on the basis of your gender or race. Indeed, so long as you have a good track record as a driver, you have a right to buy insurance. If an insurer makes life difficult, you can complain to your state's Insurance Commissioner.
So let's assume you have no more than three points on your record and the insurer does not advertise itself as a specialist, i.e. only selling to members of the military or teachers, and you do not qualify, you can apply for a policy whenever you have an approved vehicle. Once you are driving legally, you have the right to sell the vehicle and cancel the policy. The mandate only requires you to hold a policy so long as you own a vehicle. If you want to change the vehicle or you are simply looking to save money on the monthly payments, you can cancel at any time and buy reduced coverage. There's no penalty although some insurers do make an administrative charge if you prefer not to wait through the period of notice between one policy and the next. If you are changing policies, make sure you get the timing right to keep yourself insured. You break the mandate if there's a gap between the cancelation and the new policy.
Then, if you ask questions of an agent, broker or insurance company, you have a right to be told how each of your options affects the cover or the auto insurance quotes on offer. This information must be given promptly. That it may come weeks or months after you have bought a policy, is no defense. Finally, you have a right for any claim to be dealt with fairly and in a timely way.
So let's assume you have no more than three points on your record and the insurer does not advertise itself as a specialist, i.e. only selling to members of the military or teachers, and you do not qualify, you can apply for a policy whenever you have an approved vehicle. Once you are driving legally, you have the right to sell the vehicle and cancel the policy. The mandate only requires you to hold a policy so long as you own a vehicle. If you want to change the vehicle or you are simply looking to save money on the monthly payments, you can cancel at any time and buy reduced coverage. There's no penalty although some insurers do make an administrative charge if you prefer not to wait through the period of notice between one policy and the next. If you are changing policies, make sure you get the timing right to keep yourself insured. You break the mandate if there's a gap between the cancelation and the new policy.
Then, if you ask questions of an agent, broker or insurance company, you have a right to be told how each of your options affects the cover or the auto insurance quotes on offer. This information must be given promptly. That it may come weeks or months after you have bought a policy, is no defense. Finally, you have a right for any claim to be dealt with fairly and in a timely way.
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