Central Falls Car Insurance
A local independent insurance agent can help you be certain you are not overpaying for this mandatory coverage.
Jeff Green has held a variety of sales and management roles at life insurance companies, Wall street firms, and distribution organizations over his 40-year career. He was previously Finra 7,24,66 registered and held life insurance licenses in multiple states. He is a graduate of Stony Brook University.
Accidents can happen to anyone, even to the most experienced drivers. That why vehicle owners in Central Falls are required to carry car insurance. Whether you are involved in a fender-bender on Dexter Street or find yourself in a serious collision on I-95, a good auto insurance policy can prevent you from facing a large financial loss as a result.
Finding the best and most affordable car insurance is easy when you work with a local independent agent. These agents can help you obtain and compare customized car insurance quotes from a variety of providers. Find an independent insurance agent with an office near you to get started.
How Much Does Car Insurance Cost in Central Falls, RI?
The bad news is that Rhode Island has some of the highest car insurance rates in the country. The good news is that by comparison shopping, a local independent insurance agent can help you be sure you are getting reliable coverage at a competitive price.
- National average annual car insurance cost: $1,311
- Rhode Island average annual car insurance cost: $2,020
Keep in mind that this state average rate can only give you a general idea of what you might actually be expected to pay. Car insurance costs can vary from one driver to the next because they are based on several factors. Your quoted price can be affected by considerations like the following.
- Information about the vehicle(s) you are insurance (e.g., year, make, model, and trim)
- Your age, occupation, and marital status
- Your driving record and the driving histories of other licensed drivers in your household
- Whether you own or rent your home
- The amount of liability coverage you are purchasing
- The optional coverage you are including in your policy
- The amount of your deductible
- Your claims history and credit score
You can usually qualify for rate reductions if you bundle your car insurance with other policies like home insurance or renters insurance. Many insurance companies also offer other ways to save money like good-student discounts, safe-driver discounts, and low-mileage discounts.
Let an independent insurance agent in Central Falls simplify the process of shopping around for the best rate by doing the legwork for you. That way, you can easily compare customized quotes from a variety of the area’s most highly rated insurance companies.
What Are the Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in Rhode Island?
Every state has its own minimum coverage requirements for auto insurance. In Rhode Island, all car insurance policies must include liability insurance. This provides coverage for other people’s injuries and property damage if you are responsible for a collision.
Your Central Falls car insurance policy must meet or exceed the following minimum coverage requirements.
- Bodily injury liability insurance: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident
- Property damage liability insurance: $25,000 per accident
Uninsured motorist insurance is also technically required at the same levels as your liability insurance, however the state allows you to opt out of this coverage provided you do so in writing.
If you want even more liability coverage than your car insurance company can provide, a local independent agent can also help you purchase an affordable umbrella insurance policy. Umbrella insurance is a great way to boost all of your liability coverage.
What Else Can Central Falls Car Insurance Cover?
In addition to the mandatory liability coverage mentioned above, your car insurance provider will offer a variety of coverage options that you may want to include in your Central Falls auto insurance policy. These options include the following.
- Collision insurance: This provides coverage for the cost to repair or replace your vehicle if is it damaged or totaled in a collision, regardless of fault. This coverage is typically required by lenders if you are still paying for your vehicle and by dealerships if you are leasing it.
- Comprehensive insurance: This provides coverage for the cost to repair or replace your vehicle if it is damaged or totaled due to a non-collision event like a hurricane or garage fire. This coverage is typically required by lenders if you are still paying for your vehicle or by dealerships if you are leasing it.
- Uninsured motorist insurance: This provides coverage if you are in a collision that was caused by an uninsured driver. You can purchase coverage for your injuries as well as for your property damage.
- Gap insurance: This bridges the gap between what your car is currently worth and what you currently owe for it. That way, if the vehicle is totaled, you will not continue to owe car payments for it. New cars depreciate quickly, so this coverage may be particularly valuable during the first few years of new-car ownership.
- Roadside assistance & towing: This provides coverage for the cost of assistance if your car becomes disabled while you are on the road, such as if you get a flat tire or your engine overheats.
- Medical payments insurance: This provides coverage for your medical bills if you or members of your household are injured in a collision, regardless of fault.
- Rental car reimbursement: This provides coverage for the cost of renting a vehicle while yours is being repaired due to damage caused by a covered event.
Talk to your local insurance agent for help determining which, if any, of these coverage options are a good fit for you and your family.
What Is the Penalty for Driving without Insurance in Central Falls?
Driving without insurance is illegal in Rhode Island. If caught, you can be charged with a misdemeanor and can face penalties that include the following.
- A fine ranging of $100 to $500 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense, and $1,000 for any subsequent offenses.
- The suspension of your vehicle’s registration and plates for up to thee months for a first offense, six months for a second offense, and one year for any subsequent offenses.
- The need to pay fees that include a $151.50 reinstatement fee, a $30 administrative fee, a $251.50 registration fee, and a $251.50 insurance verification registration fee. That is a total of $684.50 just in fees!
- The requirement to maintain an SR-22 for one year.
Additionally, if you are involved in a collision while driving an uninsured vehicle in this state, things get even worse. In addition to the penalties listed above, you can face the following.
- Having your car impounded.
- The suspension of your vehicle registration and plates.
- Being placed on the list of those who are subjected to compliance monitoring in the state.
Despite these harsh penalties, the rate of uninsured drivers in this state is rather high.
- Percentage of US drivers who are uninsured: 13.0%
- Percentage of Rhode Island drivers who are uninsured: 15.2%
This is why uninsured motorist insurance can prove so valuable.
If you are in a collision that was caused by an uninsured driver, that person is responsible for compensating you for any necessary medical treatments as well as your property damage. However, this money can be extremely difficult to collect, especially if the at-fault driver simply has no money or assets and cannot pay.
Uninsured motorist insurance was created to ensure that you can receive timely compensation for your injuries and property damage without the need to take legal action. After compensating you, your insurance company will try to collect the money owed from uninsured drivers and will absorb the losses if unsuccessful.
Does Central Falls Car Insurance Cover against Auto Theft?
The auto theft rate in the state of Rhode Island is lower than the national rate, but in Central Falls, the rate is higher. Residents of this city report about 50 vehicle thefts in an average year.
- National auto theft rate per 1,000 vehicles: 2.29
- Rhode Island auto theft rate per 1,000 vehicles: 1.45
- Central Falls auto theft rate per 1,000 vehicles: 2.90
Be aware that you can only get compensation for a stolen vehicle if your car insurance policy includes comprehensive (or “other than collision”) coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers more than just auto thefts. It can also reimburse you for repair costs if your car is damaged in another non-collision event like a fallen tree, hurricane, or garage fire.
If you are still paying for your car, chances are good you have this coverage already. If not, talk to a local independent insurance agent to find out how much it will cost for you to include comprehensive coverage in your Central Falls car insurance policy.
Why Let an Independent Insurance Agent in Central Falls, RI, Help You?
You can ask a local independent agent for help when you are looking for the best car insurance policy to meet your coverage and budgetary needs. These agents work for you, not for a particular insurance company, so they are free to shop around to find you the coverage you want at a price you can afford.
Contact an insurance agent in or near Central Falls to get answers to your insurance-related questions and to start comparing customized auto insurance quotes.
https://www.city-data.com/city/Central-Falls-Rhode-Island.html
http://www.naic.org/prod_serv/AUT-PB-14.pdf
https://dbr.ri.gov/documents/divisions/insurance/property_casualty/com_guide-auto_insur.PDF