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Twin Bridges Insurance Agency

1881 Western Avenue, Suite 210
Albany, NY 12203

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What Can Happen if You Do Not Have Auto Insurance?

If you drive a vehicle in New York, it is a criminal offense and there are some pretty serious consequences that you could face if you are caught driving without it. You should know what you potentially face so you can make an educated decision and purchase auto insurance before it is too late. NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency, serving Albany, NY, can help you prevent these consequences. 

  • You could pay anywhere from $150 to $1,500 every time you are caught with your insurance. This can happen every single time you get pulled over so you could face this penalty many times if you continue to not purchase auto insurance. 
  • Your vehicle could be impounded and you could be arrested. In some more severe cases, you you have your car taken away as well as find yourself behind bars for up to 15 days. You will have to pay money to get out of jail and get your car back along with the fine that is imposed upon you. 
  • You could lose your driver’s license and registration. On top of all the other things, you could also have your license suspended so you can no longer drive for a set amount of time. You will have to pay another $750 to get your license back. If you have not had insurance for more than 91 days or if you have already gone through this process and paid the reinstatement fee in the past three years, you will have to wait until your suspension is up before you can get your license back. 

These are just some of the possibilities and if you have a lapse in coverage or are in an accident, it could result in even more fines and penalties. Contact NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency, serving Albany, NY, to receive a quote for auto insurance and to explore some of your options. 

Car Caused Home Damage – Who Pays?

No one expects a car to come through the front living room a house, but it does happen. Once everyone confirms there are no serious injuries then the realization of the damage set in, and it’s usually pretty bad. After all, a projectile the size of a car is going to take out a good portion of a room before it stops completely. Technically, there are two coverages that kick in during such situations: the car driver’s responsibility and the home protection plan.

Since most homes are required to have some kind of home insurance if in mortgage status, most will also have a comprehensive home insurance plan that covers the majority of accident situations, but that doesn’t mean car caused damage is included. Home insurance typically covers more frequent risks like slip & falls, fire, break-ins, structural failure or similar. Car-caused damage tends to be far less frequent and some companies treat it as an outlier, such as flooding or tornadoes, and require a special policy coverage for such risks. In other cases, car damage may be limited to just the garage where a car would likely bump the house frame and not the rest of the structure. Again, how the home insurance policy is worded can make a big difference.

Ideally, however, the driver is responsible first, since he drove the car or controlled it prior to hitting the home. So if it exists, the driver’s car insurance policy will cover initial damage repairs. Many car policies are capped, however, and can only pay a certain amount. If damage is more or there is no policy, the driver must pay out of pocket but will likely have to be sued. In such cases, a homeowner will need to rely on his own policy for immediate repairs. To find out how to avoid these situations in the Albany, NY area, give NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency a call. They can explain policy nuances and help with finding the right coverage for the unexpected.