Posts Tagged ‘Tennessee Car Insurance’

Tennessee Auto Insurance Coverage and Tort System

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

Customers interested in buying Tennessee auto insurance coverage need to understand that the state has adopted the tort system for car insurance purposes. Under this type of system, people who have been injured in a motor vehicle accident have the right to sue to collect damages from the at-fault driver. All drivers in the state are required to have third party liability coverage in place to pay for the medical bills and rehabilitation expenses incurred by the occupants of the other vehicle.

The state has determined that all Tennessee auto insurance buyers must have the following coverage in place:

  • $25,000 in bodily injury liability insurance to pay for injuries and damages incurred by one person in an accident
  • $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage to pay for all injuries and damages sustained in the same accident
  • $15,000 in property damage coverage to cover the cost of repairs to the other driver’s vehicle and any public property damaged in the accident

Even though state law decrees that all drivers must have liability coverage in place, not all of them comply with the applicable legislation. A driver can choose to add uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to his or her policy, and this is a very savvy move. Uninsured motorist coverage pays for injuries and damages caused by a driver who does not have coverage in place. Underinsured motorist protection is used to increase the level of coverage available when the at-fault driver’s policy can’t cover the level of damages caused.

Tennessee Car Insurance Minimum Requirements

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Tennessee car insurance buyers are required to buy third party liability coverage to comply with state law. Bodily injury and property damage liability coverage protect the other driver’s vehicle and its occupants. Tennessee drivers are not required to buy physical damage coverage by law, but they can choose to put protection in place to cover their own vehicle if they wish.

Bodily injury liability insurance is used to pay for medical bills and related expenses incurred by people injured in an automobile accident. The minimum level of coverage required by law is $25,000 to pay for a single accident victim’s injuries and damages and $50,000 to pay for all injuries and damages stemming from the same accident.

Property damage coverage pays for the cost of repairs to the other driver’s vehicle. It also pays for repairs to public property, such as fences, guard rails and sign posts. The minimum level of this coverage required by law is $15,000.

Since Tennessee is a tort state for car insurance, the driver found legally responsible for an accident must pay for the damages he or she caused. Consumers have the option of buying a policy with a higher limit if they wish; limiting coverage to the minimum level required by law may not be enough to fully pay for damages caused in an accident. In that instance, the driver will be required to make up the difference personally.

Tennessee Drivers Save with Free Car Insurance Quotes

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

Tennessee drivers who are looking for the best rates for coverage should make a point of checking out free car insurance quotes offered by various providers. Even customers who have been with the same company for some time and are happy with the service they have received from their insurance company should make a point of getting quotes from several providers before deciding to renew their current coverage.

It’s a good idea to start this process a couple of months before the current policy is due to expire. That time frame will give the driver the time he or she needs to collect quotes from different insurance companies and compare them carefully before making a decision about whether to renew the existing policy or switch providers.

Going online to get free car insurance quotes from Tennessee providers is an effective way to find out how much different companies would charge for insurance. A driver has the option of visiting individual company web sites to request quotes from the ones that he or she feels would provide a good level o f coverage at affordable rates. This method allows the driver to learn about the companies themselves and what they have to offer.

Car insurance buyers in Tennessee can also visit a web site that can generate quotes from more than one provider at once. This is a great way for customers who know what they want to get pricing information quickly.

Save on Young Driver Car Insurance in Tennessee

Thursday, June 9th, 2011

Teens and young drivers pay some of the highest rates on their Tennessee car insurance coverage. Insurance companies know that this age group is statistically more likely to be involved in car accidents and make claims against a policy than more mature drivers. The good news for young people on the road is that by the time the person celebrates his or her 25th birthday, rates should start to come down.

One thing that a new driver can do to demonstrate to an insurance company that he or she is a lower risk for coverage is to successfully complete an approved driver’s education course. Doing so will get a new driver off to a good start and and a number of car insurance providers offer a discount to drivers who have completed one of these programs.

Rather than buying a new policy with a teen listed as the primary driver, a much more economical way to put coverage in place is to add the new driver onto an existing policy. Any adult member of the household can do so, which means that a parent, grandparent or older sibling can add the new driver to his or her policy as an occasional driver. This arrangement can be kept in place as long as the young driver is living at home.

In a situation where a young driver is going away to school and won’t be driving during that time, the insurance company may offer a price break to the primary policyholder. Be sure to ask whether this option is available when shopping around for coverage.