North Dakota Car Insurance Laws
North Dakota falls under the ‘upper plains’ of states. The state is made up of farmers, living in the two major cities in the state, Bismarck and Fargo. The state’s climatic conditions can be adverse like the cold winters. The snow, bad roads and wildlife limit movement on the roads calls for the need of an auto insurance cover. This cushions the costs that may be caused by an accident.
Purchase of insurance policies should adhere strictly to the states rules and regulations. To find out the laws governing a particular state, enter your ZIP code and learn more about auto insurance quotes for your region. Our FREE car insurance comparison tool can help you find great rates and the minimum requirements.
Driving Without Insurance
Driving without insurance in North Dakota is illicit. Everyone is obligated to carry proof of coverage from car insurance companies. Compulsory covers in the state include personal injury protection (PIP), liability and uninsured or under insured covers. One pays a minimum fine of $150 when caught without insurance. This is also reflected in the motorist’s driving record, as an accumulation of 6-12 points.
Subsequent traffic offenses, within a period of 18 months has a fine worth $300. 12 or more points are reflected on ones driving record for repeat offenders. Lack of proof of a license within the last three years can lead to license suspension. One surrenders the original license and gets a copy which costs $50. To avoid these penalties, enter your ZIP code into our FREE car insurance search tool and get affordable coverage!
Minimum Requirements for Car Insurance Covers
In North Dakota, insurance policies must meet the following requirements:
- Personal injury protection for the driver-$30000
- Property damage in a given accident-$25000
- Bodily injury or death of a person in an accident-$25000 per person
- Uninsured motorist cover per accident-$50000
- Under-insured motorist liability cover-$50000
Law System of North Dakota
The states adheres to a ‘no fault system’. This implies that individuals involved in an accident are exempted, and importance is not placed to the one at fault. This indicates that each victim’s insurance cover pays for the damages caused by the accident. The ‘no fault law’ inhibits motorists and car owners from driving without an insurance cover.
Under-Insured and Uninsured Covers
This motorist coverage is compulsory in the state of North Dakota. Amounts range from $2500 for each person and $50000 for individual accidents for both uninsured and under-insured. Rules on Exclusion Clause
Insurance companies in the state of North Dakota can sell policies which omit cover for family members. The exclusion clause in auto insurance contracts exempts the firm from liability in case of an accident. The firm will only be liable to pay the car owners cover though the cover does not extend to other members of the household.
A policy holder should be careful while reading the terms and agreements of the contract before signing it.
Lapsed or Prior Insurance
North Dakota laws allow insurance companies to terminate a policy whose payments lapsed or expired. The termination occurs automatically at 12:01 a.m. usually a day after the delayed premium payments. At this point, the policy holder goes against the state requirements by carrying a cancelled insurance policy.
Credit History
Credit history can be used by insurance company to establish a policy holder’s credibility. An insurance company is allowed under the North Dakota laws to make reference to this history without your consent. Therefore, in the state, good credit ratings come in handy for one to clinch a cheap car insurance deal. The credit scores help the company in coming up with a risk assessment of the individual. Other items essential in underwriting policies include driving records, age, gender, mileage and the car’s model.
Coverage for Teen Drivers
In North Dakota, teenagers can apply for a license from the tender age of 14. The teenager only gains access to a restricted license at the age of 16 after undergoing GDL training. Just like all drivers in the state, a teen motorist requires insurance covers that meet all the legal requirements.
Teenager’s insurance policies can increase up to $1200-$4900 of a parent’s auto cover annually. This is because teenagers get into frequent accidents when they start driving.
Insurance Requirements for Rental Cars
All types of cars in the state must be insured. Rental cars should have covers based on the minimum liability of auto insurance covers. The state personal car insurance covers also cater for rental cars. Rental cars that do not have insurance covers are charged at an extra cost of at least $7 per day.
Credit card facilities also offer insurance covers on car rentals. North Dakota licenses must be renewed after a period of 6 years, and when it elapses, it leads to automatic cancellation of prior insurance covers.
The use of cell phones in North Dakota is not a crime although a ban was placed on texting. Driving without a seatbelt in the state falls under secondary offenses. The states DUI laws do not have a jail sentence.
Insurance covers are not only a legal requirement but also save a lot of money. Getting involved in an ‘at-fault’ accident will cost a lot in terms of lawsuits and fines. Therefore, paying for an insurance cover will aid a motorist from undergoing financial stress. Enter your ZIP code into our FREE car insurance tool to see great options for buying car insurance!
Insurance premiums in North Dakota can be said to be among the cheapest in the country. The average premium payments on insurance cover by the states residents being $2714.
The affordability of insurance makes it easy for individuals to buy them. Only 9% of the states car owners and motorists are uninsured. To get a FREE auto insurance quote, enter the ZIP code of your region into our comparison feature. The results will allow you to pick the best insurance quotes in your area available to you!