Overview
It is a fact that Auto insurance is mandatory for all vehicles in the US. However, the insurance policies and minimum requirements might vary from one state to the other. As such, it is advisable for any motorists to be conversant with the insurance rules of the state they are in or heading to. Whatever might be perfectly normal in your state could spell doom for your journey in a different state. In this article, the basic requirements for Montana auto insurance as well as for Nebraska auto insurance are compared in order for the reader to get to understand how these two differ.
Montana Auto Insurance
Auto insurance services in this state are offered by branches of various insurance companies in the US. Of course each and every driver is meant to have an insurance cover whenever they are behind the wheels. There are minimum requirements that have been set out by the Montana state law for each driver to adhere to. First, the minimum Bodily Injury Liability for each injured person is $25,000. For many injured people (or per accident for that matter), the minimum limit is set at $50,000. For Property Damage Liability, the minimum coverage stands at $10,000. These three basic insurance coverage requirements form what is sometimes referred to in the state as the 25/50/10 coverage. The average Montana auto insurance per year is $1,294.76.
The Tort system still guides the driving rules in Montana, just as with any other state in the US. However, there are variations to the system as you move from one state to the other. In Montana, the responsibility of all the damages accrued from an accident rest upon the person who caused it and their insurance company. This is subject to the fact that there must be a person at fault when the accident happened.
Although the Uninsured/Underinsured Bodily Injury is a very important cover for a motorist to purchase, it is not a mandatory to have it in Montana. This coverage offers you shield against any bodily injury that might result from an accident caused by a driver who happens not to be insured. The same case applies for No Fault Insurance where a driver is not required by the state law to have it.
Lack of insurance when driving in Montana attracts a fine of between $250 and $500 in addition to 10 days behind bars. This is only if it is a first offense. The punishment increases with consecutive offenses. For example, a second offense attracts an increased fine to $350 minimum as well as 10 days imprisonment. The offender is also handed a 90-daysuspension of their driving license. Moreover, offenses earn points at a rate of 5 per offense and once they total 30 points, the particular license is revoked.
Nebraska Auto Insurance
The state law that governs Nebraska auto insurance requires a minimum Bodily Injury Liability of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. The minimum requirement Property Damage Liability on the other hand is $25,000.However the Omaha and the Lincoln auto insurance covers might come in handy should you be on the wrong side of the state laws. Currently, the average cost of Nebraska auto insurance stands at $1,392 per annum.
Apparently there are approximately 8 percent of motorists who aren’t insured in the state. The fines for driving without a valid insurance cover in the state are quite hefty. A series of offences might require the courts to order the driver to carry an insurance certificate known as the SR 22 Certificate so that they can acquire a new driving license.
Difference between the Two
The main difference between auto insurance laws in these two states is in the details of the Tort System. While the minimum requirements for Bodily Injury Liability per person and per accident are the same, the difference comes in the Property Damage Liability. Moreover, the punishments handed to offenders differ greatly. In Nebraska, the fines tend to be heftier than those in Montana.
However, one realizes that the similarities generally outweigh the differences. But no matter the difference, the importance of auto insurance in both states cannot be overemphasized.
Generally, Nebraska auto insurance cost is more expensive as compared to that of Montana auto insurance. With the former, average cost per annum is $ 1,392 while for the latter, it stands at $1,294.76. It is advisable for locals to contact their insurance providers so as to know exactly what is required of them.