As the population continues to grow in Long Island, the traffic congestion on the city’s roads and highways is becoming worse by the year. There are more automobile collisions and accidents in busy areas such as Nassau.
This exponential increase in traffic accidents is leading to higher auto insurance premiums and rates. That’s because auto insurance companies are charging higher rates in Zip codes where drivers are filing more claims. In 2018, Ney York had 33,849 car crashes. This figure was 16.6% higher than the number of hits in 2017.
Generally, car owners raise their deductibles or avoid filing claims for minor accidents. However, when working with the best automobile accident attorneys in Long Island, you can get the most out of your auto insurance.
If you live in Long Island and want to know more about getting auto insurance in Nassau, here is what you should know.
What Type of Insurance Do You Need?
Drivers must have New York State issued automobile liability insurance coverage for registering a vehicle in New York. Failure to maintain the coverage will result in the suspension of your driver’s license and vehicle registration by the DMV.
Under New York law, all drivers must have auto liability insurance coverage. Here is the minimum amount of liability coverage for different accident types:
- For a single accident: $10,000 for property damage
- For multiple people in an accident: $50,000 for bodily injury and $100,000 for death
- For a person involved in an accident: $25,000 for bodily injury and $50,000 for death
The liability insurance coverage must:
- be New York State insurance coverage, certified by NY State DMV and issued by a licensed company
- be in effect while the registration is valid, even if you are not using it (motorcycles can have exceptions)
- be issued in the name of the registrant, and remain in his/her name at all time
Can there be More Than Two Names on a Vehicle Registration?
A vehicle can only have one or two registrants. The primary registrant and the co-registrant will have to provide their proof of identity and sign the Vehicle Registration document. Both these names will appear on the Insurance ID Card.
Do I need insurance to register my vehicle in Long Island?
Yes. If you want to register a Long Island vehicle, the DMV requires you to get auto liability insurance. After registration, your insurance company issues a proof of insurance. Here are two ways to issue this proof.
Your insurance company will:
- grant access to your digital electronic NY State Insurance ID Card or provide two original Insurance ID Cards
- send a notice (electronically) to the DMV regarding the insurance coverage
Both the Identification Cards and the electronic notice of insurance will serve as proof of your insurance coverage. The registrant must register the vehicle within 180 days of the effective date mentioned on the insurance ID card. Any driver operating the vehicle must be able to provide proof of insurance while driving.
Getting auto insurance is not mandatory, but it will also protect your asset in case of damage or injury. Auto insurance comprises the following protections.
- Property damage
- Bodily injury liability
- Personal injury protection
- Underinsured/uninsured motorist
- Comprehensive
- Collision
Why Hiring an Automobile Accident Attorney is Important in Long Island
Automobile accidents are common in Long Island. That’s because more people are relocating to this beautiful area where they have access to all amenities and facilities. An increase in population is leading to more traffic on the city’s intersections, roads, and highways, making it hard for drivers and pedestrians to commute.
Whenever an automobile accident occurs, many questions come to your mind.
Here are a few of these:
- Who is the at-fault driver?
- Who will bear my medical bills?
- Who will pay for the damages to your vehicle?
- Can I demand the insurance company to reimburse my lost wages?
- Can I charge the at-fault party for my pain and trauma?
- Can I get compensation for lost earnings?
- Who will pay for any counseling or therapy services?
Your insurance company is unlikely to address all these questions individually. In the event of an accident, the truth is your insurance company wants to offer compensation that is much less than what you need and deserves for covering all the damages.
Why should you settle for this amount when you can get fair compensation for all the damages to your vehicle and the trauma you endured because of the accident?
Hiring an experienced automobile accident attorney will help you file a claim that gets you fair compensation. Furthermore, your attorney will also advise you of any time limits or statutes of limitations that can prevent you from filing a lawsuit against the at-fault driver. You should even know about the time limit during which you must file the claim for it to be valid. That’s because every state has its own limitations regarding this time limit. Since you may not have easy access to this information, hiring an attorney is the best way to seek legal information.
Benefits of Hiring an Automobile Accident Attorney in Long Island
Not only will you have a professional legal advisor to recommend you the best course of action after a car accident, but you will also have someone professional to negotiate with your auto insurance company. Many attorneys and law firms will only charge you when you receive compensation.
Even if you have minor injuries, you can demand compensation from the other driver if you can prove that he is fully or partially responsible for the accident. Although your auto insurance company will offer you a tempting amount, having a professionally trained car accident attorney by your side will ensure a much better settlement.
Final Thoughts
If you are worried about paying medical bills or your lost earnings due to an injury or disability in Long Island, hiring a professional car accident attorney is the best way to take care of all these expenses. Your attorney will also negotiate with your auto insurance company.
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