Layton Car Insurance
In Layton, Utah, all drivers are required to carry Layton car insurance for financial protection. In order to prove that you are financially responsible for any types of damages that you cause behind the wheel, state officials have created insurance laws that all drivers and registered vehicle owners must follow.
Because Utah is one of the 12 states in the country that operates under a no-fault system, residents in Layton are required to carry both liability cover and no-fault car insurance.
If you would like to learn the coverage requirements and you are interested in getting tips to save money, read this detailed consumer guide to Layton car insurance.
Once you've read this guide, be sure to enter your zip code above to find the best car insurance options for your budget!
How much insurance must you buy in Layton, UT?
Each state has its own unique compulsory insurance laws.
In Utah, which is a no-fault state, all drivers who are residents of Utah are required to carry liability cover to pay for damages that they cause in the event of a lawsuit, and also no-fault cover to pay for their own medical bills and rehabilitation costs.
This additional requirement raises premiums and also the average expenditure for insurance throughout the state.
With Utah's average cost of insurance being higher than the premiums in 31 other states, it is important for drivers to understand how the industry works and what coverage options are available to them.
Here are the coverage types that are required:
Liability Auto Insurance Requirements
Liability coverage will pay for the corresponding damages that you are responsible for when you are operating a motor vehicle.
While Utah does not operate under the traditional fault-based system, drivers still have a need for liability to protect their assets and their wages if they are ever sued in civil court. Liability is also a necessity because no state is purely no-fault.
If someone from a state that operates under tort systems is injured, you will still need liability cover to pay for third party medical bills and property damage. The minimum liability you must carry are:
Bodily Injury
Utah requires you to carry Bodily Injury to pay if you cause injuries to someone else.
You, household members, family members, listed drivers, and permissive users are covered for Bodily Injury when driving the cover vehicle and other borrowed or temporary vehicles that you do not own.
The state-required minimum for liability is $25,000 per individual and $65,000 per accident.
Property Damage
Property Damage is the second part of third-party liability cover that pays when you damage someone else's property.
Some types of property that are covered include vehicles, bicycles, lampposts, houses, fences, garages, and sheds. Just like Bodily Injury, household members and permissive drivers will have cover for damage that they cause when driving your car unless they are specifically excluded.
State officials require $15,000 per incident.
Personal Injury Protection
Under the no-fault system, drivers are able to collect benefits for their recovery much easier because they will deal with their own insurance company.
In order to receive money for medical bills, lost wages, and rehabilitation, you will need a coverage that is called Personal Injury Protection. Personal Injury Protection, or no-fault, is a personal coverage that will pay you directly for your losses if you are injured in an accident regardless of who is found to be at-fault.
You can carry no less than $3000 of broad coverage for medical expenses.
Additional Coverage Options to Consider
A basic liability and no-fault insurance package may be required by law, but there are additional types of cover that can be added to offer you more protection.
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make is carrying low limits of liability and no-fault protection that do not actually protect you.
Agents recommend that you consider raising your liability to at least $100,000 per individual and $300,000 per incident to protect your assets.
You should also consider higher no-fault limits than what is standard.
Insurance companies offer forms of optional protection that can protect you against various types of risk on the road. Some of the options to be considered include:
- Uninsured Motorist
Uninsured motorists are one of the many threats on public roads. In Utah alone, almost 6 percent of drivers are uninsured. This means that about 4,120 drivers in Layton have no liability insurance and are putting you at risk on a daily basis.
To protect you from these irresponsible and high-risk drivers, you can buy Uninsured Motorist Protection (UM). UM will pay you just as liability would if someone with no liability insurance hit you.
It will pay above your no-fault limits if your damages exceed the limits you carry.
- Comprehensive & Collision
Can you realistically pay to repair your car or replace it if it is damaged or totaled and your Layton car insurance did not provide coverage? If you answered no, you have a need for comprehensive and collision cover.
Comprehensive will pay for the repair bills to fix your car if it is damaged in a fire, vandalism, windstorm, flood, or if it is stolen. Collision will pay if you are in an accident with a vehicle or an object and the vehicle needs to be replaced or repaired.
Each coverage type comes with a deductible, which will either raise or lower your premium.
- Rental Car and Towing
If your car is out of commission due to a covered loss, rental car coverage pays for the cost of a replacement car. Towing will pay if your vehicle is disabled and you need roadside assistance.
These forms of coverage should be considered when you have no other form of protection from your credit card issuer or from a plan like AAA.
How can drivers in Layton save money on car insurance?
Now that you have a greater understand of how insurance requirements work, it is time to learn how you can find low-cost insurance that does not compromise you when you are in your car.
Layton car insurance may be a requirement, but you can find affordable prices if you take the time to qualify an insurer and then compare premiums from the top-rated options.
The first step will be to find a list of companies near you in Layton that are licensed to operate in the state of Utah. Once you do this, you will need to sift through that long list to identify which companies are priced to do business with people in your demographic.
Some of the considerations that you cannot overlook include:
Find Companies Priced to Target Drivers in your Class
The insurance industry is successful because companies choose a demographic to target and then set their prices to attract drivers within the risk class.
Some companies would prefer college-aged drivers with little experience, and others want middle-aged families to insure in a lower risk class where the likelihood of claims and premiums are lower.
You need to determine what your risk class is, and then shop around to find out which companies want risky or less risky drivers like yourself.
Knowing Your Risk Class Based on the Risk Factors
There are hundreds of risk factors used to calculate rates, but less than a dozen that you can control yourself. You should be familiar with your risk class and the different factors that are raising or lowering your premiums.
Here are some of the factors and how they can affect your premiums:
- Your driving record - Clean driving records signify less risk and translate to low premiums.
- Your age and gender - Young drivers are riskier based on claims statistics and males file more claims than females.
- Vehicle usage and mileage - If you drive in stressful conditions, you pay more than driving for pleasure. The more mileage, the higher the rating bracket.
- Vehicle class - The better the safety record, the less the premiums.
- Type and amount of coverage - More coverage and special coverage all cost more than minimum liability
- Your credit rating - Having a low credit score is related to claims records and can raise your premiums.
- Ask for Discounts - Most insurance companies offer a variety of discounts you may be eligible for
There are several different discounts that you can qualify for as a consumer in Layton. You should know the discounts that are available to you and that you personally qualify for before you commit to buying any type of plan.
Here are the discounts that you should ask about:
- Good Student Discount
- Good Driver Discount
- Low Mileage Discount
- Alarm Discount
- Multi-car
- Multi-policy
- Driver Safety Training
- Defensive Driving Discount
- College Student Away from home
- Good Credit
- Loyalty Discount
It is now time to start shopping for Layton car insurance.
You can contact companies directly, or you can make the comparison process easier by using an online rating comparison tool where you will provide your information just once.
Get the information you need to answer detailed quoting questions, enter the information in the fields, and start comparing the rates to find the best insurance deals.
If you enter your zip code in the FREE tool below, you will have access to car insurance rates and options from providers in your area today!