How Long Will DUI Charge Stay on my Record?
Reader’s Question:
Last 2005 I got a DUI in New Jersey but I now live in California. How long will it stay on my record and will it affects my record in my new state?
Harold
Good question Harold.
Your DUI conviction will stay as part of your permanent New Jersey driving record. Since you have moved already to California you should check with the CA Department of Motor Vehicles to check if they have placed this DUI conviction or any other moving violations that were previously on your New Jersey driving record on your California driver’s history.
California legislation extends the reporting period for DUI offenses from 7 to 10 years for all public requests, and that includes insurers.
The new law states that you may not be able to qualify for a good driver discount until 10 years from the date of your violation. Up until 2007 a DUI may have been considered by an insurance carrier for premium surcharges for a period of 7 years but now it can be considered for ten years in California.
Since your DUI happened out of state you may contact the California Department of Insurance, to get information on how long an insurance company in California can rate you on this NJ DUI from 2005. You may speak to your insurance agents if you have any more concerns regarding your insurance premiums.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
What Personal Information Do I Have to Give My Car Insurance Company?
Reader’s Question:
What information do insurance companies get if apply for a car insurance in California?
Ray
Good question Ray.
The insurance company or an agent will ask for certain personal information if you apply for a car insurance. This would help them determine if you are eligible for the coverage and they will be able to know the price for your coverage. The information that will be collected if you apply for a car insurance are; driving record, automobile mileage driven and years of driving experience.
A Motor Vehicle Report will be ordered for all the drivers on the insurance application by the insurance company on some states. The Motor Vehicle Report is an official record of a motorist that can be obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicle. This is being use to verify any traffic offenses, license revocation and any accidents of all driver’s listed on all application.
In case of any unsatisfied judgment, major traffic or moving violations. license suspension and failure to show liability insurance, a California Insurance Proof certificate or SR22 is needed. This is being filed by the insurance company to the Department of motor vehicles. Normally the requirement period is up to three years. Any minor convictions remains on the record for 3 years, 7 years for the major convictions like hit and run, reckless driving etc.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
DUI In California – How Long Does it Stay On My Record?
Reader’s question:
How long does a DUI stay on your record in the state of California and is there a way that the years of penalty can be reduced?
Holly
Good question Holly.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles states that any California offense will appear on your driving record 10 years from the violation date. This is a new legislation thus extends the reporting period from seven to ten years for DUI offenses.
This new law allows the insurance companies to have access to the driving record of the motorist to properly apply the new provision of the Insurance Code. This would determine the eligibility of the the drivers discount. Motorist with a DUI violation occurring within the past 10 years are not entitled to received such discounts like Good Driver discount.
You may not be able to qualify for the good diver discount until 10 years from the date of the violation under this law. You may contact your insurance company regarding other information on your premiums.
There are no exceptions in this law. The reporting period of ten year applies to all non commercial drivers, even to those who maintain a clean driving record thereafter.You may contact the Department of motor vehicle to find out if theres any way that you can get the DUI off your record before the ten year period.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
How Long Does an Accident Stay on Your Car Insurance Record In California?
Reader’s Question:
How long does a car accident stay on your insurance record in California?
Tom
Good question Tom.
All accidents are reported by the law enforcement officer to the Department of Motor Vehicle that will show upon your driving record unless another person is at fault in the event of accident.
The California assigns one point to at fault accidents. The points will be placed on your driving record and all the information regarding the incident. This information will stay on your record for three years.
Whenever a person applies for a policy, renews his insurance or makes any changes in their auto insurance policy, the car insurance companies check the individuals car insurance and driving records. If your accident is on the MVR, this will definitely affects your insurance rate.
Insurance companies keep records of your claims related to accidents as well as the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The insurance companies can access the comprehensive loss underwriting exchange to find out what previous claims you’ve had.
You may contact the California Department of Insurance to find out if California allows insurance companies to charge surcharges or raise premiums due to accidents.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
What Do I Need To Have To Get Car Insurance In California?
Almost all of your California car insurance necessities have been digitalized, and you could do everything except drive the car itself without ever leaving your living room. For example, for all of the needs that you have with your car in terms of the department of motor vehicles, registration, and so on, you can get most of those done online. Think of it! Not having to go to the department of motor vehicles in California is the dream of any car insurance policy holder. No lines, no rude employees, just a flat screen.
- Get your license plate.
When you go to the California Department of Motor Vehicles website, there is an array of license plate designs from which you can choose, purchase, and have mailed to you without lifting hardly a finger.
- Call ahead.
If you are not interested in the internet method of getting what you need, then make sure you don’t commit the mistake of just walking into the car insurance department. You need to give a call ahead of time to make sure that you have an appointment and don’t have to wait in the terribly long lines.
- Renewals.
So long as you have already provided the requirements, such as your proof of car insurance and a smog test, if necessary, you can renew things such as your car registration and your driver’s license online at the California Department of Motor Vehicles website. All you need is a working credit card to pay your way.
- Make sure it’s right.
You can also find out if the state of California has the right car insurance information for you. If you are listed as uninsured, then that could cause problems with tickets even if you are insured after all. To avoid problems, you can request that your information be corrected, and you might need to send proof of your current car insurance.
- Learn where to learn.
You can also get information about schools or driving classes in your area. These are a good idea if you want to get better premium rates on your car insurance. Consider taking defensive driving or just a regular introductory driving class.
- Pay your tickets.
Not only can you see what tickets you have out online, but you can pay them as well with your credit or debit card, and find out ways to wipe them off of your record. Getting your traffic tickets taken care of is a good way to get good car insurance rates.
California Auto Insurance – Am I Legal To Drive In Other States?
Reader question:
What rights do I have when I take my California auto insurance over state lines?
Amy
Thank you for asking, Amy.
There are a few standards set in place that help protect travelers while they are going around the country, without making them get insured in every single state. For one, your auto insurance policy will cover you all around the country, all around Canada, and also across the border of Mexico (but not too far across it). Whenever you go into a new state, if your limits on your coverage are lower than the ones required by your state, then they will magically adjust for the duration of your stay there. Then, if you should get into an accident, you will be protected by that states required limits.
Then there are no fault states. Normally, these states make it difficult to the residents of their state to sue for pain and suffering. However, if take your Califorina auto insurance over there, all bets are off. They can sue people from out of state, and you can sue them. Here are the no fault states:
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Dakota
- Pennsylvania
- Utah
It might be a good idea to look up a state’s liability car insurance laws before you go passing through it. You never know what kind of new coverage you will have if you don’t. All you have to do is go to the department of motor vehicles website, and it has the information for vehicle insurance laws for every state in the country. There are three states, such as New Hampshire, that do not require auto insurance coverage at all, so if you go to one of those states you should equip your California auto insurance with uninsured motorist coverage, and perhaps underinsured motorist coverage as well.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
What Personal Information Do I Have To Give To Get Car Insurance Online
Reader question:
When I get my car insurance online, what kind of information do they get on me?
Martin
Thank you for your question, Martin.
Every time that you apply for car insurance online, you will have to, of course, fill out an application with certain information, such as your name, age, and so on. In addition to that, your car insurance company or agent will then require some extra information and then seek out some more. They will need:
- Your annual mileage on your vehicle.
- Driving history.
- Number of years you have been driving.
Using this information, they will then determine what the price of your coverage will be for buying your car insurance online.
Your driving history is contained on your motor vehicle report, which gets its information from the California department of motor vehicles. This will have the dates and quality of any moving violations you have been ticketed for, any license suspensions, as well as any car accidents. The report will also be acquired for any other people who will be on the policy you are buying of insurance online.
If you get into bad trouble, then you may be required to provide your car insurance company with an SR22 form. Normally, you will have to continue with your SR22 filing for three years after the date that your license is restored to you. I say restored because you only get an SR22 after your license has been suspended, though not in all cases of license suspension. Even though your company only has to file the SR22 form for only three years, though, the conviction will usually stay on your record for seven and you will be charged the high rates accordingly.
The SR22 form is different from the SR1 form, so don’t get confused. Anytime that you get into an accident where somebody gets hurt, or when the amount of the damages is above $750, you will need to file the SR1 form within ten days with the department of motor vehicles in your area.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
California Auto Insurance Question
Reader’s question:
I live in California and My car is registered in California but my sister uses it in Arizona. Should I get an insurance in Arizona if my sister is authorized to drive my car?
Ether
Thank you for asking Ether.
You should insure the car in the state where you registered it. It would be difficult to insure your car in Arizona since your car is registered in California. Almost all insurance companies would not allow to insure the car if the owner living in the one place and the car is residing or garaged in another state. That means they do not allow insuring vehicles from more than one household.
One more thing is that there are different required insurance in different states. In California the mandatory minimum liability insurance is 15/30/5. This means that the personal injury protection is $15000 per one person per accident, $30000 per 2 or more persons per accident and the property damage liability is $5000. The state of Arizona, however, requires 15/30/10. It also required in Arizona for all motor vehicles that will be continuously on their roadways to be covered by the insurance providers that is authorized to do business in the state.
For your car to be insured in Arizona, you will need to register it in Arizona. You may contact the Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles on how to go about insuring your car in that state.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
How Do I Get a Replacement Driver’s License in California?
Reader’s question:
My father said he lost his driver’s license and he cant find it due to poor eyesight. What can he do to get a replacement in California?
Bem
Good question Bem.
If the senior did not pass the vision test, the California Department of Motor Vehicles will give a supplemental driving performance evaluation to check if the individual can compensate for the vision condition. The license may be revoke once the result shows that the driver is unsafe to drive. The senior driver may also request for a hearing after the notice of revocation.
Since your father lost his driver’s license, you can get a copy by filling out a form with the DMV. You will be able to check if his license has been suspended or revoked. If you think that your father has been driving illegally in the state of California, you may a write a letter regarding all the information to the driver Safety Office.
His policy may still be in effect if the insurance company didn’t notice that he has an invalid license. If your father gets caught driving with an invalid license, then he will be cited for the conviction and the vehicle may be towed or impounded for 30 days.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
California State Liability Auto Insurance Coverage?
Reader’s question:
Can I register my car in California but still keep my insurance policy in Las Vegas, Nevada?
Ria
Good question.
The Department of Motor Vehicle states that your car insurance needs to meet the minimum liability requirement by the state of California and it should be issued by the insurance company licensed to do business in the state of California.
The minimum insurance required in California is 15/30/5. This means $15000 for the injury or death per person, $30000 per injury or death to more than one person and $5000 for property damage coverage.
Nevada has a different minimum requirement from CA. The basic coverage in the state of Nevada is 15/30/10. This means that the bodily injury coverage is $15000 per injured person up to the total of $3000 per accident and the property damage liability has the minimum limit of $1000.
Your insurance company is required to report or inform the California Department of Motor Vehicles the insurance information for of all private use vehicle liability policy. Most insurers will not insure vehicles if you move to out of state.
On the other hand, if your insurance company is licensed to do business in the state of California, you can contact your insurance provider on how to go about changing your Nevada insurance policy to California car insurance policy so you may be able to register it in the state of California. It is best to contact the California Department of Motor Vehicles to get more information of getting California car insurance and requirements for vehicle registration.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
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