In every American state but New Hampshire, drivers are required by law to have Fort Worth auto insurance. While penalties for driving uninsured vary from state to state, every state does penalize drivers who do not insure their vehicles or are unable to cover damages caused by the vehicle they drive. What many drivers don’t realize is that you don’t even have to get into an accident or owe money for damages in order to get penalized for driving without insurance. Read below to find out more about the top 5 risks of driving uninsured.

1. You could get into serious financial trouble.

The financial risk of driving uninsured is the most straightforward. When your car is not insured, you are responsible to pay for any damage you cause to property, vehicles or yourself or some else.  Uninsured drivers might face repair bills, medical bills, legal expenses, and liability costs.  Even the smallest of accidents can result in thousands of dollars of repair costs. If you do not want to deal with unmanageable costs later, it is important to pay the manageable cost of insurance now.

2. You could (temporarily) lose your license or vehicle registration.

A common penalty for driving a car uninsured in America is a suspended driver’s license or vehicle registration. If you are unable to prove your vehicle is insured at the scene of an accident or during a vehicle inspection, your state’s department of transportation could revoke your driver’s license.  It could be revoked temporarily or permanently and could suspend your vehicle’s registration or license plate. Obtaining a license and registration again after a suspension can be a time-consuming and costly process.

3. You could pay hefty fines.

If you are pulled over by a police offer and are unable to prove that your vehicle is covered by insurance, there is a good chance you will have to pay hefty fines for your mistake. Some states charge drivers fees flat out for driving uninsured (for example, the state of Pennsylvania charges uninsured drivers a minimum $300 fine for driving uninsured). Others issue traffic tickets with associated fines. Also, if your license or vehicle registration has been suspended, you will have to pay to have them reinstated.

4. It could be very difficult to obtain insurance in the future.

When pricing an auto insurance policy for a driver, insurance companies take into account a driver’s prior insurance history. When a formerly uninsured driver applies for a new car insurance policy, this gap in  coverage can cause the premium they are offered to be abnormally high or deem a driver uninsurable. This could render a driver unable to drive indefinitely.

5. You could lose the ability to sue for certain damages.

Some states have laws called No-Pay, No-Play laws. A No-Pay, No-Play law prohibits an uninsured driver from suing another driver for certain damages in the event of an automobile accident.  Drivers who choose not to pay for automobile insurance should not benefit from the services that it provides (just like its name suggests). No-Pay, No-Play laws limit non-economic compensation for insured drivers. They are not able to sue for pain and suffering, or lost wages caused by a car accident. Some No-Pay, No-Play laws even make uninsured drivers pay a very high deductible before they can sue for property damages or bodily harm.

If you are interested in learning more about the importance of driving insured, call La Familia Insurance at 888-751-7511.