Auto Insurance in Greenwich, CT

Common Questions About Greenwich Car Insurance

Fairfield County's town of Greenwich is a popular destination for financial companies and is a center of commerce for Connecticut's Gold Coast. Because of these roles, Greenwich experiences a lot of traffic. Whether you live or work in Greenwich, having car insurance is critical for protecting yourself and your budget. Here are the answers to four commonly asked questions about Greenwich car insurance.

1. Is Car Insurance Mandatory?

Like most states, Connecticut requires you to have car insurance. For liability insurance, you must hold at least $50,000 of coverage per accident and $25,000 per person on your policy. This insurance covers injuries and property damage to other parties if you're liable for an accident. You need the same amount of coverage for uninsured motorist coverage, which helps if someone else is liable for an accident you're involved in.

Our brokers can offer a variety of Greenwich car insurance policies, including comprehensive coverage and basic reparations coverage. Liability and uninsured motorist insurance are the coverages required by the government.

2. What Factors Affect Your Premiums?

Your premiums vary based on how many claims you're likely to file and how high your chances of being liable for accidents are. Your provider uses factors that are statistically proven to affect your risk to calculate your premiums. For example, if you're a new driver, you're more likely to get in a crash than someone who's been driving for 30 years, so your premiums are higher.

At the same time, if you drive many miles per week, your premiums are probably higher than someone who doesn't drive much. Even though you gain more experience through hours in the car every day, you create more opportunities to get in an accident.

In addition to your risk, your deductible affects your premiums. If you agree to a large deductible, meaning you cover a substantial portion of your accidents before your insurance steps in, your premiums go down. Similarly, if you agree to a lower limit, which is the highest amount that your policy covers, your premiums are lower.

3. What Doesn't Affect Your Premiums?

There are some factors that your insurance broker cannot consider when determining your premiums. For example, it is discriminatory to charge higher premiums for members of a certain religious or ethnic group. Also, while married couples usually get lower premiums than single policyholders, insurance brokers cannot charge higher premiums for same sex married couples.

Contrary to public opinion, the color of your car does not affect your premiums. Whether you drive a red or a black car in Greenwich is irrelevant to your risk of getting in an accident. 

4. Do You Need to Carry Proof of Insurance with You?

Once you have Greenwich car insurance, it's critical that you carry proof of insurance with you whenever you drive. If a police officer pulls you over and you cannot prove that you're insured, you may be fined between $100 and $1,000. You also may have your driver's license and vehicle registration suspended for one month (if this is your first offense) or six months (if you're caught without insurance again). 

If you're driving without any insurance policy, you can be charged with a Class C misdemeanor, which means you could go to jail for up to three months. If you're a commercial driver, you could be charged with a Class D felony.

This information is intended for general informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice.