Tips On How To Register a Car In Georgia
Reader’s Question:
How do I register my car in Georgia?
Tammy
Good Question.
It is highly recommended to register a car in the state of Georgia before processing a driver’s license. Your fist stop if you are new in the state is the driver’s license office. The vehicle must be registered within the 30 days of purchase or 30 days of residency and then you will need to reapply for a new tag every year. If you are registering a vehicle, applying for the title can be done with the same application.
You may call your county tax commissioner since Georgia counties varies in their requirements for registering vehicles.
Here are some documentations you will be needing to register your vehicle:
1. Valid Georgia driver’s license
2. valid out of state title or the certificate of origin of the manufacturer if the vehicle is new.
3. completed title application
4. proof of insurance. You will need a minimum liability insurance required in the state of Georgia.
5. proof that your car passed the emission test
6. fees and taxes.
7. If the vehicle that you are registering is not eligible for the titling in
Georgia, or if it comes from the area that does not need titling, the vehicle must be inspected prior to the registration by a tag agent or any law enforcement officer. Part of the inspection is verifying that the car is not stolen.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
Georgia Underinsured Uninsured Auto Insurance Tips
When you get into an accident with an uninsured driver, then your minimum liability automobile insurance policy will not help you in the least towards your damages. In order to be covered in such an incident, you need to have uninsured motorist coverage.
As I’ve mentioned, the requirements for bodily injury liability under Georgia auto insurance law are pretty low, so in a bad accident it wouldn’t be too hard for the actual medical costs to go way over the amount of insurance that this person has. This is why under insured motorist coverage is also very necessary.
If a person only has twenty five thousand in bodily injury liability, and the damages are thirty thousand, then their car insurance company will pay for the first amount, and your own will pay for the remaining five thousand dollars. Depending on where you are at, the way this is handled could be different. For example, if insurance law requires that under insured motorist coverage be added on, then it will happen much like this:
If your under insured motorist coverage is for, say sixty thousand dollars, and their bodily injury liability is twenty five thousand dollars, then the two amounts will be put together to make eighty five thousand dollars, and that will be your coverage.
However, in other areas they deduct. If this is the case with you, the with the above coverages, you would only have the sixty thousand dollars of coverage.
As for uninsured motorist coverage, it covers bodily injury as well, although there is no additional coverage to be added to it. If you want your damages to be fixed, then you should have collision coverage.
If there is more than one car on your insurance policy, then you can add more to your coverage by stacking your policies. So, instead of having sixty thousand dollars of coverage, you would have a hundred and twenty thousand.
Should You Carry Comprehensive Auto Insurance In Georgia?
Reader question:
Should I add comprehensive and collision coverage to my Georgia auto insurance policy? What is it anyway?
Gloria
Thank you for your question, Gloria.
Whether or not you add comprehensive and collision coverage to your Georgia auto insurance policy should depend on several factors. Before we cover those, though, let’s first look at what comprehensive and collision coverage are.
- Comprehensive coverage is…
Comprehensive coverage is the kind of coverage that takes care of damages that result from things that aren’t automobile accidents. For example, if you were living in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina, then any flood damage caused to your car would fall under your comprehensive coverage. This is because comprehensive coverage takes care of damage resulting from natural disasters.
It also takes care of damage that results from criminal activity. For example, if your car is stolen, then it will be replaced if you have comprehensive coverage. If your car is vandalized, then it will be repaired under your comprehensive coverage portion of your insurance policy.
- Collision coverage is…
Collision coverage is like property damage liability, except that instead of being for the person on the other end of your auto insurance accident, collision coverage takes care of damage caused to your own vehicle. This includes repairs if your vehicle is simply damaged, and the actual cash value if your vehicle is totaled.
Collision coverage also applies when you get into an accident that involves your own property. If you’re parked backwards in your driveway, say, and you put your car in reverse instead of drive by accident, and as a result back into your garage, then the damage to your garage and your car will be covered by your collision coverage.
- Why you need them (or don’t)…
Collision and comprehensive coverage can be very useful when you get into an accident or have your car stolen, but not every vehicle needs it. One of the quickest ways to cut the costs on your insurance premium is to drop your extra coverage, after all.
If you have a car that is old and not worth more than a thousand dollars, then you do not need comprehensive and collision auto insurance coverage. You will end up paying more for the coverage than your car is actually worth, and there’s no point in that.
If you are still buying a car, then you are probably required to have comprehensive and collision coverage. If you don’t, then you could end up paying for a vehicle that you no longer have if your car ends up totaled.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
How Can I Lower My Georgia Auto Insurance Rate?
Usually there is some kind of catch to lowering your Georgia auto insurance rate, and you don’t simply get a discount or a better rate for free. If you want to pay less on car insurance, then you have to drive less, or make better grades, or do some other thing that might not be hard but is ore than nothing, and lowers your risk.
High deductible auto insurance is one of the prime examples of these catches, and many people avoid it because, they say, they are buying auto insurance to cover them. Why do they have insurance at all if they have to cover themselves?
Let me rewind. The deductible, first of all, is what you pay towards injuries and repairs and the like whenever you make a claim before your car insurance coverage kicks in. So, if I were to get into an accident and the damages to my car amounted to three thousand dollars, and I had a thousand dollar deductible (which I do), then I would pay that amount and the car insurance company would pay the other two thousand in repairs. The amount of the deductible never changes, even if the damages are only about five hundred dollars or fifty thousand. Deductibles are only paid when you are found to be at fault for the accident.
Raising your deductible from the bottom $250 can lower your auto insurance rate significantly, because it allows the car insurance company to pay less. Instead of avoiding this, raise it and start saving money for whenever you do get into an accident and have to pay a deductible. Most people only file a car insurance claim once every five years, so it’s likely that you won’t need your deductible much and you’ll probably save up way more than that amount by the time you have to pay it out if you just save the difference between your auto insurance rate with a low deductible and your auto insurance rate with a high deductible.
You can save a lot of money this way, and not just on your auto insurance rate. A couple of years ago, when I first raised my deductible, I started putting the money I was saving on my auto insurance rate into a high interest savings account, and now let’s just say that it’s a lot bigger. So why wait? If you’re a safe driver and the likelihood of you getting into an at fault accident any time soon is pretty low, start saving money as soon as possible.
How To Lower Atlanta Car Insurance Rates
I found this video on YouTube earlier today. The man in here is talking about discounts for driving less, and this is definitely a good example of a Atlanta car insurance discounts. Most companies, and I could probably say all companies without risk, offer the low mileage discount, although not all companies consider ‘low’ to be the same thing. While some Atlanta car insurance companies will require five thousand miles a year or less for you to be able to qualify for the discount, others only require that you drive fewer than forty miles each day. I know that second sort wouldn’t be hard for me to live up to, but I suppose it depends on what part of Atlanta you live in, whether you’re closer in or further out.
Still, for many people those thresholds are extremely low, and they couldn’t imagine driving so little each year, especially when they work every day. If you try hard enough, however, most people can do it, and even if you can’t get low enough for the Atlanta car insurance discount for low mileage, driving fewer miles will still lower your rates.
- Car pooling.
Probably the cheapest way to cut your driving is to carpool to work instead of driving your own car every day. If you take turns with different friends and co workers, then you can also avoid chipping in on gas, so long as everybody is contributing the same amount in regards to driving.
- MARTA.
Okay, nobody likes it, but MARTA, Atlanta’s bus system, is also an option. Even if you have to drive to a park and ride to go into town, you’ll still save a lot of gas and thus some money on your Atlanta car insurance premium. The downside is that it takes a long time, and doesn’t go everywhere you need it to go. You could end up doing a lot of walking, but hey, that’s good for your health.
- Riding your bike.
This isn’t an option for all jobs, but it is for many. If you have to wear a suit to work, for example, then you might feel a little silly pedaling down the road. It also only works if your job is close enough. If you’re a little out of shape, then this is both a good way to lose weight and save a little on your Atlanta GA car insurance.
- Become a hermit.
The absolute best way to save money on your Atlanta car insurance premium through the low mileage discount is to stop driving. Not period when necessary, but whenever you don’t need to. Limit your outings, walk more. If you need to do errands, do them all on one trip and plan out your schedule so that you spend the fewest miles.
RAISE Your deductible amount, that is the easiest way for you to save a considerable amount of money in the long term on insurance premiums.
What Happens If You Are Late Paying Your Car Insurance Payment?
Reader question:
What happens to my car insurance policy when I make a late payment?
Oswald
Atlanta
Thanks for your question, Oswald!
Many people, at some moment in their lives, come to a point where they have to choose between paying their Atlanta car insurance premium, or paying something else much more important. Most, though, skip payments out of forgetfulness and poor money management, and realizing what the consequences of your actions could be might make you a little more cautious about paying your car insurance payment on time. If you think about it, failing to pay your premium can actually be more expensive than paying it on time at the expense of something else.
Responsibility and timing are necessary when dealing with your car insurance premium, especially if you think of the consequences in one of the most dire, but very common, cases. Consider if you pay your car insurance premium through the mail, and you send it in a couple of days before it is actually due. It might arrive on time, and then it might not. If it doesn’t arrive on time, in many cases you might not even realize it. You could be driving around without proper car insurance coverage and be hopelessly unaware of this fact.
Even when they eventually get the check in the mail, they won’t for certain turn your coverage back on. Some might return the check to its sender, and others might use the check to pay off any other money that you owe on your car insurance premium. You will get a message in the mail eventually, but there will be a window of a few days in which anything can happen and you have no idea that you aren’t covered.
Even if the car insurance company does not cancel your payment outright, it is possible that once you have made one or more late payments, they decide that you are an unreliable payer and choose not to renew your car insurance policy. This gives you some more time to think, as you’ll have until the end of your current policy period to find a new company, but neither option is desirable.
- What happens if you crash?
One of the worst consequences of your car insurance policy being canceled thanks to a late payment is that you will get in a crash. If the crash is not your fault, then you won’t have to pay for damages, but you will lose your driver’s license. If it is your fault, not only will you have your own damages and injuries to pay for, but the other driver’s as well, and with no insurance coverage to fall back on, you’ll be taken to court and sued for a lot of money.
- What happens with the next company?
If you get your premium canceled with one company, then the next insurance company that you go to will consider you higher risk. Not only does that mean that you have a chance of getting your policy denied altogether, but if it is approved then your car insurance rates will be higher.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
Does Taking Defensive Driving In Georgia Reduce My Car Insurance Rates?
Reader’s Question:
How does taking defensive Driving class lowers my insurance premium? how do I enroll? I live in Georgia.
Sam
Thank you for asking Sam.
By taking a defensive driving class, your premiums may be lowered but this depends on the insurance company that you currently have since each companies has different policies to qualify for the discount. You may also check with the amount of the discount you might get if you take defensive driving class to lower your premiums from the cost of the course.
The state laws also requires an individual to take defensive driving course for point reduction on your driving record every five years. However this will still depends on the individual courts and the driving record since the court will determine if taking a driving course for ticket dismissal can be an option for you.
In Georgia, if your driving has been suspended due to DUI, you will be required to take a DUI course through a state approved school. The Georgia Department of Drivers Service can provide you all list of authorized schools that you can enrolled in.
You will also be required to take an assessment test for the amount of $75 before enrolling to the DUI school. Then after that, you will have to enroll to the 20-hour course and pay an amount of $250 which includes a book fee for $15. These fees are set by the state.
For teens, the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program , a one hour session, is required for all drivers under the age of 18. You may be able to take a make up test if you failed the test at the end of the program.
You may check with the DDS to find out more information on where to take the defensive driving test.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
What Are The Exceptions For Not Having Car Insurance in Georgia
Reader’s Question:
What are the exceptions for vehicles not to be insured in Georgia?
Therese
Good Question Therese.
There are occasions that a car need not to be insured. If your car qualifies for one of the exceptions, you will be needing to file an affidavit stating the reason and you will be from the lapse fees and penalties for not having car insurance on your vehicle.
Here are the list of exemptions:
1. if the vehicle was sold or if the ownership was transferred
2. if the owner moved to a different state or if th owner of the vehicle was transferred out of state
3. if the vehicle lease was terminated
4. If the vehicle was wrecked, salvaged or junked
5. if the vehicle was repossessed, stolen or not driven because its inoperable
6. if the vehicle was stored or used seasonally for agricultural purposes
Those who are in the military are also exempted if they are deployed and the vehicle is not being used. You will need to fill up an affidavit to claim your exemption if you are in the military. You can file this at your local tag office before, during or after your deployment.
What Happens In Unisured Motorist Accident in Georgia?
Reader’s Question:
What happens if the person does not have any insurance and he is at fault in an accident in the state of Georgia?
Redford
Thank you for asking.
If the Department of Revenue in Georgia sees that you are uninsured, they will send you a Notice of Lapse Mandatory Liability Insurance Coverage notice through the mail. You will be requested to pay $25 lapse fee and you will be required to show proof within 30 days of the valid insurance coverage.
Your vehicle registration may be suspended if you fail to pay the lapse fee within 30 days of the letter’s date. The owner of the vehicle will need to pay the lapse fee of $25 plus $60 reinstatement fees and show proof of auto insurance if you want to cancel the suspension.
You will not be allowed to drive without insurance and suspended vehicle registration once you receive the notice from the Department of Revenue. If you drive a vehicle without insurance or with suspended registration, you may be subject for additional fees and the vehicle may be impounded if you get caught.
If you get involve in an accident and you do not have an insurance, you will be held personally responsible for the damages that you caused to another driver or car.
You may contact the Department of Revenue in Georgia to give you more information on the penalties given to a person driving without insurance if he/she gets involve in an accident.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
Does Georgia Have an Auto Insurance Point System?
Reader’s Question:
Does Georgia and Florida have the same point system? Does Georgia report speeding ticket to Florida?
Ben
Good Question.
Georgia is not part of the Drivers License Compact where the Florida is a member of, but the Georgia Driver’s services still sends licensed driver’s information to their home state of any conviction they will receive in the state of Georgia. So if you get convicted of speeding violation in Georgia, the court will still notify the state of Florida if that is where you are licensed.
If you receive a traffic ticket out of state and they receive that information, The Highway Safety and Motor Services will add the violation to your record, according to the Florida of Highway Safety Motor Services. 15 MPH or less or over lawful speed limit is 3 points and 16 MPH or more over the posted speed limit is 4 points in Florida.
It is noted in the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Services that it will not be allowed by the Florida Law for any school or program to remove the points for the ticket or any convictions that was received from another state. This means that you cannot take any Florida driving class or take any driving course to remove the ticket from Georgia or points that was assigned to your driving record.
Goodluck!
MariCAR
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