What Is No Fault Car Insurance?

Do you know what no fault auto insurance is? An auto insurance that car owners have for self protection that also limits their ability to claim for damages caused by other drivers is called no fault auto insurance. As per the laws of the no fault policy, in the eventuality of an accident, the insurance provider will pay out for the damages incurred by you up to the limit specified irrespective of who was responsible for the accident. The other drivers will have to avail be covered by the policies they hold. Ideally under this policy, one driver cannot sue the other driver for damages since he is covered by the policy he owns.

Unfortunately though, this “ideal” system is absent in every state of the US. This policy is now a combination of the traditional system, where one has to pay for the damages caused, and the no fault system. Before you purchase a no fault policy, it is important to have an understanding of what is legally permitted by the state laws.

There are innumerable benefits of the no fault insurance. Firstly, the driver can be assured of medical assistance in case of any eventuality. Also, the premiums of this policy are low because the administrative and legal fees for claims on the policy are reduced. In such cases, though, due to liability claims, there are chances of your premiums increasing.

The no fault insurance clause, commonly referred to as PIP (personal injury protection), is offered as a part of your regular car insurance policy. Under this, you may find sub headings like OBEL which is Optional Basic Economic Loss. Though the PIP package varies from one US state to the other, the benefits which are common among all of them are loss of wages, medical costs, funeral expenses, death benefits and compensation for earnings loss.

The type of PIP and the amount vary across various states. In states like Kentucky, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, it is the choice of the driver to opt for the no fault system by going in for PIP or opt out of it and go with the regular liability system. This seems like a wiser option to a few of them because irrespective of if they opt for it or not, they still have to pay for the damages they cause.

Going with what the critics say, the price for the no fault insurance is high. It is advisable to shop extensively, especially on the internet, if you live in a state that supports the no fault insurance system. The aim of no fault insurance is to reduce the premiums by paying immediately for the injuries rather than speculating about who was responsible for the accident. As rightly mentioned by the critics, reckless drivers involved in accidents are let off without any punishment under this policy since there is no trial for these cases.

Since auto accidents are unavoidable, the drivers responsible should be subjected to punishment. Such drivers, under the no fault system, do not consider the law suit filed against them as a form of punishment.

In a country like the US where auto insurance companies are fighting fiercely to increase their clientele, finding cheap no fault insurance will not be a herculean task. Get your free automobile insurance quotes online and compare them to get the best.