Archives - February, 2009



Reader’s Question:

My father is a senior citizen but his car insurance premium have increased and when we asked his insurers they said that he is also considered as a high risk driver here in Jacksonville. How could that happen, isn’t he should get lower premium since he has the discounts from being a senior citizen?

Dave

Jacksonville, FL

Being labelled as a high risk driver is not only because you drunk drive or you have had a lot of traffic violations in the past. High risk car insurance companies usually determine their clients by checking the drivers’ record, driving experiences, the address, the gender and the age. High risk car insurance companies in Jacksonville usually check this information because it can really determine whether you are a high risk driver or not.

It is true that Senior Citizen has the privilege of getting discounts especially the older the person gets, the lesser accident prone and tickets you get. But then, other high risk car insurance companies give higher rate for older people for they have poorer eyesight, poorer hearing and weaker reflexes. Other age that they consider labelling as high risk are the teens or newly licensed drivers, they usually act reckless on the road since they don’t have much experience yet and don’t know much about responsibility. With regards to senior citizens, high risk car insurance companies differ from each other. The thing that they agree both is where you live. They consider you high risk if you live a crowded city and have a high crime rate. They give also higher rates to those who drive miles away from home and how many times they use their car a week. You should also be informed that the more claims you have, the higher your rates are.

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Reader’s Question:

Do I need to have SR22 insurance here in Jacksonville if I have DUI? My case is still ongoing so I just need to know some things if I get convicted.

David

Jacksonville, FL

SR22 insurance is a certificate of financial responsibility asked by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as a proof that a person has car insurance. If you have an ongoing DUI case in Jacksonville, it does not necessarily mean that you need SR22 insurance. It would actually depend on whether you will be convicted or not and whether you have car insurance at the time you were arrested for DUI.

A number of things may cause you to need SR22 insurance in Jacksonville. If you will be ultimately convicted for DUI, your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked. In this case, you need SR22 insurance to reinstate your driver’s license and you have to maintain it for a certain number of years. Other reasons include causing an accident without proper insurance, having numerous tickets or accidents in a short period of time or an accident you caused that resulted to death.

SR22 insurance could be acquired by getting in touch with your insurance company and let them submit the form for you to the DMV. Normally, you would have to pay a small charge for the SR22 to be filed. SR22 generally will be required for three years but would vary depending on the gravity of the incidence.

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