Tennessee Auto Insurance Guide

Tennessee has plenty of scenic drives, places to drive for a weekend getaway, and tourist attractions to get to. No matter where you decide to drive in Tennessee, you need to make sure that you get there legally. You need to obey all traffic laws and pull over if you wind up with a police officer behind you. You also need to make sure that you have the right amount of auto insurance. Not only is purchasing Tennessee auto insurance the responsible thing to do, it is the law. The Tennessee auto insurance requirements will be outlined in the following paragraphs:

Tennessee Car Insurance Regulations

Although the Tennessee state government won't be watching over your shoulder to make sure that you're following their auto insurance law when you register your vehicle, you still need to make sure that you can prove financial responsibility. Tennessee allows you to do this in one of two ways: purchase liability insurance from a provider that is allowed to sell auto insurance in Tennessee, or put up a bond or cash deposit with the Tennessee Department of Safety. If you own a business that owns more than 25 vehicles, you can also self-insure. The easiest method of proving financial responsibility for most people is to purchase auto insurance in Tennessee.

Mandatory Minimum Coverage in Tennessee

When you purchase auto insurance in Tennessee, you will need to purchase enough liability coverage to pay $25,000 for one person's injury or death, $50,000 for more than one person's injury or death per incident, and $15,000 in property damage coverage. These limits are scheduled to change to $30,000 for one person, $60,000 for each accident, and $25,000 for property damage liability as of January 1, 2011. If you have a car loan, your lender may require that you purchase more coverage, such as collision, comprehensive, and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Depending on the age of your car and your assets, you may wish to purchase more on your own anyway.

Motorcycle Coverage Requirements

Motorcycle riders need to purchase the same auto insurance in Tennessee as car drivers. They also need to wear a helmet and wear eye protection (if their motorcycle does not have a windscreen). Completing a State Certified Motorcycle Rider Education Course will give riders a discount of 10% on their liability insurance.

Tennessee Auto Insurance Advice

Maintaining auto insurance coverage is important if you are a Tennessee car driver. Not being able to prove financial responsibility when you are pulled over by a police officer or get into an automobile accident is a Class C misdemeanor, and can result in a fine and suspension of your license. It could also cost more money to reinstate your insurance after a period of not having auto insurance coverage. Although drivers are supposed to purchase auto insurance in Tennessee, not all do, so you may want to purchase uninsured and underinsured automobile insurance, even though it is not a state requirement. It is not expensive, and will save you a lot of money if you ever get in an accident with an uninsured driver. If you need to save money on your auto insurance, you may want to raise your deductible and pay your entire six-month term up-front. Driving safely and maintaining a good credit score will also help keep your insurance rates down.