Reader’s Question:

I want to add my teenage daughter to my car insurance policy since she is learning to drive. What is the legal age for driving in the State of Maine?

Caroline

Portland, ME

The State of Maine mandates that a learner’s permit can be granted to those who are fifteen years old for a period of ninety days. This means that your daughter will have to attend a basic driver’s education course. This will teach her valuable basic driving skills before she even gets behind the wheel. And once she is ready to take control of the car, she will be required to practice on Maine roads. Also, it is mandatory in the State of Maine that first time drivers practice night driving as well. At the age of 16, your daughter will be allowed to apply for a Maine full valid driver’s license provided that she pass the required eye exam, written and practical test. Additionally, she needs to have insurance coverage before any driver’s license is obtained.

This state requires its motorist to acquire both the minimum liability and uninsured motorist insurance. Although it may cost more for you to insure your teenage daughter, it is very important as the State of Maine obligates everyone who operates a motor vehicle in public roads to be covered. Try to take advantage of the car insurance discounts that your daughter may be eligible to. Having good grades is one factor that can lower her premiums. Teenagers who successfully finish the defensive driving course will also be granted valuable discounts. The type of car to be insured will also affect your daughter’s premiums.

Tags: Beginner car insurance, car insurance, Car insurance discounts, teen, teen insurance

Reader’s Question:

My car insurance agent here in Maine asked about my credit information. Is that relevant?

Justine

Portland, ME

That’s a good question, Justine. You see, the way people pay their financial obligations is a reflection of their financial capability. And the studies made by car insurance providers indicate that financial capability is a good indicator of future insurance claims. They use your credit information as an element in determining your insurability and understanding the risks involved in insuring you.

Whenever car insurance companies look at credit reports, they don’t really look at the credit scores or ratings. They are merely concerned with the financial group that the customer falls into. They use the information provided by the credit reporting company, and it is then interpreted by the rating program of the car insurance providers. The interpretation usually translates to the rates that are offered to the customer.

Generally, most car insurance companies in Maine require your credit report or financial obligation in processing your car insurance application. They also take into consideration your driving record, the violations you have made, your years of experience in terms of driving, and the kind of car that you drive.

It is important for the car insurance companies to know your credit rating in order for them to assess your rates and to know if you will be able to pay your premiums on time. After all, they would also want to protect themselves from customers who don’t pay.

Tags: auto insurance premium, Car Insurance Company, car insurance rate

Reader’s Question:

I am a full time student in Vermont but I am licensed here in Portland, Maine. I am planning to register my vehicle in Vermont. My question is: What determines my car insurance rate? is it in Michigan where I am licensed or where the vehicle is registered?

Robert

Portland, ME

Your auto insurance rates are determined by a different factors however the location of where the vehicle is registered, driven and kept will determine the car insurance rates more than where you are licensed in.

You will need car insurance for Vermont if that is where the vehicle is registered, so the car insurance rate premium will be based on Vermont car insurance rates and not where you are licensed in, in your case you are licensed in Portland Maine.

The state of Vermont’s financial responsibility law notes that no automobile owner or driver of the car required to be licensed shall drive or allow the operation of the automobile upon the roadways of the state without having in effect a vehicle liability bond or policy in the amounts of at least $25,000.00 for one person up to $50,000.00 per accident and $10,000.00 for property damages in any one accident. Basically It is needed to have bodily injury and property damage liability coverages on your automobile for at least these amounts.

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance rate

Reader’s Question:

A friend will be moving in with us for an unknown amount of time and he does not own a car but will be needing to drive our vehicle, how would we insure her to drive our vehicle in Portland, Maine?

Harry

Portland, ME

Insurance carrier’s rules with regards on how to insure an individual staying in your household very but most insurance carriers will require you to add your friend to your auto insurance policy as an additional driver. Most insurance carriers require that all licensed household members be listed on your insurance policy so that coverage is properly extended to them.

Speak to your insurance provider in Portland, Maine to know what your specific insurance company requires you to do so that your friend that will be staying with you can drive your cars and be insured to do so under your auto insurance policy. It will likely be adding your friend as driver to your car insurance policy though your insurance company may say that he is already covered under your current insurance policy terms.

Normally your friend would not be able to get an insurance policy of her own to cover your cars since she does not have insurable interest in the vehicles. She may be able to get a non-owner’s insurance policy but this would only be secondary to your primary insurance liability coverages.

If you want to shop around for cheap car insurance cost in Portland, Maine that will cover everyone in your household, type in your zip code from the space above. If you friend gets her own car she too can shop for inexpensive car insurance quote online.

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance cost, cheap auto insurance

Reader’s Question:

In Maine, what is the fine for driving with a suspended license?

Abigail

Portland, ME

Fine amounts for moving violations within Maine state are established by the Chief Judge of Maine District Court pursuant to state statutes. Therefore the fine amounts are set regularly by this entity with minimum and maximum amounts authorized by the statute.

There is a site run by the government of Maine in which one can verify what a fine should be for driving with a suspended license. The website can provide you information on your violation record, pay outstanding fines, verify a court date. You are able to obtain this information by typing in the ticket number found at the top right of your citation or ticket.

Now if you were driving with a suspended license due to an earlier DUI/DWI/OUI conviction there are other penalties that might apply, such as temporary impoundment of the car and 1 - 3 years added onto the revocation or suspension of your driver’s license and imprisonment.

Tags: auto insurance, Driving without License

Reader’s Question:

If I do not get into an accident for a long period of time in Maine, will the insurance company refund some of the premium that I have paid for all those years?

Lisa

Portland, ME

This is not an option on car insurance policies, although there are insurance products that have accumulated cash value, like life insurance. Car insurance does not work like other financial services that we normally pay for. Car insurance is something you buy hoping you never have to use it, and you buy it to protect yourself from losses that you cannot afford. Originally, it was mainly purchased to cover unexpected losses, but over time it has become very common for all drivers to expect to use their car insurance policy.

Car insurance is about spreading out the risk among everyone who purchases car insurance in Maine like in any other states. Car insurance premium goes to help fund losses suffered by the entire group or policyholders. The premium you pay is calculated based upon statistics that it will get used. If this wasn’t the reality then premiums would be higher, or simply you would pay for each claim in its entirety. Your car insurance company works (for themselves and their policyholders) to minimize the amount of risk it takes. It used to be said that the lower the premium, the less a company pays out on claims. But with better systems, companies are able to lower costs for consumers. Buying a car insurance policy online is another example of how companies work to save you money.

Believe it or not, insurance isn’t as profitable as most financial products. A lot of car insurance companies write insurance, particularly homeowners insurance on a loss and make money only on their investment income. This is one reason it is important to understand if your insurance company is rated.

Tags: auto insurance claims, automobile, car insurance

Reader’s Question:

Help for SR22 filing in Portland, Maine ME is needed! How do I go about this and will getting a non-owner policy get my license back?

Maritess

Portland, ME

There are many reasons why you should call SR22 auto insurance services no. Most SR22 filing companies will be able to accomplish everything the same day you apply. There is coverage available for single & multiple DUI / DWI offenses and you can even choose from A+ rated companies in Portland, Maine.

You can also shop online before your get your SR22 insurance filing taken care of. Simply accomplish the form above so you can get free quotes online and get to compare quotes from top companies in Maine ME. You can find the best rates available for you from high risk to conventional SR22 filing insurance.

Moreover, these SR22 filing companies understand this is a matter that you want to get resolved quickly and discreetly. There are also companies that offer insurance coverage for financial responsibility cases, immediate SR22 filings, and high-risk clients. In most cases, named operator or non owner filings can take care of the state of Maine’s requirements without involving your existing insurance carrier. A non-owner policy can be purchased discreetly in Maine, in addition to your existing policy. It will not interfere with your current insurance policy in Portland. Remember that your present insurance carrier does not need to be notified that you have purchased a non-owner policy since non-owner policies have no effect on your existing policy.

Tags: sr22, SR22 filing, non-owner policy, high risk drivers

Reader’s Question:

Is Maine state laws on insurance and registration dependent on each other? If there are insurance lapses, would that automatically mean the vehicle registration is revoked? Do insurance companies in Portland report insurance lapses to the state of ME?

Zoe

Portland, ME

Yes. Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) requires insurance companies to inform them of a car owner’s insurance lapse or cancellation. The car owner must be able to provide a proof of active insurance in order to prevent the revocation of his vehicle registration. Also, a law called the electronic Notification of Insurance Cancellation Program took effect in January 1, 2005 requiring insurance companies in ME to report the cancellation/termination of mandatory liability insurance coverage on vehicles.

The Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) will send a notice to the owners of vehicles with lapsed/canceled insurance indicating that their registration will be suspended if they do not provide a proof of an active insurance coverage. Car owners are given 30 days from the date of notification from BMV or otherwise registrations will be suspended if evidence of insurance is not provided.

After receiving the notification letter from ME BMV, you must provide evidence of active insurance before the effective suspension date listed at the beginning of that letter. You can send this proof online, by mail, by fax or in person at a BMV location.

Tags: automobile, car insurance rate

Reader’s Question:

I received a speeding ticket in Portland Maine but I have a NY State license. Someone told me that I will not get a deduction in points for my license, is this correct? What about my car insurance? Will it go up?

Naomi

Portland, ME

New York and Maine are both members of the Drivers License Compact (DLC) so the Maine traffic court or ME Bureau of Motor Vehicles will notify the NY State Department of Motor Vehicles that you have received speeding ticket.

The New York DMV though has decided not to record out of state infractions unless from Ontario or Quebec. The Department of Motor Vehicle also does not add points to your driving record for out of state moving violations.

Since the Portland Maine speeding violation is not being placed on your NYS driving record or being assigned points it is unlikely that your insurance provider would see this out of state ticket but not impossible. If they are notified of the ME speeding ticket then it would depend upon your insurance carrier’s rating system if your car insurance rates would go up or not. You can verify about your insurance company’s rating system from your insurance agent or the New York Department of Insurance with whom rates must be filed with.

Tags: auto insurance premium, car insurance rate, insurance, traffic violation

Reader’s Question:

I would like to know if there is any hard and fast rule in determining auto insurance premiums. I have auto insurance policy in Portland Maine.

Sandra

Portland, ME

Hello, Sandra.

Auto insurance costs have been affected by the rising cost of auto repairs and medical care in recent years. Auto insurance company must submit their request to the state’s Insurance Commissioner if they want to increase its insurance rates. They must also include enough financial information to justify the rate increase. Rate analysts will review the facts provided by insurers and will approve the request if they find them congruent to the laws of Maine.

In addition to that, auto insurance companies may change the way their rates vary based on a number of factors such as address, age, gender, and driving history. Auto insurance rates can be based on many factors. Premium rates is made up of a base rate, plus/minus certain pegged amounts relevant to age, marital status, gender, driving patterns, claims history, credit history, geographical area, model, year, and make of the vehicle insured.
Weight on these factors would vary from one company to another. For a more accurate explanation on ratings, you can ask your local auto insurance agent in Portland Maine for appointment so you will better understand.
You may also start shopping for free quotes online so you can compare premium rates. Enter your zip code on the relevant space found in this page.