• Bodily Injury (BI) Liability: Pays for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering for injured third parties.
• Property Damage (PD) Liability: Pays for repairs to the other person’s car, fences, mailboxes, or other property you might damage with a vehicle.

Auto Liability Insurance protects you when claims arise from your driving. If you lose control of your vehicle and hurt somebody, this insurance is what stands between you and financial hardship or bankruptcy.

With winter driving hazards in mind, it is time to review your Auto Liability Insurance. Most Alaskans first buy automobile insurance when we are “young and poor.” Our interaction with an insurance sales agent goes something like this: “I have no money. Sell me the cheapest coverage that allows let me to legally drive in Alaska.” As a result, insurance sales agents normally sell the “statutory minimum”  “50/100” liability insurance.

Statutory Minimum Is Not Enough

Problems arise when we get older. We are (hopefully) not so poor. Living the American Dream, most Alaskans work and save money. We have a home and are raising families. Through hard work and determination, we have a bit of “heel on our shoes.” Yet, Alaskans continue to drive with the same cheap Auto Liability Insurance that we bought as kids…

If you are over 35 (and certainly if you are over 45) it is time to update your Auto Liability Insurance. Here are our nuts-and-bolts suggestions, after 30 years of reviewing automobile insurance policies. First, talk to your insurance sales agent. An insurance sales agent is trained to help you understand how much insurance is appropriate in your circumstances. It is their job to ask you questions, evaluate your situation, and make informed suggestions. Furthermore, this service costs you nothing. Call your insurance sales agent right now and schedule an “Insurance Review Meeting.”

Auto Liability Insurance Recommendations

If you really don’t want to ask your insurance sales agent (or don’t have one), we recommend 100/300 (that is $100K per person, and $300K per accident) as the absolute minimum Auto Liability Insurance Alaskans should buy before getting on Alaskan roads. We grade 100/300 as C+ coverage. It is far better than 50/100. At the same time, it does not provide much beyond minimal financial protection to Alaskans.

The next step up is 250/500 or $250K per person, and $500K per accident. We grade 250/500 as B+ Auto Liability Insurance coverage. It provides much more reasonable financial protection.

When deciding how much Auto Liability Insurance insurance to buy, the key is realizing you are driving about 4,000 pounds of steel at 55+ MPH on icy Alaskan roads. If you lose control and injure another person be sure you have enough liability insurance to pay the other persons’ medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, and disability. If you don’t buy enough liability insurance to cover these claims, the balance of the injured persons’ claims come out of your pocket.

How Much Does It Cost?

IMPORTANT: The cost of Auto Liability Insurance is NOT linear. In other words, 100/300 does NOT cost twice as much as 50/100. Usually, doubling your 50/100 liability insurance should cost you less than $75 every six months. The expensive insurance is the 50/100 statutory minimum coverage that you already bought. Think of it this way… can you financially recover from the significant costs of bodily injury and property damage following an accident without sufficient Auto Liability Insurance?

This Auto Liability Insurance Article is Part 2 of a 6-Part Winter Auto Insurance Review Series. See these articles for information about UM and UIM Insurance, Auto MedPay, Umbrella Coverage, and Personal Injury Auto Claims.

Johnson Law has been helping Alaskans for nearly 30 years. It’s who we are. Please call Johnson Law to discuss your auto insurance case: (907)277-3090 or use our online contact form.

And while we hope you never need us… We’re here if you do. ~ Doug Johnson

Image Source: Alaska Car Transport

Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements In Alaska

The state of Alaska requires drivers carry liability insurance. Alaskan Law states that drivers carry at least $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per person and $100,000 of bodily injury or Liability coverage per accident. Drivers also must carry $25,000 in property damage protection.

Although Alaska has set minimum levels of auto insurance. Many crashes cause damages exceeding those minimum requirements. For example, a serious crash may result in long-term injuries. These kind of injuries may reduce a victim’s ability to earn a living and limit his or her quality of life. When this occurs, the injured person may need financial help beyond the at-fault driver’s policy limits. Our advice is to review your insurance and then buy as much Liability insurance coverage as you can afford.

Increase Your Insurance Protection

ALL Auto Insurance Companies offer insurance coverage beyond Alaska’s minimum requirements. For example, Uninsured (UM), Under-Insured (UIM), Medical Payments and Umbrella Policies. These types of coverage are beyond the minimum and protect you in cases where damages exceed at-fault parties insurance available.

Proof Of Insurance – Are You Covered Alaska?

Drivers must also carry proof of insurance at all times. Failure to provide proof of insurance may result in a license suspension. Cars may also be impounded for failure to provide proof of insurance. Whether at fault for a crash or not, proof of insurance is a requirement. Drivers who do not have insurance may lose the right to drive in Alaska.

Questions About Coverage?

If you have questions when you review your auto insurance, call your auto insurance sales agent. They will provide a review of your coverage and make recommendations to ensure you are covered Alaska. Protect yourself and your family. Review your auto insurance and buy as much Uninsured, Under-Insured and Medical Payment insurance coverage as you can afford. Then ask your agent about an Umbrella Policy.

Johnson Law has been helping Alaskans for nearly 30 years. It’s who we are. Call Johnson Law at  (907)277-3090 or use our Contact Form to discuss your Alaska accident injury case. We are here to serve you.

And while we hope you never need us… We’re here if you do. ~ Doug Johnson

Sources: Alaska DMV; Alaska Department of Administration; DMV.org

Image Source: Forbes

Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements

Alaskan law requires liability insurance for drivers. Alaska statutes states that drivers must buy at least $50,000 of liability bodily injury coverage per person and $100,000 of liability bodily injury coverage per accident. Drivers must also buy $25,000 in liability property damage protection. Drivers must also prove they have insurance at all times. Failure to provide proof of insurance may result in a license suspension.

Statutory minimum does not mean fully insured. Although Alaska requires minimum levels of auto insurance, many crashes cause damages greater than minimum requirements cover. For example, a severe crash may result in long-term injuries. Such injuries reduce a victim’s ability to earn a living or limit quality of life. When this occurs, the injured person may require insurance beyond what an at-fault driver’s policy insures.

Additional Insurance Options During Insurance Coverage Review

Companies offer insurance beyond state requirements, such as uninsured (UM), underinsured (UIM), and medical payments coverage (MedPay). These insurances should be part of every insurance coverage review. They protect you when damages exceed the at-fault parties’ insurance available.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Insurance

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage, usually called U/UIM – protects you (and all occupants of your vehicle and family members) when you are run over by an Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist – usually a drunk driver. If you (and your family) are badly hurt by an uninsured or underinsured motorist, this insurance stands in the place of the other driver and pays your claims, just as the other driver’s liability insurance would pay them … if the drunk had any insurance. It is staggering how many Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist we have on Alaskan roads. U/UIM is VERY important insurance for you and your family.

Prepare for winter weather driving. Buy at least as much U/UIM insurance as you buy liability insurance. Consider buying more to better protect your family. This insurance coverage may be all that is available to address a lifetime of medical bills, unemployment and pain. I recommend at least 100/300 coverage. It is far better than 50/100, but it does not provide much beyond minimal protection. The next step up is 250/500 or $250K per person, and $500K per accident.

IMPORTANT: U/UIM insurance is usually less expensive than liability insurance. It is not linearly priced. In other words, doubling your U/UIM coverage will usually NOT double your premium payment. It is smart to think: “How much is my life – and my family’s lives – worth?”

Medical Payments Insurance

Medical Payments Coverage or MedPay insurance normally pays for medical bills arising from an automobile accident. It covers you and all occupants of your vehicle. And while it is not mandatory under Alaskan law – it should be. Many people have no MedPay or only $5,000. This is not enough.

How Much Will I Pay for MedPay Coverage? We recommend you buy $100K of MedPay insurance. It should cost between $50 and $75 every six months. People with good MedPay coverage rarely get bankrupted by medical bills and aren’t harassed by collection agencies after a Motor Vehicle Accident. It is cheap peace of mind. Buy all you can afford.

Insurance Coverage Review For Winter

Prepare for winter weather driving with a full auto insurance coverage review. It is essential to have enough insurance in a car accident. After a serious automobile crash, contact an injury attorney. The attorney gathers evidence in your case to establish the negligence of a third-party causing injuries. If you are a victim of a motor vehicle collision, you have legal rights to hold negligent parties accountable. Including parties who don’t meet Alaska insurance requirements.

Johnson Law, P.C. has been helping Alaskans for nearly 30 years. It’s who we are.

And while we hope you never need us… We’re here if you do. ~ Doug Johnson

Please call Johnson Law, P.C. to discuss your case: (907)277-3090 or use our online contact form.

Sources: Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, Alaska Statutes, Forbes

Image Source: The Smart Investor