Car Insurance Renewal Refused South Carolina

Reader’s Question:

I’m from South Carolina, and I have been with the same car insurance company for many years now. Since my insurance policy is almost expired, I went to the company to have it renewed, but they refused to approve it. What could be the reasons to refuse car insurance renewal?

Steven

Greenville, SC

In South Carolina, it is legal to drive uninsured, provided that you pay the annual fee of $550. You also need to be financially responsible if you cause a car accident. With medical and repair cost shooting up each year, having car insurance coverage will save you from the worries of having to pay huge amounts of money if ever you do cause an accident. That is why it is very important to consider a few things that may become reasons for refusal of car insurance renewal.

Firstly, you need to get an online review of your current car insurance coverage. Check out other companies’ websites to get an idea of the prevailing prices. Try to read on the pros and cons about the options available since many websites give out different options for insuring your car. This way, you will know if you really are getting your money’s worth from your current car insurance company.

Secondly, you need to review the points that may affect the favorable decision on your policy renewal. If you had multiple accidents in the past, your insurer may refuse to renew your policy based on this since you have a higher potential of filing claims, which could mean a great financial loss for the car insurance company. If you got multiple moving traffic citations, it could also affect your policy renewal. Although you can always take a driver improvement course to remove the tickets, the citations will be on your driving record, which is periodically checked by insurers.

If your renewal is refused, shop around. Companies use different methods in calculating risk. There always are car insurance companies out there that cater to those who have been refused by other insurers.

Will Auto Insurance Pay for Damaged Windshield?

Reader’s Question:

My car’s windshield got broken in an accident that involves my friend’s surfboard. I want to know if I can claim from my car insurance or not. By the way, if I don’t get the glass replaced soon, can I still drive the car around even with that broken glass? Will I be ticketed by the Florida police?

Ryan

Miami, Florida

In Florida, if you carry only the Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and the Property Damage Liability (PD), which is the minimum auto insurance required by the state, then expect that your damaged windshield will not be covered.

Typically, the repair or replacement of a windshield is covered by the Comprehensive Coverage. In your state, if you carry this kind of policy, the deductible is waived when the windshield is being replaced. This is noted under Florida Statute 627.7288. So, if you only have liability coverage in your policy, it is likely that you would have to personally fund the replacement of your windshield.

It is possible that you may be ticketed for a broken windshield, especially if the law enforcer finds the damage to be obstructing your view and considers it unsafe. Under Section 316.2952, it is stated that a vehicle must have a windshield. However it is not stated that the vehicle has to have a windshield that is in “proper condition.” Therefore, this conviction would have to be assessed further in court. If the court finds the broken windshield to be unsafe, then it would state that you are violating Section 316.610, which is driving an unsafe vehicle.