- Rhode Island requires its drivers to purchase a minimum amount of liability coverage
- Many drivers will benefit from purchasing additional or optional coverage as well
- Discounts are available through some providers to help you save money on your premium
Rhode Island shares similar financial responsibility laws for drivers that many other states have.
In this and other states, the law indicates that drivers are financially responsible for any damages they create while operating a motor vehicle. This includes damages they cause to another person’s vehicle or property as well as medical bills if they cause an injury.
Minimum Requirements in Rhode Island
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Because car accidents and other related events can be expensive, Rhode Island has established minimum car insurance requirements that drivers must meet.
In order to drive legally in this state, you must have liability coverage that includes at least $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 per accident for property damage.
Keep in mind that this required auto insurance coverage only provides compensation to others for the damage you cause, and it does not compensate you for your own expenses related to an accident or loss event.
Getting a Rhode Island ID
If you are applying for your first driver’s license in Rhode Island and are under the age of 18, you will need your parent’s permission as well as an original copy of your birth certificate, your Social Security card, your proof of residency, and a driver’s education certification.
If you are an experienced driver moving to Rhode Island, you will need to bring your current driver’s license, your proof of residency, and your Social Security card to apply for a Rhode Island driver’s license.
You should bring these original documents to your closest Department of Motor Vehicles office in Rhode Island during business hours.
In some cases, you may be required to take a driving test in order to obtain your license. You also should ensure that your auto insurance policy has been updated to comply with the state’s minimum liability coverage requirements at this time.
Additional Coverages and Expanded Car Insurance Options
While buying the minimum amount of car insurance required for Rhode Island motorists will ensure that you comply with state driving laws, this amount may not be fully protective. Remember that an accident can result in vehicle damage to your car, medical bills for you and your passengers, towing expenses, rental car expenses, and more.
It can be financially stressful to pay for such considerable expenses out of your own funds, and insurance is available to help you cover your expenses.
These are some of the primary types of additional car insurance that you can add to your policy in Rhode Island:
- Collision insurance
- Comprehensive insurance
- Personal property coverage
- Personal injury coverage
- Towing service benefits
- Rental car expense reimbursement
While this additional and optional coverage can make your premium higher, it also may prevent you from having to pay for thousands of dollars or more in expenses out of your own pocket if you are involved in an accident.
Therefore, it may be more cost-effective in the long-run to pay a higher premium and enjoy the peace of mind it provides. In some cases, an auto lender may require you to purchase collision or comprehensive insurance as a term of your loan.
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Shopping for an Insurance Policy in Rhode Island
The process for shopping for a basic liability insurance policy or a more robust comprehensive insurance policy is the same. You will typically need to provide each insurer that you request a quote from with the same basic information.
This includes details about your driving history, your age and gender, where you live, your vehicle, and more.
Information is usually provided to insurers through an online application or over the phone, and it may take 15 to 20 minutes or longer to complete the process and obtain a quote from each provider you reach out.
Each insurance company has a different method for scoring your insurance policy request.
For example, some may offer significantly higher rates if you have a single accident on your driving history, and this includes even if the accident occurred a few years ago.
Others may not offer a higher rate unless you have two or more accidents or moving violations on your driving history within the last year.
Because of this variation in insurance scoring from provider to provider, it makes sense to compare at least three or four different policies before you finalize your buying decision. Remember that the scoring factors, as well as the providers’ scoring methods, can change periodically.
With this in mind, it makes sense to shop for new rates every few months so that you keep your insurance premium as low as possible.
Insurance rates can vary significantly from one provider to the next, so identify which providers offer the lowest rates by shopping around. However, you also need to compare the providers themselves before you make a firm buying decision if you want to have the best overall experience with your insurance policy.
Shopping for an Insurance Company in Rhode Island
When you are looking for an insurance company in Rhode Island to purchase car insurance from, you need to focus on the overall reputation of the company as well as its financial rating. These are some exceptional resources to use when you are researching providers’ financial ratings:
You also need to focus on each company’s consumer ratings to ensure that you work with an established and honest company. Great resources to use for this purpose include:
As you research each provider that you are interested in buying insurance from, look for low financial ratings as well as poor customer service marks. Any issues regarding financial strength, customer service, claims processing, and payments should be taken seriously. These are signs that you may struggle with that specific provider yourself.
You can purchase insurance directly through a provider, or you can use an insurance agent or broker. An insurance agent may provide personalized service and may take time to explain all of the options to you.
The agent typically will shop for the best deals on your behalf to save you time. However, the agent may mark up your pricing slightly to make a profit, and you will need to determine if this increased cost is worth the benefit associated with using an insurance agent.
The Best Discounts You Can Get
Some insurance providers offer exceptional discounts that can help you to save a small fortune on your car insurance premium.
Some of the more common discounts that you may find through some car insurance companies include:
- Student driver discount
- Senior citizen discount
- Low mileage discount
- Safety equipment or car alarm discount
- Bundled policies discount
- Multi-driver or multi-vehicle discount
Car insurance providers generally analyze the same basic factors when determining your rate, and this means that adjusting some of these factors could help you to save money on your premium. These factors include:
- The vehicle’s make and model
- Your driving history, including a history of accidents, moving violations, and DUI convictions
- Your location or zip code
The more research you do, the more you can rest assured that you’ve found the best policy to fit your unique needs. In fact, you can get started with your research now by entering your zip code below to find affordable car insurance!