What is the penalty for driving under the influence in Georgia? How can I get cheap auto insurance if I have a DUI conviction on my record?

Rick

Atlanta GA

Like every state, Georgia has strict laws when it comes to DUI or Driving Under the Influence offenses. Much more severe are the punishments that a driver faces if proven and convicted of a DUI charge. DUI penalties includes some very costly fines, revocation of your driving privilege, and offenders are often sentenced to jail. Once allowed to drive again, getting an auto insurance provider that specializes on DUI cases is essential in order to get back on the road.

Georgia has the following DUI penalties:

• 1st DUI offense: $300 – $1,000 fine, possible one year in jail, 40 hours mandatory community service, and 1 year license revocation.
• 2nd DUI offense: $600 – $1,000 fine, possible 90 days up to one year in jail, and a three-year license suspension.
• 3rd DUI offense: $1,000 – $3,000 fine, mandatory jail time 15 days or more, 30 day community service and a 5 year license suspension. Consecutive offenses within 10 years may already be considered as a felony.

Someone with a DUI offense or record simply cannot afford to drive without the appropriate levels of auto insurance coverage. Doing so will not only expose you to great financial burdens for getting involved, or worse, causing an auto accident, driving uninsured will also increase your risk and therefore you auto insurance rates. At this point it’s not just the DUI penalties you should be worrying about.

Auto insurance coverage after a DUI can be very expensive, unless you know how and where to get the right DUI auto insurance policy. This is where the beauty of the Internet comes in, with the huge number of dedicated auto insurance portals and websites offering easy access to the latest auto insurance rates, finding the right kind of DUI auto insurance takes only minutes!

Prevention is still better than cure if course, so avoid DUI penalties altogether by driving safely and responsibly. But if it does happen, make sure you get the most affordable DUI auto insurance policy by comparing your options on the Web once you are allowed to drive again. Done correctly, you could save hundreds of dollars annually on your auto insurance needs.

My son has borrowed a car from a car rental agency with a rental car insurance but unfortunately he got a little accident and damaged the car he borrowed. Though he has his own car insurance, is it possible here in Georgia that he is not well protected using a rented car?

Francine

Augusta, GA

Rental Car insurance is something that you purchase when you had rented a car however either you use your own car insurance policy or the rental car insurance you are still protected in many ways just like paying for damage of the car you rented in case of accident. Though there is nothing wrong with the rental car insurance you still have to know details before you make a decision to purchase.

If you have gotten a Collision Insurance Coverage here in Georgia you don’t have to worry damaging a rental car for your own personal car insurance will cover any car you are driving. The thing is, when you purchased coverage from the rental car company will kick in first for the collision coverage you bought in your personal car insurance is known to be an excess in any other coverage and require you to pay a deductible. Even if you get a Comprehensive Coverage that will also cover a rental car in any way that it can cause damage, it is still an excess coverage that you have to pay for deductibles too. The best thing to do before renting a car you should first check what coverage you have in a rented car and you should also ask the rental car company what they have to offer.

Tags: car, car insurance, comprehensive coverage, rental car insurance

My daughter just learned how to drive and I wonder if I should add her already to our auto insurance policy here in Georgia or would it be better if our first time driver had her own auto insurance?

Abdul

Columbus, GA

Immediately after your daughter gets her driver’s license, you can add her already as a named driver on your auto insurance policy in Georgia. You have to bear in mind that a first time driver needs to be insured because statistically speaking, young drivers are more likely to have car crashes than others who are part of a different age group. Some auto insurance experts even advise parents that their children should be added in their policy immediately after the first time drivers learn how to drive. Parents must inform their insurer quickly when the first time driver gets their learner’s permit and once again after a permanent license is given out.

Putting your young daughter on your auto insurance policy will cost less than having her buy her own insurance policy. She will more likely have better coverage than she can pay for if she will have policy of her own. If your daughter has her own car, you may be eligible for a multiple car discount for having more than one car in one policy. Make sure that you push your daughter to have better grades and complete a driver training course. A lot of auto insurance providers offer discounts to students who have a B average in school and for accomplishing driver courses.

Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance policy, first time driver insurance, young driver car insurance

I already had my driver’s license here in Roswell, Georgia and would always ask my parents to buy me my own car. Their only reservation is the teen car insurance which they believed to be expensive. Are there any way for us to get an affordable teen car insurance?

Ben

Roswell, GA

It is indeed true that most car insurance companies are setting higher car insurance premium rate for teenagers than for adult’s car insurance. But of course, there are a several ways through which you can avail affordable teen car insurance there in Roswell, Georgia.

Your driving record helps a lot, meaning if you have a clean record and have not committed or involved in any roadway collisions or traffic violence you are more likely to receive lower premium rate. Another is by enrolling in a driver education courses. Because statistically teenagers are more involved in car accidents than adults or middle aged, your car insurance provider will be giving you discount opportunities when you finish a driving course. This is because your insurance provider at least expects that you drive very safely the time you receive your policy. But make sure that the school you want to enroll is credited by your car insurance provider, otherwise you cannot avail any discounts

Discount opportunities also come along with high grade point average (GPA). A GPA of 3.0 will most likely decrease your teen car insurance premium by 10 percent; however, this vary from one insurance provide to another.

Tags: car insurance, driver’s license, teen car insurance

My car insurance policy here in Northeast Cobb, Georgia would only give coverage for a rental car only if my car is stolen or being repaired. If I rent a car for a business trip, am I the only driver of the car who will be covered?

Noah

Northeast Cobb, GA

For an extra payment, rental vehicle companies typically have different kinds of insurance protection and loss waivers. If you purchase insurance from the rental vehicle company, it could be your main insurance coverage. But remember that as the renter of the car, you are normally the only one authorized by the rental company to drive the car. This means that the insurance from the rental company may not apply when other individuals drive the car. But here are some exceptions:

–In some states, your legal spouse will be regarded as an “authorized operator” of the automobile and could drive it with your permission.

–If you lease the car under a corporate account, your boss, workers or fellow workers on a business rental could be regarded as “authorized operators” who could drive the car with your permission.

–If agreed to in writing, you could have “additional authorized operators” who could drive the car. Additional operators are normally should be at least 25 years old and have a valid driver’s license and a major credit card. There could be an extra fee for every driver that you add.

These people are typically covered by any insurance you purchase from the rental car company if you are away from Northeast Cobb, Georgia on a business trip. However, be certain that you confirm this with the rental company at the time that you lease a car.

Tags: auto insurance, car, car insurance policy, rental car insurance

What can an insurance broker exactly do for me if I decide to seek their help about my car insurance here in Augusta, Georgia?

Nathaniel

Augusta, GA

Most of the time, a professional auto insurance broker will be able to take care of any insurance need you might have and those people are highly trained and knowledgeable car insurance specialists. They attend trainings from the auto insurance company they represent to keep them updated about the latest insurance rules and regulations. Generally, they write insurance policies in only one state and have a license that gives them the authority to do so.

A car insurance broker is independent which means that he/she can represent various insurance companies. That way, he/she could give you a great deal of options regarding the type of car insurance, the premium rates and the service you need. The insurance broker also makes sure that the insurance company treats you fairly and is apt in amending any mistake or paying a claim. So if you decide to seek the help of an insurance broker for your car insurance in Augusta, Georgia, be sure that he/she understands the kind of insurance you really need. Take some time talking to the insurance broker to make you feel at ease and also so that he/she can be able to answer the queries you might have.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance company, car insurance policy, car insurance rate

This is the first time that I am adding my son to my auto insurance policy here in Savannah, Georgia. Is it true that teen drivers would have high car insurance rates?

Tamara

Savannah, GA

Teens are infamous for having unreasonably high auto insurance rates. Many people just admit this truth as is and just don’t put out having a second thought about it. The truth is, auto insurance rates don’t always have to be so high for teen motorists. By shopping around and having some effort, the insurance rates in Savannah, Georgia for your teen driver could be largely reduced. The very first thing that you would have to do is to spot an auto insurance provider that doesn’t treat all teens in the same negative light.

We know that there are a lot of bad seeds out on the highways but there are also a lot of teens that are responsible enough and should get what they really deserve when it comes to their insurance premium rates. As a parent, you could help your son to get the best deal for his teen car insurance and show that he is responsible. Your son needs knowledge about the state traffic laws because some auto insurance companies are willing to provide discounts for teen drivers who have taken driving courses.

Tags: auto insurance rate, car insurance, teen car insurance

Is it possible for my insurance carrier in Marietta, Georgia to cover the total loss and damages in my automobile if I was convicted of DUI?

Fred

Marietta, GA

It is not a typical exclusion in a car insurance policy being convicted of a DUI. Yes, the insurance coverage should be afforded to the terms in your auto insurance policy. Auto insurance claims with regards to an accident that occured while you were driving under the influence (DUI) are normally covered by the car insurance coverage you had in place at the time of the incident.

Most states have alcohol exclusions, however this is normally regarding damages one sustains while drunk driving.

To be certain that your insurance carrier in Marietta, Georgia will accept your car insurance claim for the automobile that was damaged at the time you were cited for a driving under the influence charge, you should review over the terms and conditions of your auto insurance policy and discuss with your car insurance agent. Your insurance carrier should be able to tell you if there are any exclusions in your auto insurance policy that would permit your them to deny your car insurance claim.

Tags: auto insurance, DUI

• Some charges are paid for by the attorney’s office and are for court.
  • If you have chosen to have a tria by jury, this tends to cost extra.
  • Simple charges just for running the court.
  • Filing.
• Some charges will refer to the labor used by your attorney.
  • If the attorney needs to have employees work more on your case.
  • If your case has complications causing the employees to have to work overtime.
  • If you have witnesses that need to be interviewed, making the lawyer hire someone to interview them.
• Insignificant costs.
  • Paper.
  • Faxing.
  • Postage stamps.

• One steady rate.

Many lawyers only charge a fixed rate, although there are two types of these. One type involves charging you a single price for all of the lawyers services, an unchanging price. The other is when a Savannah Georgia DUI attorney charges you a partial price for your final defense, and a preliminary price for all of the time they spend preparing for it. Since this rate does not change depending on the time the lawyer spends on your case, it ends up cheaper for more complex cases.

• By the hour.

On the other hand, cases which are pretty easy to defend, such as a uncomplicated first time DUI charge, might be better going with a lawyer who charges by the hour. These prices are still pretty steep, but so long as there is little time spent preparing the case, they can come out cheaper. However, if something happens to complicate things, expect to pay a lot more.