Clarksville Auto Insurance

Clarksville earned the title of "The Friendliest Town" because of its charming atmosphere and its population of hospitable residents.

If you're looking to move somewhere where you're surrounded by nature and smiles, Clarksville might be just right. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this place has picturesque sites and character.

While Clarksville is a unique place that has both a small town feel and amenities, there big city laws that you're still expected to follow. Some of these laws are obvious and others require research because they're so specific.

If you plan on driving a vehicle that you own, you're required by state law to carry auto insurance.

Read this article to find out what you need to know to build a car insurance policy, and then be sure to use our FREE quote tool above to search for the best auto insurance coverage in Clarksville today!

Auto Insurance Laws are State Mandated

All throughout the country, auto insurance laws are set by the state.

Since it's the state's duty to regulate and oversee the insurance industry, all residents in Clarksville must comply with Georgia state vehicle code to title and legally drive vehicles that they own. There's no insurance law specific to Habersham County or the town of Clarksville.

What is the law for auto insurance in Georgia?

Auto insurance is mandatory all throughout the state of Georgia. Since there's a compulsory law, it's your duty as a consumer in Georgia who owns a car to carry at least a minimum amount of insurance to drive on public roads and highways.

You also need insurance if you plan on storing your vehicle on public roads or lots for a short period of time.

What kind of coverage is required in Georgia?

Every state has a unique set of laws that pertain to auto insurance. Some states require all residents to carry a broad policy full of coverages that pay for both first-party damages and third-party damages.

In Georgia, you're only required under the law to carry third-party auto liability coverage. All other policy offerings are considered optional and can be added for additional premiums.

Auto liability pays for damages that you're liable to pay for that are sustained by someone else.

It's a form of financial protection that helps other drivers, vehicle occupants, bikers and pedestrians pick up the pieces after they're in an accident they couldn't avoid. It doesn't in any way pay to help you recover from an at-fault loss if you suffer any damages.

What are the state-specific limit requirements?

Liability coverage consists of Bodily Injury and Property Damage liability. Each component of the coverage for damages that you're liable to pay for in a state like Georgia where there are tort, fault-based laws. Here's how each coverage pays and the state minimum limit required:

• Bodily Injury (BI) -$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident

Pays for reasonable medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, funeral expenses, lost income, future lost wages for disability and pain and suffering. In order for your policy to pay, you or a listed driver on your policy must be at least 51% at fault for the occurrence.

• Property Damage (PD) - $25,000 per occurrence

Pays for the reasonable cost to repair or replace property owned by someone else that's damaged in an accident that you're primarily at fault for. Property includes cars, buses, lampposts, benches, fences, buildings and more.

• Limits to be written as 25/50/25 on declaration's page

Limits on your declaration's page are written in the thousands. You will find the Bodily Injury limit first and the Property Damage second. If you raise the limits, the number will reflect the higher limits you're carrying.

Do you need higher limits of liability in Clarksville?

If you carry the minimum requirements, you're in compliance with the law. Unfortunately, being in compliance with the law doesn't necessarily mean that you're fully protected.

To be fully covered in a scenario where there's more than minor damage, you'll need to raise the limits you're carrying.

Let's look at specific data to get an idea of why higher limits are needed. In "The Friendliest Town" in Georgia, the average cost for a home is around $131,900.

If you were to damage a home in a vehicle accident, you'd only have $25,000 under a basic policy to pay for repairs. This leaves you at risk of losing your own assets and your future income.

Are there coverage options to pay for first-party damages?

Now that you understand how the legal requirements work, it's time to learn how you can add to your policy to protect yourself. Just because you're at-fault in an accident doesn't mean you can't get any type of protection.

There are different first-party coverages that pay when you're in a hit and run or your car is damaged because of your own mistakes:

• Uninsured Motorist

Uninsured Motorist, which often goes by UM, will pay for your own medical bills and rehab costs when you're in an accident caused by a driver who doesn't have insurance.

It also pays if you're in a hit-and-run accident and you can't identify the other driver after filing a police report. You must be offered UM but don't have to carry it.

• Medical Payments

Medical payments is another add-on provision that's available in Georgia. It's additional no-fault coverage that'll cover your reasonable medical expenses that you incur after an accident. Since it doesn't matter who's at fault for the loss, it's one of the options that has the least restrictions.

Since it doesn't matter who's at fault for the loss, it's one of the options that has the least restrictions.

• Physical Damage

Physical damage coverage consists of comprehensive and collision coverage.

It's first-party coverage that pays for damage to your own property. Collision pays for repairs needed after you collide with an object. Comprehensive pays for non-collision losses caused by things like fire, theft, flood, hail and vandalism. The state doesn't require physical damage.

Do you need to pay more for Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

It seems odd that there's a coverage to protect yourself in the event that someone doesn't have insurance but it's necessary. Since it's hard for state officials to keep their eyes on the insurance status of

Since it's hard for state officials to keep their eyes on the insurance status of the 5.8 million vehicles registered in the state, there are uninsured motorists on the road.

According to the latest data published, about 11.7 percent of the cars in Georgia don't have coverage. That means that statewide there are 678,600 cars with no liability coverage. Some of these cars are in the small town of Clarksville or passing through.

Since the risk is high, the need for the protection offered by UM coverage is high.

Should I carry physical damage coverage?

Replacing a car without any type of financial help can be difficult.

You have to consider the cost of physical damage coverage and how much it'll cost to repair your vehicle before you reject any type of protection. Since the average cost of comprehensive in GA is $150.65 per year and $313.28 for collision, you really need to crunch numbers.

How likely am I to file a comprehensive claim?

You can't predict an accident but you can look at property crime trends to see if the chances of you filing a theft or vandalism claim are high. Based on the latest crime rates released, Clarksville is a very safe place.

The numbers show that 1 in 37 residents will become the victim of a property crime. This is low compared to national numbers.

What's the penalty for driving without insurance in Georgia?

Every state has different penalties for driving uninsured. If you still don't have insurance and you are taking the risk, it's important to prepare for penalty assessments.

In Georgia, insurance is verified through the state's electronic verification system called the GEICS. This means that you'll get caught eventually. If you're caught, you face:

• Fine between $200 and $1000 for first offense
• Imprisonment of up to 12 months in jail
• Suspension of license for 60 days or until you can prove you have insurance
• License reinstatement fee of $200
• Suspension of license for 90 days on second offense

How to Save on Your Premiums

Georgia ranks 19th when it comes to auto insurance expenditures. This is high compared to the cost of living throughout the state. If you want to keep premiums low, here are valuable tips to save money on your insurance:

• Raise deductibles
• Keep your claims record clear
• Take traffic school
• Get alarm discounts
• Get discounts for good grades
• Carpool

The most effective way to keep your premiums down is to comparison shop. If you want to shop the market for good rates, use an online comparison shopping tool and enter your personal information. Once you look at each quote, you can decide which carrier to go with.

In fact, you can use our FREE quote tool today to find car insurance rates that you can afford!