Kansas Auto Insurance
Kansas drivers need to know they are required to have a car insurance policy and that your car insurance policy must meet certain minimum requirements set in place by the Kansas department of motor vehicles. These coverage amounts are kept small so as to allow anyone who wishes to be able to drive. However, all drivers must possess liability coverage, personal injury protection, and underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage, whereas most other states only require liability coverage.
In terms of liability coverage, every driver must have at least $25,000 of insurance for accidents involving one person, $50,000 of insurance for accidents involving more than one person, and at least $10,000 in general property damage coverage. For personal injury protection, drivers must have at least $4,500 per insured person to be paid for medical expenses, at least $900 per month to be paid in the event of lost income or disability caused by a vehicular accident, at least $25 daily for in home healthcare services, at least $2,000 for expenses incurred by a death in a vehicular accident, and at least $4,500 for rehabilitation expenses after an accident. Finally, all drivers must possess at least $25,000 in underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage.
A No Fault State
If you’re curious as to why Kansas requires so many different kinds of coverage, the answer is quite simple. It’s because Kansas is a “no fault” car insurance state, and it’s only one of a few in the entire nation. What this means is that, in the event of an accident, neither driver will be deemed at fault for causing the accident, except in cases of gross negligence – such as a drunken driver. As such, each person’s insurance policy is required to pay for damages or injuries incurred by the policyholder, up to the coverage amounts.
If your policy is not adequate enough to pay for your medical expenses or damages, the rest of the expenses will be owed out of pocket by you. Obviously, with the high cost of medical care in this country, it is extremely important that you choose coverage that will actually help you in the event of an accident. Remember, that even the smallest fender bender can cause you to be injured and have to spend some time at the doctor’s office or in the emergency room.
Average Kansas Auto Insurance Rates
In the state of Kansas, the average car insurance premium rate is approximately $1,087 per year. Even with all of the additional types of coverage that Kansas requires its drivers to have, this is still far lower than the average national premium rate of $1,440. Keep in mind that you can always end up paying lower than the average rate if you shop around for car insurance and make a careful and thoughtful decision. Furthermore, certain factors, like having a solid driving history free of accidents or traffic violations or qualifying for discounts can further reduce your auto insurance rates well below the state average.
Finding the Right Auto Insurance Company
If you truly want to get a good deal on automobile insurance and hopefully pay below the already low state average, then you have to devote some real time and effort to finding the right auto insurance company. You can start by making or obtaining a list of all of the licensed car insurance providers in your area. No matter what Kansas county you live in, you will likely find you have many options. Usually, there will be both big name providers, like GEICO and Allstate, as well as smaller, locally owned and operated providers. Don’t automatically discount these smaller auto insurance companies. Sometimes, they will provide top notch service and affordable rates in an effort to (hopefully) beat out the large amount of competition.
Once you have a list of providers, it’s a good idea to start learning more about each provider. You can read up on different companies’ histories, policies offered, discounts offered, and more. Plus, you can check out reviews of each auto insurance written by past or current clients for a real inside look at how the company operates. This should help to narrow down your list and afterwards you can request free rate quotes from the remaining providers. All that’s left to do then is to sit down and compare the quotes, being sure to look at both price and the amount of coverage offered.
Start your Kansas auto insurance comparison search today and find affordable auto insurance online. Enter your ZIP code above and compare Kansas auto insurance quotes from car insurance companies nationwide.