Alaska Auto Insurance Quotes and
Coverage Guide
Alaska Motor Vehicle Insurance
Questions & Answers
Q: Is auto insurance mandatory?
A: Yes and no. For the majority of
Alaskans, your auto insurance
coverage must provide $50,000 injury
liability for one person in an
accident, $100,000 for two or more
injuries in an accident, and $25,000
to take care of any property damage
in an accident. This is called
50/100/25 in insurance-speak, and
has nothing to do with the IQs of
your
relatives, the figural dimensions of
hippos, or the size in weight of
the last three fish your Uncle Abner
purportedly caught last summer.
There are certain areas, however, in
Alaska, where neither registration
nor insurance is required. The list
of these locations is shown below.
The great big exception is this: If
a driver has received a ticket for
a violation of 6 points or more --
no matter where he or she is living
-- within the last 5 years, that
driver must have liability
insurance.
This list, conveniently compiled in
alphabetical order by the Department
of Administration, Division of Motor
Vehicles, is gleaned from
information obtained at the
Department of Transportation (Now
THAT’S
official):
Adak False Pass Manokatak Quinhagak
Afognak Flat
Marshall Akhiok Fort
Yukon Mary’s Igloo Rampart Akiachak
Fortuna Ledge McGrath Red Devil
Akiak Medfra Ruby Akolmiut
Galena
Mekoryuk Russian Mission
Akulurak Gambell Meshik
Akutan
Golovin Metlakatla St. George
Alakanuk Goodnews Bay
Meyoruk St.
Mary’s Alatna Grayling Meyers
Chuck St. Michael
Allakaket Moses
Point St. Paul Amakdedori Hawk
Inlet
Mt. Village Sanak Ambler
Haycock Mumtrak Sand Point Amchitka
Holy
Cross Savoonga Aniak Hooper Bay
Napaimiut Scammon Bay
Annette Hughes Napaiskak Selawik
Anvik Huslia Napakiak Shageluk
Arctic
Village Nelson Legoon Shaktoolik
Atka Iditarod New Stuyanok Sheldon
Point Atkasuk Iguigig Newhalen
Shemya Attu Igushik Newtok Shismaref
Iliamna Nightmute Shungnak Baranof
Ivanoff Bay Nikolai Shungnnak
Village
Beaver Nikolski Skwentna Bell Island
Hot
Springs Kachemak Noatak Sleetmute
Belkofski Kaguyak Nolan Snettisham
Belmezok Kakhonak Nondalton South
Naknek Bettles Kaktovik Noorvik
Squaw
Harbor Bettles Field Kalskag Nuiqsut
Stebbins
Biorka Kalttag Nulato Stevens
Village Birch
Creek Kanatak Nunachuak Stony River
Brevig
Mission Karluk Nunapitchuk Stuyahok
Buckland Kashegelok Nushagak
Kasigluk Nyac Takotna Candle Katalla
Taku
Harbor Canyon Kiana Old Harbor
Tanana Cape Pole King Cove Ophir
Tanunak
Cape Yakataga King Island Oscarville
Tatitlek
Chalkyitsik Kipnuk Ouzinkie Tenakee
Springs Chandalar Kivalina Owl
Village Tetlin Chaniliut Kiwalik Tin
City Chakaktolik Kobuk Pavlof
Harbor Todd Chase Kokhanok Pedro Bay
Togiak
Chatham Kokrines Pelican Tokeen
Cheching Koliganek Pennock
Island Toksook Bay Chenik Kongiganak
Perryville Tuluksak
Chefornak Kotlik Pikmiktalik
Tuntutuliak Chernofski Kotzebue Pile
Bay Tununak Chevak Koyuk Pilot Point
Twin Hills Chichagof Koyukuk Pilot
Station Tyonek Chignik Kvichak
Pitka’s Point Chignik
Lagoon Kwethluk Platinum Ugashik
Chignik Lake Kwigillinogok Point
Baker Umiat Chisana Kwiguk Point
Hope Unalakleet
Christian Kwinhagak Point Lay Unga
Chuathbaluk Poorman Clark's
Point Lake Minchumina Port Alexander
Venetie Cold Bay Larsen Bay Port
Alsworth Crooked Creek Latouche Port
Ashton Wainwright Levelock Port
Graham Wales Deering Lime Village
Port Heiden White Mountain
Diomede Little Diomede Port Lions
Wiseman Long Port Moller Woody
Island
Edna Bay Lower Kalskag Port
Wakefield Eek Egavik Egegik Ekuk
Ekwok Elfin
Cove Elim Emanguk Emmonak English
Bay Excursion Inlet
Q: Is Alaska a "tort" state?
A: Yes, which means that you are
financially responsible for the
damage
and injury you cause to one or more
people in a wreck and includes lost
wages, medical expenses, and any
pain and suffering. Liability
coverage
helps insure you against the costs
of all these catastrophes and is
required by law. Although Alaska has
the highest liability insurance
minimums in the country, it’s a good
idea to remember just how much it
cost you the last time you had to
take your kid in to get that bean
extracted from his nose. Imagine
what it would cost if someone was
really hurt and had to spend a few
days in the hospital! Or if more
than
one person was hurt? Or if you
jumped the curb while admiring your
newly
pierced nose in the rear-view mirror
and hit Acme Widget Company’s phone
box, disabling all their phones and
computers, thereby causing x-number
of dollars in lost revenue? Suddenly
those 50/100/25 numbers don’t sound
so high, do they?
Q: What type of insurance is
required to purchase and maintain an
Alaska
tag and registration?
A: Alaska's minimum liability
coverage of 50/100/25 is required by
law,
but proof is not mandatory upon
application. The clerk will not
shine a
spotlight she keeps hidden under the
counter on you and accuse you of
being a liar in front of everyone
standing behind you in line, but if
this worries you, you can learn
about registering your car, getting
your
plates, and then print out the forms
online at
http://www.state.ak.us/dmv. Then you
can just mail everything in and
avoid the clerk completely. The
application itself carries a
signature
line in which you certify under
penalty of law that you carry a
mandatory insurance policy that will
be maintained during the entire
registration period of your vehicle.
But don’t lie; it’s really bad
karma – and you might get caught.
Q: Can I maintain my current policy
issued in my previous state of
residence?
A: No. Since you’ve got to register
your car within 10 days if you’re
serious about staying in Alaska
(living or working there, or both),
you’ve also got to certify you have
insurance – Alaskan insurance. If
you’re just visiting, your policy
from whatever state you’re from will
cover you for 60 days. This will
serve as a great excuse to leave
your
mother-in-law’s house if you’ve been
there for an extended visit and
can’t convince your wife two months
has been way long enough.
Q: What if I fail to keep insurance
on my vehicle that I’ve registered
in Alaska?
A: Even though you won’t get exiled
to the coldest part of the state and
left to fend with a book of matches
and a live chicken, failure to have
liability insurance in effect may
result in suspension of your
driver's
license – 90 days for the first
offense and a year for the second.
In
Anchorage, you can even get your car
impounded. So, unless you’re
willing to hoof it for a while, it’s
best to just do the right thing and
pay that car insurance premium.
Q: I own several vehicles but do not
operate some of them. Do I need
insurance for the inoperative ones?
A: Every vehicle in Alaska is
required to be registered unless
specifically exempted by law. So
don’t even go there if you’re
thinking
of telling the authorities that
other car in your front yard is
really
just a plaything for your child or
pet monkey. Oh, one other thing:
Camper shells are exempt, but it’s
kind of hard to operate them on a
flat surface unless you hook up the
sled dogs.
Q: How can I own a vehicle and not
need insurance?
A: To get out of needing insurance,
you have to be exempt from
registration laws, and to be exempt
from registration laws, you have to
live in one of those areas listed
above. Otherwise, overcome your
delusions of grandeur, stop thinking
you can beat the system, and buy
that insurance.
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