Arizona Auto Insurance Quotes and Coverage Guide
Arizona Motor Vehicle Insurance Questions & Answers
Q: Is auto insurance mandatory?
A: In Arizona, everything motorized that's operated on the road better be covered by liability insurance at the state’s minimum levels of 15/30/10 ($15,000 bodily injury liability for one person and $30,000 for two or more persons $10,000 property damage liability) – or else! And this includes golf carts, motorcycles, and mopeds. (You might even check with your agent to make sure those inline skates you’ve put an engine on during a streak of creative genius shouldn’t be covered, too.) You’ve got to go through a company licensed to sell insurance in Arizona, though. The state just won’t accept those $5 policies you get from the guy in sunglasses down at the flea market.
Q: Is Arizona a "tort" state?
A: Yes. This means there are no restrictions on lawsuits in Arizona. The other driver and the other driver’s passengers for the pain and suffering the accident you caused as well as for any out-of-pocket expenses such as medical costs can sue a policyholder at fault in a car crash. Tip for remembering: “Tort” rhymes with “court.” Hopefully, the brains fairy bonked you on the head when you were born, and you are smart enough to have your proof of financial responsibility (your liability insurance) if this happens to you. Besides all that, it’s the law.
Q: What type of insurance is required to purchase and maintain an Arizona tag and registration?
A: Arizona’s minimum coverage is 15/30/10 (see above for explanation of these not-as-cryptic-as-they-seem numbers), and must be kept valid in order to keep your tag and registration from being suspended if you plan to actually drive that new buggy. If you don’t plan on driving it for awhile and don’t want to fork out the moolah for insurance, you can get a De-Insured Certificate to keep your tag and registration from getting suspended. Info about this can be found at http://www.dot.state.az.us/mvd/vehicle/DeInsuredCertificate/DeInsuredCertificate.htm or you can call up your local DMV, and the nice lady (or man) who answers the phone will be glad to cheerfully explain all that to you. Well, maybe not nicely or cheerfully, but at least it’ll get explained to you.
Q: Can I maintain my current policy issued in my previous state of residence?
A: No. A company licensed to do business in this state must insure all vehicles registered in Arizona. So, unless you lead a double life as a secret agent and need to keep that other state’s insurance because you go back there frequently to take care of all your spy job stuff, you need to let go of your previous insurance there and get some from the Grand Canyon State.
Q: What if I fail to keep insurance on my vehicle that I’ve registered in Arizona?
A: Failure to maintain proper insurance could lead to the suspension of your vehicle registration and/or driver license, and if the judge is in a bad mood, you might be forced to take that mule ride down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. To get these privileges reinstated, fees and future proof of financial responsibility (usually an SR22 form) must be filed with the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division. We’re talking expensive here, since the law requires the owner to carry the SR22 for three years from the date of suspension, so to save yourself a lot of grief and a possible sore backside, get the insurance.
Q: I am not a resident of Arizona, but I visit for several months during the year. Do I need Arizona insurance?
A: It depends. If you are driving around in Arizona for seven or more months, yep, you gotta get state-sanctioned insurance. At seven months, you’re considered a resident, and all that stuff residents have to do, well, now, you do, too. Like get an Arizona driver’s license, get an Arizona registration, get an Arizona sunburn, etc. . . .
Q: I own several vehicles but do not operate some of them. Do I need insurance for the inoperative ones?
A: If you want to keep the registrations current on them, you can get out of buying insurance by getting De-Insured Certificates for them (see link above). If you don’t keep your registrations, and if you ever want to drive them again, you will have to get them re-registered and provide your proof of insurance. Of course, if they are only being used as yard art, you don’t have to do anything except deal with the nasty notes your neighbors leave on your door.
Q: How can I own a vehicle and not need insurance?
A: De-insurance is a way of not maintaining the required insurance – temporarily – on the vehicle until it is ready to be driven again. Like if you were restoring an antique car or something like that or want to set up your car as yard art (see above) for awhile, but you want to reserve the right to be able to drive them again someday. A de-insured vehicle will not be suspended due to lack of insurance unless it is driven again. To de-insure your vehicle online, go to the link mentioned above. It only takes two business days for the MVD to get the info on your vehicle’s record, so relax, kick back, and think about how much money you’re going to save on insurance – but don’t drive that car!