Mississippi Auto Insurance Quotes and
Coverage Guide
Mississippi Motor Vehicle Insurance
Questions & AnswersQ: Is auto insurance mandatory?
A: Yes, auto insurance is as mandatory in
Mississippi as reading “The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer,” so whether or not you plan on running away
from home and taking a raft ride down the Ol’
Mississip, one thing you better sho’ ‘nuf do is get
is your car insured.
Q: Is Mississippi a "tort" state?
A: Yes, Mississippi operates under the tort system
of insurance, which means if you and your good bud,
Huck, get so involved in reminiscing about all the
great fun you had being juvenile delinquents, and
you run smack dab into someone, you can be sued by
the other driver as well as the other driver’s
passengers for the pain and suffering the accident
caused and for out-of-pocket expenses such as
medical costs.
Q: What type of insurance is required to purchase
and maintain a Mississippi tag and registration?
A: Mississippi’s compulsory liability is not
enforced through vehicle registration, but if you’re
stopped by a law enforcement officer for weaving
down the road with good ol’ Huck, you’d better be
ready to show your insurance card. The Magnolia
State’s minimum liability insurance coverage is
10/20/5, or in language even that hick, Huck, could
understand: $10,000 for one person’s injuries,
$20,000 for two or more persons’ injuries, and
$5,000 for any property damage you cause while
engaged in your flight of fantasy. Your insurer will
provide you with an insurance verification card that
should be kept in your vehicle at all times. Just
don’t tell Huck about it – he may use it in lieu of
the Charmin ya’ll left at home.
Q: What is a "deductible?"
A: A deductible is the amount of each claim you
agree to pay on collision or comprehensive coverage.
Your insurer will pay the difference between the
claim amount and the deductible. For example, if
your claim is $2000 and your deductible is $500,
your insurer will pay $1500 and you will pay $500.
If you want to lower your deductible, your premium
will be higher. If you don’t understand this, don’t
bother asking Huck – he won’t get it, either.
Q: Can I maintain my current policy issued in my
previous state of residence?
A: No. If your vehicle is registered in Mississippi
then you must have an insurance policy issued
through an insurance company licensed to sell
insurance in Mississippi. If you can get the words
“insurance” and “Mississippi” connected in your
brain, then you’re on the right track.
Q. I’ve just gotten a notice from my insurance
company that my policy is not being renewed. Is this
the same as being cancelled?
A: No way, so don’t get your feelings hurt. The
company may have decided to drop that particular
line of insurance or to write fewer policies where
you live, so you shouldn’t necessarily think the
non-renewal is because of something you did, though
you might want to keep in mind what Huck did with
that last insurance card. On the other hand, if you
did do something that raised the insurance company’s
risk – or eyebrows – like hitting a magnolia tree
while driving around with an imaginary friend named
Huck Finn, the premium may rise and you may not have
your policy renewed.
Q: Can an insurance company cancel my auto policy?
A: Yes. They can cancel if you fail to pay the
premium, have committed fraud or made serious
misrepresentations (lied like a dog) on your
application, or if your license has been suspended
or revoked during the term of the policy.
Q: What if I fail to keep insurance on my vehicle
that I’ve registered in Mississippi?
A: If you don’t have that insurance card in the car
and get stopped, make sure you do have the Charmin
because when you find out it’s a misdemeanor
punishable by a fine of $1,000 and a one-year
suspension of your license, you’re going to need it.
If at the hearing date or the date of payment of the
fine, you show proof of motor vehicle liability
insurance in the amounts required by law, the fine
will be reduced to $100. Whew.
Q: I can’t find an insurance company willing to sell
me a policy. What should I do?
A: You might consider changing imaginary friends,
but if that is not an option, the Mississippi
Automobile Insurance Plan may be your best bet. This
was created to provide automobile insurance coverage
to eligible risks seeking coverage who are unable
let go of imaginary friends like Huckleberry Finn –
notorious for getting people into trouble – and to
obtain such coverage through the voluntary market.
Eligible Mississippi Automobile Insurance Plan risks
are shared among companies writing automobile
insurance in the state of Mississippi. To find out
more, go to http://www.aipso.com/MS/. Any insurance
agent holding a valid Property & Casualty license
for the state of Mississippi can write business
through the MSAIP. Anyone in their right mind is
eligible as long as they possess a valid Mississippi
driver’s license and a vehicle registered in
Mississippi. But just to be on the safe side, I
wouldn’t mention the Huck thing.
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