Montana Auto Insurance Quotes and
Coverage Guide
Montana Motor Vehicle Insurance
Questions & AnswersQ: Is auto insurance mandatory?
A: In the “Show Me” state of
Missouri, whose official state
animal is the mule, it’s the law
that any person who registers a
motor vehicle has liability
insurance. You are required to show
proof of insurance when registering
a motor vehicle or renewing license
plates, and you must keep proof of
insurance in your vehicle at all
times. If a law enforcement officer
says, “Show me,” and you cannot show
it, the officer will issue you a
ticket. The Department of Revenue (DOR)
will then be notified that you do
NOT have insurance on your vehicle,
and you can expect to hear from them
shortly. The DOR can also ask you at
any time – with or without an
officer notifying them – to show
proof of insurance if your name
shows up in their database as one of
those lucky souls who needs to prove
they have auto insurance.
Q: What is Missouri’s Insurance
Monitoring Program?
A: Since thousands of Missouri
citizens are involved in automobile
accidents with drivers too stubborn
and mule-headed to maintain the
required automobile insurance, the
Missouri General Assembly passed a
law to allow the Driver and Vehicle
Services Bureau to randomly select
motorists to provide proof of
insurance. If your insurance company
has not identified your vehicle as
being insured for a period of 90
days, you could be picked as the
Mule of the Day, in which case you
will then receive an Insurance
Verification Form that you must
complete and return with your proof
of insurance or your driver’s
license will be suspended.
Q: Is Missouri a "tort" state?
A: Yes. In Missouri, this means you
can get your britches sued off if
you act mule-headed and don’t get
enough insurance to cover you if you
hit someone and/or their passengers.
You’ll be liable for their pain and
suffering, as well as out-of-pocket
medical expenses – and even though
this is the Show Me state, we really
don’t want to see your naked
derriere.
Q: What type of insurance is
required to purchase and maintain a
Missouri tag and registration?
A: Missouri law requires that all
auto owners (even the mule-headed
ones you have to “show” everything
to) carry liability limits of
$25,000 per person for bodily
injury, $50,000 for bodily injury
per accident and $10,000 for
property damage per accident. The
law also requires uninsured motorist
coverage of $25,000 for bodily
injury per person and $50,000 for
bodily injury per accident. You
might also want to think about
adding optional collision or
comprehensive coverage that would
repair or replace your auto if it
gets stolen or kicked by a mule – or
for some of the other less tasteful
things a mule can do to your car,
which we won’t go into here.
Q: Can I maintain my current policy
issued in my previous state of
residence?
A: No. If your vehicle is registered
in Missouri then you must have an
insurance policy that is issued
through an insurance company
licensed to sell in Missouri -- and
if you just have to have that shown
to you, you can check it out at
http://www.dor.mo.gov/mvdl/drivers/insurinfo.htm.
Q: What if I fail to keep insurance
on my vehicle that I’ve registered
in Missouri?
A: If your driving privilege and/or
license plates are suspended for not
having insurance, then you’re more
mule-headed than everybody guessed –
or maybe just a garden-variety
goofball – because the following
suspension periods will apply:
-- First suspension: 0 days
-- Second suspension in two years:
90 days
-- Third and subsequent suspension(s):
1 year
After you serve the period of
suspension, your driver license
and/or license plates can be
reinstated if the Driver and Vehicle
Services Bureau receives the
following:
First suspension:
-- Proof of insurance
-- $20 reinstatement fee
Second suspension:
-- Proof of insurance
-- $200 reinstatement fee
Third and subsequent suspension(s):
-- Proof of insurance
-- $400 reinstatement fee
Proof of insurance must be
maintained and filed with the
Department of Revenue for a period
of three years following the end of
the suspension. If you fail to
maintain proof of insurance, the
Driver and Vehicle Services Bureau
will again suspend your driver
license and/or license plates. The
suspension will remain in effect for
the remainder of the three years
unless you re-file proof of
insurance. At this point, you may be
determined to be stubborn beyond
redemption and just be put out in
the barn with Jenny the Mule. And if
you’re that mule-headed, hopefully
you can’t reproduce, either.
Q. What is an SR-22 insurance
filing?
A: An SR-22 is a form providing
proof of insurance from your
insurance company. This is what it’s
come to for the likes of you with
the big ears. Required by the Driver
and Vehicle Services Bureau, you
have to fill this out and send it to
them, with proof of insurance
provided, for failing to pay for the
damages in an auto accident that was
rendered to be your fault. And THAT
happened because you didn’t have the
insurance you were supposed to have.
So off to the barn with you – you
can tell Jenny all about it.
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