In the vast majority of states in the United States, you are legally required to have auto insurance in order to operate a vehicle in that particular state. This legal requirement to have auto insurance does apply to the state of Kentucky. You also have to maintain your auto insurance once you get it. If you do not maintain your auto insurance in Kentucky, you will get your vehicle registration revoked according to a statute of Kentucky law.
You will also receive a fine of at least $500 but possibly as high as $1,000 for not maintaining auto insurance. This fine applies to both the person driving the vehicle and the vehicle’s owner if they are two separate people. There are certain minimum insurance requirements that you must meet in the state of Kentucky, too.
Minimum Insurance Requirements in Kentucky
If you own a motor vehicle in the state of Kentucky, you are legally required to have minimum liability coverage. Minimum liability coverage in Kentucky means $25,000 of coverage per person and $50,000 of coverage per accident. You also have to have $25,000 of coverage for property damage resulting from an accident. You can also hold a policy with a single limit of $60,000 as an alternative option. This policy must include basic reparations benefits, too.
Optional Auto Insurance Coverage
One kind of optional auto insurance you can get is collision coverage. Collision coverage, as the name suggests, pays for damage your vehicle suffered after colliding with an object or another vehicle. Comprehensive coverage is another type of optional auto insurance.
Comprehensive coverage pays for any damage your vehicle suffers that is caused by something other than an accident, such as theft, vandalism, or a fire. Underinsured motorist coverage is another kind of optional auto insurance in Kentucky and this pays for bodily injury you or your passengers suffer when the costs are greater than the policy limits of the insured party. Underinsured motorist coverage pays for these costs up to the limits of the policy.
Vehicle Liability Insurance Verification
In the state of Kentucky, all insurance companies with a license to sell personal liability insurance have to provide a monthly record of all effective policies to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Your vehicle will be monitored by the Kentucky Insurance System if your insurance company stops supplying a record of insurance coverage for said vehicle. If your insurance company does not provide proof of insurance, you will have to give acceptable proof of insurance to your county clerk so they can verify this insurance manually.
Auto Insurance and Registration Suspension in Kentucky
There are penalties for driving without auto insurance in every state that requires you to have auto insurance. In Kentucky, your registration will be suspended for one year when you are found to have driven uninsured for the first time. If you did have insurance, your registration will be suspended until you submit proof of insurance to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.