Having car insurance can give you great peace of mind. If you have an unfortunate accident with your car, at least you know that you are covered and within the law. But there are a few things, some of which people may not be aware of that can void your insurance. If you are found guilty of one of these things and you have an accident, you’re on your own.
It may seem obvious but if you are driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and you have an accident you won’t be covered. Not only will most likely be arrested, which is bad enough, but your insurance won’t pay for anything. Also keep in mind that this applies to prescription drugs as well.
Have you modified your vehicle lately? Modifications may be considered as unauthorized changes by your insurance company and they may decide you aren’t covered. This varies by insurer and circumstance so it’s probably better not to do anything too crazy. The best policy is to just check with your insurance company before you do anything to alter your car.
Better make sure you check your tires from time to time. There are legally mandated tire safety standards which dictate how worn your tires are allowed to get before you must replace them. If you’re involved in an accident while driving on tires that don’t meet legal standards, your insurance company may decide not to approve your claim.
Similar to the problem with worn tires is driving with a car or trailer which is considered to be overloaded. It’s illegal to drive an overloaded car or trailer so insurers won’t pay if this is found to be the case.
There are more reasons that your car insurance company may decide to not approve your claim. The best way to avoid these situations is to use common sense. If you become familiar with vehicle safety codes and make sure you are compliant, you should be OK.
