Auto Insurance Kentucky

Auto insurance Kentucky may seem like a necessary evil, but it’s also a critical tool for financial protection in the event of a car accident. Fortunately, the cost of auto insurance cost has improved over the years due to many new driver safety innovations. All these improvements increase the awareness of safe driving habits. Auto insurance rates in Kentucky have continued to decrease over the last three years, and will hopefully continue the trend.

Requirements for Auto Insurance Kentucky

Auto insurance requirements for every state. In most states, liability coverage is the only mandatory insurance. However, Kentucky drivers are also required to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP). Kentucky is a no-fault insurance state, meaning a person’s insurance covers him in an accident regardless of who is at fault. However, no-fault insurance also places limits on the rights of drivers to seek recovery for damages and injury costs. This is where PIP coverage can be important since it pays for medical bills for injuries stemming from an accident.

Additional Coverage

Additional auto insurance coverage is also available for Kentucky drivers who prefer more protection. Drivers can choose from a comprehensive, collision, GAP, medical payment coverage, and more depending on their budget and unique needs. Most Kentucky drivers often end up with a well-rounded car insurance policy which combines collision, comprehensive and liability coverage with $100,000 or more in policy limits.

What are the Minimum Requirements for Auto Insurance Kentucky?

Recent Traffic Legislation in Kentucky

In July of 2010, Kentucky enacted new legislation regarding DUIs. Kentucky places drunk drivers convicted with a blood alcohol limit (BAC) above .18 into a “high tier” group of offenders. The new law lowers the BAC to .15, meaning any driver convicted with a .15 percent BAC based on a breathalyzer test will have an “aggravator” added to his conviction. Other aggravators include refusing to submit to a breath test, or having a child under 12 in the car while driving drunk. Individuals convicted of a charge with an aggravator may receive four days in jail on top of any other sentencing.

Kentucky has also recently enacted a requirement to have auto insurance companies communicate the status of each driver’s insurance electronically to Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet. What does this mean for both commercial and personal insured drivers? It means that if their policy cancels or is otherwise allowed to lapse, the auto insurance company will automatically notify the state which may put the driver’s license in jeopardy.

Kentucky’s Average Auto Insurance Rates

Kentucky drivers pay a bit more for auto insurance than most states, and some experts state the higher cost of car insurance in Kentucky is due to the additional PIP insurance required by the state. The average cost of auto insurance for Kentucky in 2018 was $1,465 – about 10% higher than the national average premium.

Car Accident Statistics for Kentucky Drivers

Drivers in Kentucky should beware – the state’s accident statistics show that Kentucky drivers suffer on average more traffic fatalities than the U.S. as a whole. When the number of fatalities is standardized against other states by calculating how many deaths occurred per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT), Kentucky had .45 deaths per 100 million VMT, as compared to the U.S. average of .350 deaths per 150 million VMT. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2017 the state had 750 traffic deaths in all types of crashes. The highest number of deaths, 572, came from crashes that involved at least one car that ran off the road. The second-highest category, single-vehicle accidents, accounted for 410 deaths.

How Much Does Auto Insurance Kentucky Cost?

The cost of auto insurance per month in Kentucky is dependent on many variables, but according to several published reports, the average cost of car insurance per month for most good drivers in Kentucky runs around $100 to $200 a month. You may pay much higher or lower than this, but as a guideline for drivers without high-risk factors. You should expect somewhere within this range for most typical cars.

Who Has the Best Auto Insurance Rates in Kentucky?

Finding affordable auto insurance in Kentucky is easy with a little help from the Internet. Most of the large auto insurance companies are licensed to sell insurance in Kentucky. Many local and regional providers also provide exceptional service with competitive premiums. However, it’s important to understand how auto insurance works and how to compare policies equally before comparing quotes based on premiums.