Reader’s Question:

I just got my driver’s license and I will be getting my own car insurance soon here in Palm Beach, Florida. In case an accident happens, what does the insurance law say that I should have?

Carolina

Palm Beach, FL

Owners and operators of motor vehicles are mandated by the Florida Financial Responsibility Law to be financially responsible for damages and/or injuries they could cause to others when a car accident happens. This law would require you to have liability insurance in Palm Beach, Florida at the time of the following:

-An accident where you’re at fault and injuries have happened
-A suspension because of too many points against your driver’s license
-A revocation because of being a Habitual Traffic Offender
-A revocation for any serious violation where your license is ordered to be revoked

You should have the following minimum insurance coverage:

-$10,000 Bodily Injury Liability (BIL)
-$20,000 Bodily Injury Liability to two or more individuals
-$10,000 Property Damage Liability (PDL), or
-$30,000 Combined single limits

Your driver’s license would be suspended for up to three years if you commit any of the aforementioned offenses and you don’t have insurance to abide with the financial responsibility law.

Tags: auto liability insurance, car insurance, driver’s license

Reader’s Question:

I’m afraid I might just lose my DUI case here in Palm Beach, Florida because I really don’t know what to do. I know this would cost me too much time and money, but how would I know what it would really cost me to have a DUI conviction?

Franco

Palm Beach, FL

The first thing that you would have to do now after you have been charged with DUI in Palm Beach, Florida is to get a lawyer who would represent you. Hire a lawyer who specializes in DUI cases if your income allows it. This kind of lawyer would be able to give you solid information on what you could expect in terms of cost for your DUI case. You can add the lawyer’s fees into your total and you could also request an estimate or you may estimate this cost based on your lawyer’s hourly rate.

A lot of DUI lawyers offer a free consultation to go over the basic facts of your DUI case. You may ask for a ballpark figure on what the defense would cost you based on your particular situation. Also, remember that a DUI conviction could be costly for years to come. For some people, a DUI conviction would be costly in terms of employment because they’ll have limited options for the future and, in some cases, termination. Your DUI may also cost you for your car insurance rates to increase. So if you’re in search for a justifiable car insurance rates after your DUI, go on and get an online rate quote from this website.

Tags: car insurance, DUI, DUI cost, DUI lawyer

Reader’s Question:

My brother was being asked to submit a SR22 form by his insurance company after finding out that he was charged with DUI in Palm Beach, Florida. What is the SR22 form all about and what could the effects on his insurance?

Matthew

Palm Beach, FL

Getting a car insurance after being charged with drunk driving or DUI can be a pretty challenging task that requires resourcefulness and considerable amount of knowledge. Major car insurance carriers do not give coverage for DUI convicted individuals. If there may be some companies that do, it is expected to cost you a hefty amount. Well, it may sound unfair for first time DUI offenders. But that is how most insurance carriers in Palm Beach, Florida calculate their premiums. It is based on the risk factor of every claim. These insurance companies also require a review of your previous driving history as well as your credit report to ensure that you are financially stable to continue the policy. They may also even check out for your claims history report. They combine all these information to create an “insurance score” which is almost the same as what credit bureaus do with a credit score. Let’s say you got arrested and convicted for DUI. You will be required to provide an SR22 form from the DMV. This is already considered to be a proof or evidence of insurance which is required to get a restricted license. It also informs the DMV that car insurance company has issued at least a minimum liability coverage for the person filing the form.

I also had experienced that dilemma when I was charged for DUI in Palm Beach, Florida and eventually got acquitted. If your brother was not yet convicted, I suggest that you seek legal advice with a good DUI lawyer. You can also check on available post DUI insurance rates from this site.

Tags: car insurance, DUI, DUI insurance, DUI lawyer, SR22 insurance

Reader’s Question:

I’m throwing a party two weeks from now here in Palm Beach, Florida and I’m kinda worried that my guests would have too much to drink. I’d like to have all of them get home safe, so how can we avoid having them drink and drive and be charged with DUI?

Daphne

Palm Beach, FL

I see that you want to be a responsible host as you can be that’s why you want to have your guests return home safely from your party in Palm Beach, Florida and completely avoiding a DUI charge. There are certain things that you have to keep in mind to minimize the risk of abuse if you decide to serve alcohol. First is that you have to be cautious about your guest list so don’t think twice about speaking in advance to guests who are known to drink excessively and you can arrange alternative modes of transportation. You also have to make sure that there is lots of food served so that your guests won’t drink on empty stomachs.

If you are planning to serve an alcoholic punch, consider using a noncarbonated base such as fruit juice, so that alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream at a slower rate. You also have to make sure that there are plenty of non-alcoholic drinks available and serve as few salty snacks as possible because thirsty guests tend to drink more. You also might want to have lots of group activities such as party games to keep the focus of the party away from drinking. Best of all, before your party begins, have your guests determine designated drivers who won’t drink any alcohol.

Tags: advice, DUI

Reader’s Question:

I didn’t get entitled for a diminished value claim with my own car insurance policy after I was involved and got hit in an accident here in Palm Beach, Florida caused by another person because of drunk driving. Is there any other way I can be entitled to a diminished value claim?

Hayden

Palm Beach, FL

There’s an exclusion for diminished value claim in the state of Florida if you are making a first-party claim. The Insurance Services Office or sot’s exclusion applies to first-party physical-damage claims. But there is still one other way that you could be entitled to a diminished value claim after you got involved in an accident in Palm Beach, Florida caused by another person because of drunk driving. If the other person hit you, you can make a damage claim on that person’s car insurance. That would be a third-party claim and it would be possible to get diminished value damages as a third party because you don’t have a contract with that insurer.

Moreover, in tort claims, the measure of damage is usually calculated as the difference in value before and after the loss, sometimes making diminished value a viable claim. But there would still be a wide variation among state case law in pinpointing when a third-party claimant is entitled to diminished value.

Tags: car insurance, driving without insurance, DUI

Reader’s Question:

My cousin was charged with DUI here in Palm Beach, Florida and I see that he worries too much about his auto insurance. What can he expect from his insurance company after his drunk driving charge?

Margaret

Palm Beach, FL

Most auto insurance companies check their client’s motor vehicle record once a year. Some auto insurance companies do check it only once every three years or when the client is applying for a new insurance policy. Sometimes, tickets, drunk driving or DUI convictions and accidents could escape the auto insurance company’s attention. If your cousin’s auto insurance company finds out about his DUI charge, especially if he gets convicted, he will see higher premium rates and possibly he might have the task of seeking a new auto insurance company because his current auto insurance company might not renew his coverage.

There are usually two ways that auto insurance companies deal with customers who have DUI charge. Including your cousin’s DUI case in Palm Beach, Florida, the first possible thing that would happen is that the auto insurance provider might cancel the policy. It would also be possible that the auto insurance company would raise the premiums due to increasing the “point” count, almost to the point of “unaffordability.” In case this happens, he can check out other auto insurance providers and he can absolutely find a good auto insurance through getting an online rate quote from this website.

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance quotes, drunk driving insurance, DUI

Reader’s Question:

If a case of DUI was dismissed in court can it still affect my driving record and my auto insurance rate in Palm Beach Florida?

Nel

palm Beach, FL

It is possible that for a dismissed drunk driving case to affect your driving record still. I would recommend that you verify with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to know for sure what exactly will be listed on your driving history. The cost of a SR-22 insurance will depend upon your driving record and other personal information.

The Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) will be able to provide you more information if a dismissed case of DUI will still appear to your your driving history. You may also contact your insurance carrier to know if this will affect your car insurance Palm Beach Florida.

Tags: car insurance quotes, car insurance rate, drunk driving insurance, DUI, sr22 insurance

Reader’s Question:

I understand how serious a DUI charge is because I know some people here in Palm Beach, Florida who suffer the consequences of DUI. Question is, what usually happens after a DUI arrest?

Felicia

Palm Beach, FL

Let’s say for example that a person is arrested for DUI there in Palm Beach, Florida. After the DUI arrest, the accused will be “booked” into the criminal justice system and be held in custody until all or most of the police officer’s required arrest paperwork is completed. At this point, the police could even set preliminary bail, which must be paid before the person is released from custody. Shortly before the DUI suspect is released, a court date would be set and the police will generally provide one or more pieces of paper commanding the person to appear in court at a certain place and time to be “arraigned.”

In some instances, the police officer would arrest the person, finish some preliminary paperwork, and then immediately take the person for an appearance before a local court judge. The first court date or courtroom proceeding would be the arraignment. During this arraignment, the person will be called before a criminal court judge.

Tags: drunk driving laws, DUI, DUI arrest, DUI lawyer, DUI trial

Reader’s Question:

Is it true that I don’t have to talk to anyone but a lawyer about my DUI case here in Palm Beach, Florida?

Jagger

Palm Beach, FL

Yes, it’s true, you definitely don’t have to talk to anyone but a lawyer about your DUI case in Palm Beach, Florida because anything you say to anyone could be used against you. If you discuss your DUI arrest with family or friends, you are risking turning them into involuntary witnesses against you. It would be in your best interest to remember the details of your DUI arrest because it would help you in your defense. In any criminal case, you should be represented by a competent defense lawyer who specializes in the specific field of law you are charged with and one who has years of experience.

You could either choose a DUI lawyer or risk the consequences of representing yourself. By hiring a DUI lawyer immediately after your arrest, you would not miss any deadlines. Judges would not know if they must protect your rights unless someone defends you. An example is that overworked prosecutors could use reports from inexperienced or over-zealous police officers to over-prosecute a DUI case. DUI lawyers are absolutely aware of these tendencies and they are trained to handle such situations. So do not ever choose to be your own lawyer because you do not know the law and you don’t know how to challenge the elements of your DUI case.

Tags: DUI, DUI lawyer

Reader’s Question:

While I was driving home one night here in Palm Beach, Florida, I noticed a car was pulled over by an officer. I later found out that the driver was stopped because of a DUI suspicion. How can a police officer tell that the driver’s judgment is impaired by observing the driver’s behavior?

Lacey

Palm Beach, FL

One of the cues exhibited by alcohol-impaired drivers is driving on other than the designated roadway. Example of these includes driving at the edge of the roadway, on the shoulder, off the roadway entirely and straight through turn-only lanes. In some cases, impaired drivers also stop inappropriately in response to a police officer, either abruptly as if they had been startled, or in an illegal or dangerous manner.

As a matter of fact, a research has shown that there is a chance that a motorist is driving under the influence if you observe the person to exhibit any inappropriate or unusual behavior. Unusual behavior of a driver includes drinking in the vehicle, throwing something from the vehicle, arguing with another motorist, urinating at the roadside or otherwise being disorderly. If you observe this inappropriate or unusual behavior from a driver in Palm Beach, Florida, there is a good chance that the driver is under the influence.

Tags: DUI, DUI arrest, DUI lawyer