If you’re a college student, chances are you’re on a tight budget. Insurance can be expensive, and it can be tempting to forego it in order to save some money. But if you get pulled over or get into a crash, and you’re underinsured or uninsured, there could be serious consequences that will set you back quite a bit, and might even interfere with your educational aspirations.
How much insurance do I need?
Colorado law establishes the minimum coverage that all drivers must have. The law requires you to maintain at least $25,000 of coverage for bodily injury or death for one person in an accident, and $50,000 for bodily injury or death of all people in the accident In addition, you must have $15,000 of coverage for property damage.
You can get this coverage from any qualified source. If money is your main concern, you should spend time shopping around, in order to ensure that you get the best price possible for your coverage.
What happens if I’m uninsured and the police pull me over?
Driving without insurance in Colorado counts as a class 1 misdemeanor. What that means is that you will have to pay a $500 fine, and you’ll have your license suspended. You’ll have to pay fees to get it reinstated, and you might have to do some community service.
If it’s your second offense, the penalties go up. Your fine will increase to $1,000, and you might even have to spend up to a year in jail, depending on the circumstances.
The temptation to skimp on insurance coverage is there for every college student. But if you are caught without it, you can say goodbye to your scholarships and other academic privileges. You might even lose your spot in your university. When it comes to Colorado’s mandatory insurance laws, it’s just not worth the risk.