Traveling Through Missouri? New Law May Require Auto Insurance for Out-of-State Drivers

Posted in Auto Insurance

February 11th, 2010

Out-of-state drivers traveling through the state of Missouri may soon be required to meet requirements for liability insurance. A new bill, introduced bystate Sen. Gary Nodler (R-Joplin) and state Rep. Tom Flanigan(R-Carthage), would hold out-of-state drivers responsible for meeting their state’s auto insurance coverage liability laws.

About Current Missouri Law and the Bill

Currently, law requires that only Missouri drivers are to maintain liability insurance. However, drivers who are registered outside of the state are not included in this law.

If Senate Bill 902 and House Bill 1996 are passed, non-residents would be required to adhere to the financial responsibility laws of their state ofresidence. This would allow Missouri law enforcement to hold out-of-state drivers responsible for not having auto insurance coverage.

If drivers break the law when traveling through the state, they will be guilty of a class misdemeanor, which results in loss of driving privileges in Missouri. In addition, the state in which the driver resides would be notified of the offense.

Why Change the Law?

Nodler recently noted that the reason he is proposing the new law has everything to do with a recent incident that involved a Missouri woman being hit by an Oklahoma driver. While the Missouri driver had the correct liability coverage for the state, the Oklahoma driver did not.

Without having collision coverage, the Missouri driver was not able to recoup for the damages and the Oklahoma driver could not be held responsible. This will definitely have an effect on auto insurance rates.

If you’re not currently insured in your state, don’t let Missouri’s proposed law be the reason to purchase auto insurance. Whether a law is in force or not, it is important to maintain liability insurance for yours and others safety on the road.