• Connecticut's insurance laws protect motorists.Crash on the street. German auto model 2007. image by Dariusz Kopestynski from Fotolia.com
  
  Connecticut law spells out precisely what is required of motorists who live in the state. The state's auto insurance laws are designed to protect motorists from potential involvement in an accident with an uninsured motorist. As such, the laws have serious consequences for drivers who fail to maintain proper auto insurance coverage.
  
  

Mandatory Insurance Law

• Connecticut state law requires all registered motor vehicles to have insurance. A registered vehicle is one that can be operated on a public highway. If the vehicle is not registered, it cannot be driven on public roads, and insurance is not necessary. If someone with a registered vehicle wishes to cancel auto insurance on the vehicle, the person must return the vehicle plates to the Department of Motor Vehicles and request that the plates be canceled or placed on hold. If the vehicle will not be driven for a significant period of time, the vehicle owner has the option of reducing insurance coverage to just comprehensive coverage.
  
  Proof of insurance is required at the time a vehicle is registered, when the DMV randomly selects you to check your coverage and when a previous insurer reports to the DMV that a policy was canceled. Proper proof of insurance can be a declaration of insurance page or a valid insurance card. Temporary ID cards do not meet the requirement for proof of insurance.
  
  

Coverage Minimums

• Connecticut law requires drivers to purchase at least minimum amounts of liability and uninsured or under-insured motorist coverage. By law, the minimum for liability coverage is $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident. The state also requires $10,000 of property damage liability coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage requires at least $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident. Collision coverage is required by law. Connecticut also is a tort state, which means the driver at fault in an auto accident is obligated to pay for the victim's medical expenses.
  
  

Enforcement

• Connecticut state law requires insurance companies to report records of all canceled insurance policies. Vehicles in violation of the state's insurance laws are reported to the DMV for administrative action. This action takes the form of a warning letter, which the DMV mails to anyone whose insurance has been dropped or has lapsed. If the owner of the vehicle obtains insurance, the penalty is a $200 fine.
  
  If the owner fails to comply, a suspension notice is mailed. The vehicle owner can request a hearing. At that hearing, the DMV administrator will determine whether the vehicle owner's driving privileges and vehicle registration will be suspended. If the vehicle owner does not prevail in the hearing process, he also loses the ability to renew or register any motor vehicle. If a law enforcement officer determines that someone is driving an uninsured vehicle, she can confiscate the vehicle plates. That would require the vehicle owner to provide insurance coverage, pay a $200 for the lapse in insurance and then pay a $50 fine for a new registration.