Connecticut is one of the many States that now insist that before a car is registered proof of car insurance must be shown.  Your Connecticut car insurance policy has to be maintained throughout the duration of the vehicle registration (usually one year) in order for the registration to remain valid, and the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) liaises closely with auto insurance companies in Connecticut to make sure that any lapses in car insurance policies are reported to them.

Should you receive a “warning notice” from the DMV for dropping your Connecticut auto insurance, you are liable for a $200.00 fine and potentially loss of vehicle registration. If you subsequently fail to provide the DMV with proof of car insurance in Connecticut, vehicle registration is cancelled for ALL cars registered in your name. Because of this efficient regime, Connecticut has one of the lowest rates of uninsured drivers in the country (9 per cent).

Connecticut Car Insurance Requirements

Despite this low rate of uninsured motorists, Connecticut also requires that drivers take uninsured/underinsured car insurance as well as the usual bodily injury and damage to property liabilities. Medical payments coverage is also included in your Connecticut auto insurance quote – although it is not compulsory that you take it. However, for these reasons, car insurance rates in Connecticut are significantly higher than the national average.

Your car insurance in Connecticut has to cover you for these minimum liabilities:-

$20,000 for injury/death to one person

$40,000 for injury/death to more than one person

$10,000 for damage to property

$20,000/$40,000 for uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury

Connecticut Auto Insurance Laws

Once you have organized your car insurance in Connecticut, a valid, permanent insurance card has to be carried in your vehicle at all times. If you are stopped by a police officer and subsequently found not to have Connecticut car insurance, you will automatically be fined $500.00 and have to file a SR-22 (Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate) with the DMV for three years.

If your car insurance in Connecticut has lapsed, and your vehicle is off the road, you can avoid warnings and fines by returning your license plates (or “marker plates” in local slang) to the DMV to put your vehicle registration on hold. Once you wish to use the vehicle again, simply show proof of Connecticut auto insurance to the DMV and your vehicle registration will be re-instated. It is also worth considering that when you purchase a car in Connecticut, it is regarded as part of your property and, as such, contributes towards your annual property tax assessment.

Recommended Connecticut Car Insurance Coverage

Although car insurance rates in Connecticut are already above the national average, you may need to consider increasing your minimum liability coverage to avoid being out of pocket should your auto insurance company stops paying the bills in auto accidents for which you were to blame. Most insurance experts recommend increasing your auto insurance liability limits to $100,000/$300.000.

The best way of overcoming this is with a fully comprehensive car insurance policy. In Connecticut, comprehensive car insurance can be arranged which will insure you against any damage done to your car by your own driving errors, against the theft of your vehicle and against damaged caused by extraordinary weather conditions. A comprehensive car insurance policy may cost a little more than a policy which covers you for the minimum car insurance requirements in Connecticut, but may save you a considerable amount of money in the future.

Cheap Connecticut Car Insurance Quotes

There are ways in which you can obtain cheap Connecticut car insurance quotes, irrespective of whether you are getting auto insurance in Connecticut for the first time or renewing an existing car insurance policy. Taking advantage of online tools which enable you to compare car insurance rates in Connecticut is the most obvious, but by participating in defensive driving courses, putting additional security features on your car and maintaining a clean driving record will be looked upon favorably by auto insurance companies.

Furthermore, savings can be made by increasing your deductable on collision and comprehensive car insurance in Connecticut, and low mileage drivers should speak with their auto insurance companies about the possibility of pay-as-you-drive insurance – where car insurance premiums are adjusted retrospectively for the volume of mileage you drive in a pre-determined period. Young drivers can also get cheap Connecticut car insurance quotes if their grades are good in school – there is an incentive!

Connecticut Car Insurance Ratings

The national improvement in road safety has not been mirrored in Connecticut, and the State has a particularly poor record for alcohol impaired road fatalities. This, and the necessity for uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury liability in Connecticut, keeps the general rates for auto insurance in Connecticut at a high level. There are also a number of other factors which influence how much car insurance you pay.

• Where You Live – As you will see below, certain areas in Connecticut have a poor record for vehicle theft. Similarly, car insurance companies in Connecticut will look at accident report statistics and consider whether you live in an urban or rural area before determining your Connecticut car insurance rates.
• The Type of Car You Drive – We have also published a list below of vehicles that are most commonly stolen in Connecticut. If you want to get cheap auto insurance in Connecticut, you should avoid buying a car on this list and make sure it is insurance friendly by complimenting any existing security devices with a few extra of your own.
• Vehicle Usage – Car owners in Connecticut who use the train to commute will get cheaper car insurance quotes that those who make a lot of use of their vehicles. Even if your low mileage is not sufficient to qualify you for a pay-as-you-drive plan, you will get car insurance discounts in Connecticut for minimal use of your vehicle.
• Driving History and License Status – Incredibly, many of the road traffic accidents in Connecticut involve older drivers, so age is not necessarily an issue when applying for car insurance in Connecticut. What is important is that you drive safely and avoid collecting driving violations – as auto insurance companies in Connecticut believe that every driver is a repeat offender until proven otherwise!
• Credit Score – As unfair as it may seem insurance companies in Connecticut feel that if you are responsible with your finances, you will be a responsible road user. However, start missing a couple of credit card payments and you could see your next car insurance renewal double in price.

Most Stolen Cars in Connecticut

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) publishes an annual report by State of the cars which are most commonly stolen by car thieves. If your car appears on this list, you may well be penalized by your car insurance company in Connecticut for having what are known as “Hot Wheels”.

The list Connecticut Hot Wheels in 2009 was as follows:-

1.       Honda Accord

2.       Honda Civic

3.       Acura Integra

4.       Nissan Maxima

5.       Dodge Caravan

6.       Toyota Camry

7.       Nissan Sentra

8.       Nissan Altima

9.       Cherokee Jeep

10.     Toyota Corolla

Where Your Car May be Stolen in Connecticut

The NICB also produces a nationwide report of the 360 worst districts for car theft. This report is based on the number of car thefts per capita and, even though there are relatively few densely populated areas in Connecticut, the State as a whole performs very well in the fight against vehicle thefts.

Only four areas of Connecticut made it into the nationwide list of “Hot Spots” – the figures in brackets indicate their national position.

1.       New Haven/Milford (108)

2.       Hartford (149)

3.       Bridgeport/Stamford (161)

4.       Norwich/New London (306)

Typical Connecticut Car Insurance Rates

Even though the rate of car theft throughout the State is impressively low, a poor record for road safety and the compulsion for uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury liability pushes car insurance rates in Connecticut way above the national average of $1,434. This is what the average Connecticut car insurance premium was in 2009.

Car Insurance in Norwalk – $1,751

Car Insurance in Stamford – $1,801

Car Insurance in Danbury – $1,934

Car Insurance in Bristol – $1,951

Car Insurance in West Hartford – $2,021

Car Insurance in New Britain – $2,099

Car Insurance in New Haven – $2,237

Car Insurance in Waterbury – $2,332

Car Insurance in Bridgeport – $2,348

Car Insurance in Hartford – $2,623

Connecticut Car Insurance Companies

If you intend shopping around for car insurance in Connecticut, there are plenty of car insurance companies to choose from. We have listed many of them below (those who we have reviewed are underlined) and it may be that one or more will offer you discounted auto insurance rates in Connecticut because of a profession you are in or due to good school grades.

The best way to start looking for cheap auto insurance in Connecticut is to put your ZIP code into the box at the top of the page and review the best car insurance quotes that come back to see what level of protection they offer. Then ask about discounts for car insurance in Connecticut, relevant to your personal circumstances, and make sure you maintain your policy once you have found the best auto insurance in Connecticut to avoid fines, suspensions and license revocations.