Nevada Car Insurance

Nevada's liability limits of $15,000 per person ($30,000 per accident) for bodily injury and $10,000 for property damage -- written as 15/30/10 -- are low. You don't want to have to dig into your personal savings because your basic car insurance didn't give you enough protection.

We recommend raising those liability levels as you can; most experts consider 100/300/50 appropriate coverage for a family with a home and some savings.

While uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage must be offered to you, you can decline it if you believe your health insurance will be sufficient or if you're trying to save money on your policy.

Hang up: Nevada's law against handheld cell phone use and texting is among the nation's most stringent. While the first offense isn't considered a moving violation and thus doesn't hit your motor vehicle record or insurance, the second offense carries four points -- the same as for a conviction for doing 40 mph over the speed limit.

Usage-based insurance: Nevada allows auto insurance providers to offer usage-based insurance plans so that motorists can receive discounts. However, Nevada forbids auto insurers from using GPS technology to track the exact location of the user.

Extraordinary life events: State laws permit Nevada car insurance companies to take into consideration your credit for eligibility (underwriting) and rating purposes. However, if you've experienced certain extraordinary life events (ELFs), Nevada law has been updated to allow you to request in writing that your credit information not be considered. The following circumstances are considered to be ELFs:

1. A catastrophic event, as declared by the state or federal government
2. Identity theft
3. Military deployment overseas
4. A serious illness or injury to you or an immediate family member
5. The death of a spouse, child or parent
6. Divorce or involuntary interruption of legally owed alimony or support payments
7. Temporary loss of employment for a period of three months or more, if it results from an involuntary termination