If you are involved in a car accident and the other driver who caused the accident has no insurance, do you have any recourse as to being compensated for your damage to your car, the medical bills you incur, the loss of earnings sustained and for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries?
The answer to all of this is yes, if you carry your own car insurance which includes coverage for collision and uninsured motorist protection.
The collision coverage will ensure that repairs to your car will be paid for by your insurance company. Now most collision coverage policies include a deductible for which you will be responsible. You can purchase uninsured property damage coverage so that you are not out of pocket for your deductible, when an uninsured driver caused the accident.
Uninsured motorist coverage on your own insurance policy will ensure that you can receive compensation for your medical bills, loss of earnings and for the pain and suffering that the accident has caused to you.
When purchasing your own car insurance make sure that you purchase uninsured motorist coverage, if you can afford to do so. That will ensure that you and your family will be protected in case the other driver is not insured. You should also try to carry as much uninsured motorist coverage as you have liability coverage. Liability coverage comes into play if you cause an auto accident and that accident brings about injuries to other people. Your insurance company will then pay those individuals for the damages you have caused. The point we are attempting to make is, that you should protect you and your own family as much as you can by carrying an adequate amount of uninsured motorist coverage.
There is an added benefit to carrying uninsured motorist coverage and that benefit is that it also includes within that same coverage, underinsured motorist coverage. What that means is that if the person who causes the car accident only carries $15,000 of coverage, and you carry $100,000 of uninsured motorist coverage, you will be able to collect up to an additional $85,000 on your own policy. This coverage also takes care of passengers in your car.
If you have been involved in a car accident and have questions please feel free to contact our office for advice. Your initial consultation is free and if you retain the services of our Carlsbad car accident lawyers, no fee will be payable to our firm unless we obtain compensation for you.