Each year in the United States, there are nearly 43,000 fatal car crashes. Vehicle accidents alone are estimated to be in the millions each year.
Staying safe on the road requires more than being a good driver. You need to protect yourself from others by having adequate insurance.
If you are in an uninsured car crash, insurance can protect you from underinsured or uninsured drivers. Keep reading to learn more about the hidden dangers of an uninsured car crash.
Uninsured Car Crash Risks
A driver responsible for a car accident faces many consequences, especially if they are uninsured or underinsured. An uninsured car crash is the result of not having enough liability coverage or having none at all.
These are the devastating impacts you could experience if you are in an auto accident without an adequate auto insurance policy:
Legal Consequences
If you are found at fault for a car accident without insurance coverage, the other driver may sue you.
You’ll have to cover damages, legal fees, court costs, and more. Without insurance, you’ll have to pay out of pocket for these damages.
Financial Burden
Paying for damages out of pocket causes a major financial burden. If you are responsible for an accident that results in $100,000 worth of damages, you will have to pay for these damages.
Even if you have $50,000 in liability coverage, you have to pay the remaining amount as you are an underinsured driver.
After an accident of this nature, insurance companies will view you as a high-risk driver. This can lead to auto accident coverage denial or higher premiums.
Loss of Income
If you are the one injured in a car crash and the other driver doesn’t have insurance, you might have to take time off of work to recover. Additionally, you may have to delay medical treatment until the court settles your case.
A delay in medical treatment can cause further complications in the future. Rather than holding off until the settlement, get medical treatment right away and keep your receipts as proof of payment.
Receiving medical treatment as soon as possible can get you back to work sooner rather than later. You’ll have less loss of income in this case, but you will need to pay out-of-pocket costs until the settlement.
Importance of Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Even if you are a safe driver, car accidents can happen when you least expect them. Drivers involved in accidents usually have car insurance that covers the costs of injuries and damages.
If an at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, you can protect yourself with underinsured motorist coverage. This policy protects in the event of a car accident where the at-fault driver has insufficient or no coverage.
If you are an underinsured or uninsured driver, you won’t have enough money to pay for injuries or damages from a car accident. Even if you have the minimum required liability coverage, you won’t have enough to cover a severe accident.
How Much Coverage Do You Need?
The amount of underinsured or uninsured coverage you need will depend on personal preferences, budgeting, and your level of risk. When you purchase a car insurance policy, an insurance provider must offer uninsured motorist coverage.
Look into the laws in your state because you are likely required to have a minimum auto coverage amount. It’s a good idea to consider having more coverage than the minimum amount required by law.
Underinsured motorist coverage will act as a gap coverage for your auto liability. This optional type of insurance will protect you in the event you are involved in an uninsured car crash.
Consider this form of gap coverage if you live in an area where many drivers fail to have adequate insurance coverage.
To make an informed decision about how much coverage you need, work with an insurance broker in Burlington.
Determining Car Accident Liability
Car accidents might have more than one party liable. Some states hold all responsible parties accountable for a car accident. Anyone contributing to the crash can be held financially accountable.
The larger the role in the accident, the more of the blame is assigned. If you are the one injured in the accident, you could recover compensation from multiple parties.
If there are no other liable parties, the uninsured driver who hit you is entirely responsible for all of your injuries and damages.
If you maxed out the benefits of your insurance policy after a crash, you can sue the responsible party for the remaining damages. A car accident lawyer can help you file a civil personal injury lawsuit.
What to Do in an Uninsured Car Crash
The decisions you make after a car accident can have a major impact on your ability to receive compensation in the future. If you are too injured to do anything, wait until medical help arrives. Otherwise, you can follow these steps:
- Stay on the scene of the accident
- Report the accident to the police
- Get medical help
- Document your injury and the accident
- Collect witness information
These steps are important because each of them can help you win a case against an uninsured motorist. Reporting the accident to the police means getting a professional report that can be used against the at-fault driver in court.
Get medical help to have evidence that you were hurt in the accident. Document injuries and the damage to your vehicle through videos or photographs.
Protect Yourself on the Road
Your state likely requires vehicle insurance coverage. Discover your minimum amount and consider adding an uninsured or underinsured motorist policy to protect yourself on the road.
If you are in an uninsured car crash, your insurance can protect you. If you are the responsible party without insurance, you’ll have to pay the financial burden out of pocket.
Use this as a guide for getting gap insurance coverage and knowing what to do after an accident. Work with professional insurance brokers and lawyers to protect your rights.
For more information on insurance needs and other important topics, check out our blog.