Protect Yourself By Carrying Uninsured Motorist Coverage. You Never Know When You Will Need It!

>Car Accident Lawyer DC
Let us imagine that you are driving to the grocery store and another driver runs the red light and hits you from the side. Do you know what to do after a car accident? This type of accident is called a T-bone, and they are known to cause great damage based on the way the cars collide. Right away, your neck starts to hurt, and it appears your car is a total loss. The other driver approaches you and tells you that they do not have insurance coverage.

Now what are you supposed to do? You have insurance, but you have no idea what to do at this point. Will you be protected, and who is going to pay for this massive mess? You will no doubt have medical bills and then there is your pain and suffering? Everyone is supposed to have insurance, but that does not mean that everyone does. This is why it is imperative to have uninsured motorist coverage.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

It is the state law in Arizona, and most other states, that all motorists must carry at least liability coverage. Unfortunately, there are always those people who negate what the law says, and due to their own financial restraints; they lose their coverage. If you are unfortunate enough to get into an accident with this uninsured motorist, the best way to protect yourself is by having a policy to cover the uninsured motorist.

What is Uninsured Motorist Coverage? Well, it will pay for damages caused to your vehicle by others who do not carry at least the state minimum coverage. Additionally, it can provide you with coverage in the event of a serious accident, where there are major injuries involved. The requirements to carry liability insurance are minimal. Typically, a motorist has around $15,000 extra for this type of coverage.

Underinsured Coverage

Uninsured motorist coverage will provide you with additional coverage in the event of a major accident. However, it will also protect you in cases where the other motorist is underinsured as well. If the driver who hits you only has $25,000 in coverage, and the accident was $30,000; your underinsured policy would kick in and pay the rest of the amount. This means you would not have to pay the costs out of pocket. This insurance policy will help you to pay for medical bills, loss of income, as well as pain and suffering.

Hit-and-Run Accidents:

Hit-and-run accidents often are those who have no insurance or are running from the law. If you are involved in this type of accident, and you have uninsured motorist coverage, the law enforcement needs to file a police report regarding the incident. You should immediately contact your insurance company and report what has happened. Some policies stipulate that you must report an accident within 24 hour of its occurrence. Check your policy to make sure you understand their regulations. You must know the steps you need to take in the event of this scenario.

Pedestrian Accidents:

If you are walking down the street, and you are struck by a motorist who is either underinsured or uninsured, this motorist coverage may protect you during this type of incident too. As a pedestrian, your insurance policy usually covers you when another car is involved.

Property Damage:

There is really no reason why a driver should not carry uninsured motorist coverage. It is generally not expensive, and the benefits of having this coverage more than pay for itself. Many people do not understand or have any knowledge of this type of coverage, as they have not had to use it. Review your auto policy and make sure that you have uninsured coverage that will span for both bodily injury and also property damage.

This article specifically is written for Arizona laws. However, laws in other states may differ. You should note that 48 of the 50 states do require drivers to have some sort of insurance coverage on their autos. The only states who do not require this is New Hampshire and Virginia. This was written for educational purposes and is in no way to serve as legal advice. If you have an issue that involves an uninsured or underinsured motorist, you need to contact an experienced Phoenix injury lawyer to discuss the specifics of the matter.

Special thanks to our friend Aaron Cantor, of Cantor Crane, Law Offices of David Michael Cantor, Cantor Law Group, for providing some insight into car accident and uninsured motorist practice in Phoenix, Arizona.