Auto Accidents

Insurance Considerations

What if I (Accident Victim) Am Not Insured?

Whether or not you are insured can have a big impact on your potential outcome. For instance, in California, proposition 213 will allow the accident victim to seek compensation for their medical bills but prohibits them from being able to seek compensation for their pain and suffering. Further, if the other driver is also uninsured, or it was a single-vehicle accident, or a hit-and-run, it is possible that there will be no insurance coverage at all.

What if The Other (At-fault) Driver Was Uninsured or Their Policy Was Too Small?

Vehicle owners have the ability to add uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage to their policy. With this added coverage in-place, drivers and their passengers can make a claim against their own policy. While it is an added monthly expense, this additional coverage is something we encourage all vehicle owners to add.

What if it Was a Hit and Run Accident?

If you are the victim of a hit and run accident, your attorney will usually first explore whether the defendant can be tracked down. If successful, the insurances that the defendant carried will come into play. If the other driver cannot be identified, the matter will most likely be treated as an uninsured accident, and any uninsured or underinsured policies that exist (if any) will come into play.

Commercial Driver Policies

Professional drivers like truck or taxi drivers are required to carry larger policies than your average commuter. This makes sense, because they generally spend more time on the road, and are often driving larger vehicles – increasing the likelihood of an accident, and the significance of an impact, should one occur.

Life Insurance

There are 38,000 deaths each year on America’s roadways. If your loved one was killed as the result of another driver’s negligence, you may be able to seek monetary compensation from the at-fault party’s insurer, but the available coverage will feel insulting given the enormity of your loss. While no amount of money will bring back your loved one, money from a well-considered life insurance policy can ease the practical burden that may come with your loss – particularly if the deceased was a significant financial provider for the family, or if their absence causes a new financial burden to you, such as the loss of a spouse who took care of the kids while you worked, but now the kids require paid care.