You may think your day couldn’t get worse. The difficult project you’ve slogged through to complete at work goes awry. The school nurse calls to tell you that your son likely has strep throat and has to go home. Now, on your way to pick your son, another vehicle runs a red light and hits you.
Not only is your car totaled, but you suffer a serious concussion in the crash. Then you discover the driver who hit your vehicle is uninsured. Who will cover your injury costs?
Arizona and auto insurance
In Arizona, drivers are required to have a minimum of $25,000 in bodily injury liability insurance and $15,000 for property damage. This coverage is meant to compensate the driver who isn’t at fault for the accident. However, if you get into an accident with a driver who is uninsured or underinsured, what should you do? In most cases, when you are purchasing insurance coverage or updating your limits, there is an option to add uninsured/underinsured (UI/UIM) insurance. As with the other liability coverages, you are able to adjust the amount as needed. If you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, be sure to check with your insurance company to see if you have coverage. This will cover injuries and damage to the vehicle.
How to handle your injury claim
When you suffer an injury in an accident, whether an uninsured driver was at fault for the crash or not, you need to seek medical treatment immediately. You need to follow your doctor’s treatment plan if you want the best coverage for your injury costs. You also need to report your accident and injury to your insurance provider and check if you have extra insurance to cover accidents with an uninsured or underinsured driver.
Finally, you should not automatically accept an injury settlement from your insurance provider. Often, insurance companies offer minimum settlements to injury victims. You need to consult with a personal injury attorney if you suffer a serious injury in an accident with an uninsured driver. You want to ensure you receive the maximum coverage for your injury costs.