Car accidents aren’t the sorts of thing you really expect to happen, but most people are prepared for this unexpected event by taking out insurance, both for the value of their vehicles and contents and liability insurance just in case someone else or their property is hurt or damaged.
When you cause an accident and there is damage and injury to someone else and their property then your insurer will be responsible for valuing the claim.
You can choose the amount of liability you wish to be covered for but if the damage exceeds your liability amount you will be asked by your insurer to make up the difference.
The Normal Liability Coverage Amount is Set By Each State
Most people take out an insurance premium they think they can afford hoping that they will never be in an accident that is their fault. Each state sets its own minimum required liability cover but this usually won’t cover a serious accident, or if you happen to cause an accident with an expensive vehicle.
It’s generally accepted that coverage for property damage should be at least $50,000 and for injury to someone else $100,000 for each person.
It’s even advisable to set your own liability at $300,000, because if you cause a serious injury once medical fees start to accumulate, you may end up being confronted with a hefty bill which exceeds your liability coverage.
How You Will Know If You Owe Anything to The Accident Victim
You will be informed as soon as possible if your liability coverage isn’t sufficient to pay the victim’s expenses. If you fail to pay the expenses the victim may take you to court and the court may impose a lien against your assets and you.
It is possible you could have your license suspended if requested by the victim and you will not get this re-instated until you have at least arranged how you are going to pay what you owe.
You May Need a Personal Injury Attorney
When you are communicating with insurers you can never be sure you are going to get a fair deal. Their job is to get money from you not to give you any money when you are in a situation where you have caused an accident.
Your liability coverage isn’t sufficient to pay the victims for their financial hardships due to your actions it’s in your interest to work with an attorney who will ensure that everyone gets what they are owed and no more.
Your attorney will carefully check your coverage and compare it against the expenses of those who have been injured to ensure you are not tricked into paying more than the expenses incurred by the victims.
This is a time when having an attorney at your side is very important as they are good negotiators and will do whatever it takes to get a fair deal for all those involved.
