There are always various options available when taking out auto insurance. Once you have decided on a particular package it will not only cover you but also anyone else in your household who holds a driver’s license that you have included on the policy. In some cases, anybody you have given permission to drive your car may also be covered.
Every state requires drivers to cover themselves with at least the minimum amount of car insurance. This normally covers the value of any damage to vehicles and any injuries in a car accident.
If you are seriously injured in a car accident and it wasn’t your fault you may be able to file a personal injury claim with the at fault driver’s insurer. If successful, the claim should cover the full cost of medical treatment. You may need a personal injury attorney to help you through this procedure.
Types of Car Insurance
There are several types of insurance packages available which include:
- liability insurance;
- underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage;
- personal injury protection (pip) or medical payments.
Liability Insurance
If you take out liability insurance it pays for injuries and damage you cause to others in a car accident. All states apart from New Hampshire demand you take out minimum liability cover.
Liability for bodily injury pays for the medical treatment of anyone who is injured. Liability for property damage pays to replace or repair other people’s cars damaged in an accident you have caused.
The way liability coverage works is laid out in a three number combination such as 100/400/50. This means there is $100,000 to cover injuries to an individual, $400,000 per accident for injuries and $50,000 for damage to property. If you are insured for these amounts you won’t pay anything out of your pocket unless the damage amounts are more than the value of the three numbers.
PIP or Insurance for Medical Payments
If you have liability insurance that won’t cover you, you could consider taking out personal injury protection (PIP) or what’s called medical payments coverage (MedPay). These pay for the cost of medical treatment if you or your passengers are injured in a car accident. In 16 states it’s the law to take out one of these insurance products. If you choose PIP, it may cover you for any loss in income while you are recovering from an injury.
Underinsured or Uninsured Motorist Cover
Despite the legal requirements in most states to take out liability insurance there are still uninsured drivers. If they cause an accident, apart from suing them you may end up paying out of pocket.
To prevent this happening you can take out uninsured motorist (UM) cover, which should pay for your medical treatment if you are injured in a vehicle accident with an uninsured driver. There is UIM (underinsured motorist) cover available too, which can be used if the other driver’s liability insurance isn’t sufficient to cover the cost of your medical treatment.
When You May Want a Personal Injury Lawyer
Despite all the different types of insurance coverage available, if you are involved in an auto accident and are injured, but the accident wasn’t your fault, you may need the help of a personal injury attorney. This is to help you file a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver.
A successful claim may cover your medical treatment, any loss of wages while you recover and sometimes the value of your pain and suffering is included too. To helrp increase your chances of success, complete the Free Case Evaluation on this page to be connected with a lawyer.
