When you bought your car you probably made sure you had the necessary coverage to drive in your state, so you should be fully protected in case of an accident, right?
Unfortunately, this may not be the case if another driver hits you and doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough. Although this seems unlikely, the reality is that, according to the SR22 Car Insurance, 1 in 8 drivers in the United States does not have auto insurance. How can you protect yourself? The best way is to include coverage against uninsured drivers in your policy.
What is coverage against uninsured drivers?
If you collide with a motorist who has no coverage or is insufficient and it is to blame for the accident, insurance against uninsured drivers would reimburse you for any damage to your property, as well as the injuries you or your passengers suffer from the accident.
Like civil liability insurance, coverage against uninsured drivers is divided into personal and property damage.
Does my policy include insurance against uninsured drivers?
It is important to remember that this coverage is not mandatory in all states and some consider uninsured driver insurance as independent of underinsured drivers. In addition, the minimum coverage requirements may vary.
How much coverage against uninsured drivers do I need?
If this insurance is mandatory in your state, it is best to consider a policy with limits greater than the minimum required. It is recommended that your personal and property damage coverage be the same. Because the property damage coverage protects your vehicle, it is best that its limits approach the value of your car.
For example, if your social responsibility limit is $ 100,000 per person and $ 300,000 per accident, you must match these amounts in your coverage against uninsured drivers for personal and property damage. If your car is worth approximately $ 25,000, it is best that the coverage be the same.
What should I do if a driver without insurance collides with me?
Imagine that you stop at a stop and suddenly someone hits your car in the back. You leave your vehicle to see the damage and talk to the other driver to discover that he has no insurance to cover the damage. This makes the situation worse, but there are certain steps you must take to get help in your car repairs:
- Call the police. You should do this in case of an accident, especially if you had it with a driver without insurance. The claim process will be much easier if there is a report from local authorities.
- Exchange information with the other driver. Although the police also take information from everyone involved, it is important that you follow this step because it will take time for you to have access to the police report. Try to collect all the information you can from the other driver: name, address, phone number, make and model of your car, license plate number, etc.
- Take pictures. The best way to document what happened at the accident scene is to take pictures. Capture all the images you can of the damage to your car, the other driver’s vehicle and its license plates, nearby signs and more. The photographic documentation will facilitate the process when you make your claim.
- Get in touch with your insurance company. If you already have coverage against uninsured drivers, your company should help you throughout the entire process. If you are not covered, they can help you with the steps to follow.
How can coverage against uninsured drivers help you?
Having this coverage is very advantageous, therefore, that it is mandatory in many states. Buying insurance against uninsured drivers suits you even if you live in one where it is optional, as it could help you pay for medical expenses and lost wages in case you can’t go to work, while property damage coverage would take care of the costs of fixing your car.
