What if the Other Driver Had No Insurance? Who Pays My Bills?

What if the Other Driver Had No Insurance? Who Pays My Bills?

auto accidentThere are more than 8 million licensed drivers in the Illinois state, according to Statista. Under state law, drivers are required to carry insurance coverage of $50 per accident and $25,000 per person. Yet, around 11.8% of the drivers in the state are uninsured.

So, what happens when you suffer damages in an auto accident, and the other driver carries no insurance? Let’s find out:

How Are You Compensated?

When you’re involved in a collision with an uninsured driver, you’ll be covered by your own insurance policy. Every auto insurance policy must include uninsured motorist coverage, with a standard amount the same as the minimum liability coverage, $25,000 per person and $50,000 for more than one person.

Uninsured motorist insurance also covers you if you are a victim of a hit-and-run accident case or where the at-fault driver is unable to pay for the damages.

You may choose to reduce the amount of uninsured motorist coverage by signing the designated document. We still recommend that you have no less than $100,000 as minimum coverage because medical bills can pile up more quickly than most of us think.

However, this doesn’t dissolve the uninsured or underinsured drivers from their legal responsibilities. Your insurance company will seek restitution against them and exercise their subrogation rights to recover the compensatory amount they paid to you.

In addition, the uninsured motorist also faces other legal action such as having their vehicle ceased and moved to a police storage area, a hefty fine for not maintaining insurance, suspension of their driver’s license, and more.

Also, when it comes to collecting your uninsured motorist claim, insurers are not easy to deal with. It often takes a lot of preparation and effort to prove that the other driver was at fault. When you attempt to seek coverage under your own policy, your own insurance agent becomes your opponent.

When negotiating with your insurer, it’s important to note that property damage other than your vehicle is not covered under uninsured motorist coverage. This means that if your smartphone, glasses, or other items were damaged or lost during the collision, they wouldn’t be covered under uninsured motorist coverage. A separate portion of your insurance policy will be used to pay for those damages.

Hire a Personal Injury Attorney

When dealing with your insurance claim, you desperately need an advocate. This is where a personal injury lawyer can be of great help in dealing with your insurance claim. Your attorney may also help determine whether it’s worth suing the uninsured driver. This might be useful if your medical bills and damage to the vehicle are too high to be compensated by your own insurance policy.

Personal Injury Attorney

If you’re looking for an Antioch auto accident lawyer, Robert Edens and his law firm are here to help you. The firm has been dealing with insurance companies on behalf of their clients for many decades. For consultation and legal advice, contact us today!

Call today for a free consultation

(847) 395-2200