While it is the law that everyone driving a vehicle have auto insurance, unfortunately not everyone follows that law. This means if you get into an accident with an uninsured driver, you may face some extra complications in an ensuing accident or injury claim.
The best way to protect yourself against this situation is to get uninsured motorist coverage on your auto insurance policy. This covers any injuries to the following people:
- You, if you were driving or riding in a vehicle named on your policy, if you were driving or riding in a vehicle you do not own, or if you were a pedestrian
- Relatives who live with you and suffer injuries while driving or riding in a vehicle named on your policy
- Anyone who rides in or drives a vehicle named in your policy with your express permission
- Anyone who rides in a vehicle you were driving at the time of the accident but do not own
If you file a claim under uninsured motorist coverage, an insurance adjuster from your company will process claims as if they were standard liability claims, and you will negotiate with the adjuster about the extent of the other person’s liability and the compensation you should receive for injuries and damages.
If you do not have uninsured motorist coverage and the defendant does not have car insurance, any money you’d receive as compensation in the case would be out of pocket for the driver. But what you’ll fin din most cases is that it will be highly unlikely that a person without insurance will also have the money to pay a claim. Collecting on the judgment, then, will be a significant challenge, though the court may be willing to establish a payment plan.
For more information about claims against uninsured motorists, contact an experienced Bradenton, FL personal injury attorney at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.