What to Do If You Are in a Car Accident With No Insurance?

Carrying car insurance in Kentucky is a legal requirement. Einsurance.com gives a guide to Kentucky’s basic vehicle insurance requirements and laws. The state requires one to carry the minimum amount of car insurance. You are required to carry proof of Kentucky car insurance in your car. If you do not do this and get pulled over by law enforcement, you will be fined $500 or more. The minimum car insurance requirement for Kentucky drivers is:

• $25,000 bodily injury per person per accident
• $50,000 bodily injury for all persons per accident
• $10,000 property damage liability
• $10,000 personal injury protection

Being in a car accident is already an unsettling situation. Although car insurance is usually there to help with the expense of medical bills and damages to your vehicle. To be in a car accident with someone who does not have car insurance is even more agitating. Many turn to their own insurance to cover the damages in these situations. If you are in a car accident with an uninsured driver the first thing to do is report it to your car insurance company.

In Kentucky, and every other state, you can and should have uninsured motorist coverage (UM) on your car insurance. If you are in a car accident with someone who is at fault for the accident, for example, runs a red light when it is your right of way, UM coverage would protect you.

Nolo.com explains that UM coverage may not exceed your standard liability coverage. If you have a total liability coverage per accident of $100,000, you cannot have more than $100,000 in uninsured motorist coverage. The best way to prevent yourself from getting into a situation of paying for your own damages when the accident is not your fault is by having uninsured motorist coverage. It is the best way to protect you and your family from people who refuse to follow the law and purchase car insurance.

There is also underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) which will pay for damages obtained in an accident with a driver who has a car insurance policy, but not enough coverage to pay for the injuries, damages, and any other losses from the car accident. This is also optional for coverage that will help cover the difference between the other driver’s coverage and total amount of your losses. There is also the option of collision coverage to add to your insurance policy at an additional cost. It will pay to repair damages to your vehicle in an accident with an uninsured driver who is at-fault. Collision coverage does not cover the cost of your physical injuries, just the car damages. UIM is an essential coverage because if a person hits and hurts you or a family member their minimum ($25,000) coverage policy will not cover the hospital bills. This will leave you holding the bag.

This may seem unfair to you, and you will say to yourself why should I have to use my insurance when it is their fault? You’re right, you shouldn’t have to, but that’s not how life usually works. Also, when you use your insurance policy your insurance company will hunt down the person who hit and hurt your family and get the money back, they spent on your claim from them. In other words, you can use your insurance and then be comforted that the person that hit you will be found by a multibillion-dollar corporation (insurance company) who will place judgment after judgment against the person who hurt you in court to get their money back. So, use your insurance, that’s why you bought it.

If you have suffered from serious injuries and the person at fault didn’t have insurance or didn’t have enough insurance, it is important to have your case reviewed by an attorney. The Dixie Law Group is a personal injury law firm in Kentucky with years of experience involving car accident claims. Call us at 502-290-2397, and you will receive a 100% free consultation with an attorney to review your case.