Car Accident? Essential Tips When Buying Car Insurance
After a car accident, its too late to change your insurance. Whatever options you chose before the car accident (in other words, the policy in effect at the time of the accident) will apply to you and your family members, and possibly your passengers. That being said, buying car insurance is one aspect of life where we all must be proactive. So, let’s talk about what to look for when choosing insurance.
- Tort Option: Limited Tort or Full Tort.
- Limited tort insurance costs less, however, it limits your ability to recover for damages related to an accident. You cannot recover money for your pain and suffering under limited tort insurance unless you breach the threshold of serious impairment of a bodily function or permanent disfigurement. In other words, you must be seriously injured, which translates into broken bones or worse, in order to recover for pain and suffering under limited tort insurance.
- Full tort insurance costs more, however, you will be able to receive compensation for your pain and suffering, regardless of whether you have broken bones or a soft tissue injury. In plain language, at the end of the day, insurance adjusters immediately look for your tort selection, and if you chose the limited tort option, the insurance adjuster will most likely immediately DENY your claim.
- Uninsured and Under Insured Motorist Coverage. This coverage is NECESSARY. And the good news . . . it is very inexpensive.
- If you are struck by an uninsured driver, which happens all the time, you would need to pursue a claim through your uninsured motorist coverage. If you do not have uninsured motorist coverage, then you will NOT be able to recover for your injuries.
- Under insured motorist coverage applies when the person who caused the accident has a low bodily injury coverage amount (generally the standard $15,000). This happens in virtually all accident cases. Most people buy the lowest coverage possible, because it is less expensive. However, when you have broken bones, paralysis, surgery, injections, or other procedures, $15,000 will not adequately compensate you for your injuries. Therefore, you would pursue an under insured motorist claim with your insurance company.
If you have been in a car accident, and you are not sure about your insurance coverage, call our car accident lawyers today for a FREE and confidential consultation at 855-822-6783 (toll free). The lawyers at Rizio, Hamilton & Kane will review your policy information and help you chose the right path for you and your possible case.
Rizio, Hamilton & Kane, P.C. is a law firm that has been helping car accident victims receive the compensation they deserve for over 40 years.
