WHY YOU DON’T WANT TO BE AN UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED (UIM) DRIVER!
Most states require their drivers to carry a minimum amount of car insurance. However, even in states where car insurance is required, many drivers drive with no insurance (crazy right?!?!?) or insurance under the minimum requirements. If you are involved in an accident with another driver who has either the minimum level of insurance or no car insurance, you are likely to face many legal and financial obstacles. Unfortunately, the state of California has more uninsured and underinsured drivers than any other state. (CarInsurance.com)
Uninsured vs Underinsured
The minimum car insurance requirements in California are:
· Bodily injury liability coverage: $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident
· Property damage liability coverage: $5,000 minimum
If a person has no car insurance whatsoever, they are uninsured.
If a person has insurance either below the minimum state requirements or below the costs of the accidents, they are underinsured.
Regardless of being uninsured or underinsured, there are many consequences that you will face.
Legal Consequences in California
Most of the laws in California pertain to drivers that fail to get any insurance at all (i.e., uninsured)
Fines & Fees: For the first offense of driving without insurance you get an infraction and a fine between $100-$200, not including state fees and assessment charges.
- If you are caught a second time without insurance, the fine increases to $200-$500.
License Suspension: The state may choose to suspend your license until you show proof of car insurance depending on the case.
Vehicle Impoundment: The state may choose to impound your vehicle if you are caught driving without insurance.
Lawsuit: If you are involved in a car accident with another person without insurance and they choose to sue you personally for damages, you must endure the attorney and court costs yourself.
Financial Consequences (everywhere)
The financial effects of being uninsured and underinsured are usually the same. Having no insurance or not enough insurance means you are going to have to pay out of pocket when you are at fault in an accident. The costs of accidents can be severe. You will have to cover the repairs to your vehicle and the other person’s vehicle as well as their and your potential medical expenses.
Get Insured!
It’s important to get insured and have high and good amounts of underinsured and uninsured coverage (UIM) for yourself if you are driving and operating a vehicle. There are way too many drivers in California who are uninsured or underinsured. Protect yourself from these drivers who don’t follow the law by being insured or simply don’t want to spend the money to get auto insurance. Don’t let the reckless and cost-cutting behavior of other drivers put you at risk. By purchasing that extra coverage of underinsured/uninsured coverage you could make a claim under your policy, i.e., if your UIM policy is $100,000, you could make a claim under you policy for potentially that entire amount, depending on your injuries, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.
Although insurance can be expensive, the cost of not having insurance coverage is far more likely to outweigh the costs and consequences of being struck by an uninsured or underinsured driver!
Call our experienced personal injury attorneys at the Hariri Law Group to guide you through the legal process and make a claim on your underinsured or uninsured insurance coverage if you are struck by a hit and run driver or by someone who is not insured!
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