When you’ve been injured in a car accident due to someone’s negligence, it can be a stressful and confusing time. The last thing you want to think about is whether your damages will be covered by insurance. New York is no-fault insurance state, which means that your personal injury protection (PIP) will cover some of your medical bills and lost wages if you are injured, regardless of who is at fault for the accident. In addition, if your damages exceed the limits of your PIP and you are seriously injured, you may be able to collect from the at-fault driver’s liability insurance. However, what happens when the other driver doesn’t have insurance or does not have enough insurance to cover your damages? This is where uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage becomes important.
It’s the Law
In New York, all drivers are required to have UM coverage as part of their insurance policy. Drivers are required to have $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per person and $50,000 in coverage for an injury resulting in death. You can always opt to purchase more insurance. Keep in mind that your medical bills can be high, and you may want to recover for pain and suffering. You should try to purchase as much UM insurance as you can afford to make sure you are adequately protected.
Rates of Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists
Despite the fact that the law requires all drivers to have liability insurance, many drivers choose to go without. This is especially true in New York City, where insurance rates are very high. The high likelihood that you may be involved in an accident with an uninsured driver makes maximizing your UM coverage important.
In addition, most drivers who do have insurance only carry the minimum required. In New York, this is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per fatality. Given the skyrocketing cost of healthcare and the likelihood that you’ve sustained pain and suffering if you were seriously injured, this amount may not be enough to compensate you fully.
Hit and Run Accidents
Hit and run accidents are on the rise in New York City and most hit and run drivers are never found. If you don’t know who caused your injuries, then you can’t be compensated by their insurance. UM coverage will kick in and can cover your damages if you’ve been injured in an accident with a hit and run driver.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney
If you’ve been injured in an accident and have questions about your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, you should have your case evaluated by an experienced car accident attorney. At Bonina & Bonina, P.C., we’ve been helping New York car accident victims for over 50 years. Contact us online or call us at 1-888-MEDLAW1 to schedule your free consultation. Home and hospital visits are available. Se habla español.