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Everybody needs to get underinsured motorist coverage. it could be the difference between an individual getting hundreds of thousands of dollars or getting nothing for their personal injury claim. It costs very little to call your insurance company and say, "Give me underinsured motorist coverage." We have cases all the time where underinsured motorist coverage makes all the difference. One client will come to us with catastrophic injuries. They get hit but the other driver has no insurance; that individual who doesn't carry uninsured motorist coverage will recover nothing. The second individual in the exact same circumstance exact same type of defendant who doesn't have any coverage will get hit, but they've taken the steps to protect themselves and their family by getting underinsured motorist coverage and this provides protection, and that individual will now be able to get fair compensation because they took precautions before the crash. If you have questions on this issue or any other issue go to the contact us page at our website, or call us at 949-409-0055.
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How to Document Your California Car Accident
Although you will likely be reading this for days, if not weeks, after you have been in an accident, you should know that it is critical that you document the following to the greatest extent possible:
- Exactly where the accident took place.
- The position of the vehicles before and after the accident.
- What the accident scene itself looked like immediately following the accident (If you live in California and do not have one of our free cameras and accident toolkits that you can keep in your car, please call us at (949) 536-9593.
- Photographs of signs, buildings, or other obstructions that may have been involved in the cause of the accident.
- The names and addresses of anyone who was actively involved in the accident (passengers and drivers).
- The names and addresses of anyone who witnessed the accident.
Generally speaking, if the police investigated the accident, then there will be a police report available to you.
Three Important Aspects of Your Car Insurance Policy
You want to buy as much liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage as you can afford. Towing coverage, wage payment, etc. is not as important. You may have to fight the insurance company to buy more coverage, but it can be done.
1. Liability Coverage
This coverage protects you and your family if you hurt someone through your own carelessness. You will have a claim and possibly a lawsuit made against you. This portion of the policy will pay for the claim and your insurance defense attorney.
How much will the insurance company pay? Typically, you see the liability protection phrased like this: 25/50 or 50/100 or 100/300. What does this mean? These numbers are the maximum amount your insurance company will pay each person in an accident and the maximum amount your insurance company will pay total for the people injured in an accident.
2. Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Coverage
These are parts of the typical car insurance policy that are least understood by consumers and insurance company sales representatives, and yet they may be the most important coverage you can get for your family.
This insurance covers you if you are in an accident and the person who hit you has either no insurance or has less insurance than you do. If they have less than 500 thousand dollars of liability coverage and they cause you serious injury how can you protect your finances?
Note: It is illegal to drive in California without insurance. However, people do. Many people who do carry insurance, carry the minimum policy. This will not cover your damages if they injure you. Often, people let their policies lapse.
You protect yourself through your own policy that provides underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage. It will step in and act as the insurance company for the person who has minimum coverage or no insurance at all.
3. Medical Payments Coverage
Medical Payments, commonly referred to as “Medpay,” are extremely valuable to have. It is essentially a small health insurance policy that will promptly pay some of your medical bills, including co-pays and deductibles if you have been in an accident. Remember, the person who caused your accident will ultimately be responsible for paying your medical bills, but that could take years. Having Medpay, even if you have a health insurance policy, is generally worthwhile.
Costa Mesa Auto Accident Lawyers
At Case Barnett Law, we pride ourselves on our customer service. You are not just a number with us. We treat each client as an individual and we will investigate your accident, explore all avenues of compensation, fight for a fair settlement, and go to trial if necessary to protect your right to a fair recovery. Contact our Costa Mesa car accident attorney team today to learn more about our legal services for accident victims.
