What to do if the other driver does not have adequate car insurance to cover my damage and injuries.
Statistics prove that the vast majority of drivers in the state of Missouri are driving with the state minimum car insurance. This means that most drivers only carry 25/50, which equates to a maximum recovery for any one person involved in a car accident to be $25,000. What happens if you are seriously injured in a car accident and your medical bills are $15,000? Is that $25,000 per person bodily injury limit going to fully compensate you for your injuries? Not according to our Missouri car accident lawyers. In fact, there may be a gross deficiency in the coverage carried by the other driver and what your actual personal injury claim is valued at.
In situations like these, it is important for your car accident attorney to investigate and uncover alternative insurance policies that you may be able to recover compensation from. To do this, your attorney must know how and where to look for other insurance policies 'on the risk.' Underinsured motorist coverage may be one option, but many underinsured motorist clauses are written so complicated that they often times dilute themselves to the point of not being applicable, or being reduced to just as much as the state minimum liability limits for bodily injury.
What if the other driver has liability only? This can cause a problem with full repairs to your damaged vehicle in the event the damage is in excess of $10,000. Who will make up the difference in this type of event. Well the answer is not a simple one. There is no 'underinsured motorist coverage' for property damage. Call our lawyers at (866) 840-3636 if you need advice on how to approach either situation.