Most drivers do not carry enough automobile insurance because they are only aware of one of the two main reasons for having insurance. Few insurance agents do a good job of explaining proper coverage for most customers. Most agents, as well as companies that offer quotes over the phone or internet, are only interested in providing the lowest price; however, , when it comes to car insurance, cheapest is almost never best. The good news: auto insurance is one of the best values on the insurance market.
There are two important reasons to have automobile insurance. The first and most widely recognized reason is that if you cause a car accident, you will not have to pay for the damages out of your own pocket. The second reason to have car insurance is to protect yourself if another driver is at fault for a car accident in which you are injured.
Most people cannot afford to pay for repairs to the car, medical bills, time missed from work, and other possible expenses for which you may be responsible out of their own pocket. In purchasing insurance, the insurance company assumes responsibility for paying all of those expenses up to the limits of your coverage. Your insurance will also pay for an attorney if it is necessary for you to go to civil court as a defendant for the damages. If you do not have enough insurance coverage, the injured person, or their insurance company, can hire a personal injury attorney to sue you personally for any damages you cause above your insurance limits. This is especially important to remember if you own your own house or possess a significant amount of assets.
If the other driver is at fault for the collision and causes you to be injured, they are responsible for repairing your car, paying your medical bills, and paying for the time you missed from work as well, in addition to other, non-economic damages. In that case, assuming they have automobile insurance, their insurance company will pay for these things if there is enough coverage. However, if they do not have automobile insurance or do not have enough auto insurance, you may have to hire a personal injury attorney to try to collect the damages from the individual. This is often a very difficult or impossible process. You cannot collect a debt from a person that has no money or assets.
As a car accident injury attorney in Virginia, I strongly recommend you buy an insurance policy that will cover damages under both of these circumstances. The amount of time required to handle uninsured motorist claims as well as the unlikelihood of collecting significant damages will deter most personal injury attorneys in Virginia from accepting your case.
