One of the first things to do after a car accident, other than calling for police and medical help, is to exchange insurance information with the other driver. Everyone knows this. Unfortunately, not everyone on the roads in Wisconsin will have an active insurance policy.
Learning a little more about insurance and your rights after a crash with an uninsured driver can help you handle it better if you’re ever in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver.
The policy that protects the driver responsible is the policy that pays
Fault matters in a Wisconsin insurance claim after a crash. The policy that you pay for protects you from liability if you cause injury or property damage. It usually doesn’t cover your costs in a crash caused by another driver. Their policy will have to pay, which means you are dependent on them having enough coverage.
Wisconsin state law only requires $10,000 in property damage coverage. If the driver only carries the minimum policy, they could have as little as $25,000 worth of medical coverage for one hurt party or $50,000 for two or more people who get hurt in a single collision. What options do you have when the other driver doesn’t have enough insurance or any insurance at all?
Your policy or state law can help you get compensation
Having the right coverage on your own policy could protect you from uninsured drivers. Uninsured and underinsured driver coverage is relatively affordable when compared with other kinds of coverage, but it can prove invaluable if you get into a crash with a driver who doesn’t have insurance or just doesn’t have enough.
If they don’t have enough insurance and you don’t have uninsured driver protection or your total costs exceed their insurance and your insurance own, you may need to consider a personal injury lawsuit brought against the driver responsible for the crash.