It’s a fact: crashes are the number one cause of death in the United States for people ages 4 to 35. There are nearly 20 million car collisions each year, so if you haven’t been involved in a collision yet, the odds are definitely stacking against you.

By way of experience, I am a personal injury attorney practicing in Seattle, Washington for over 17 years. I invented an online tool that helps people organize and resolve their claim, as well as an injury claim calculator for the Better Business Bureau video series. I also wrote and co-produced a national DVD show for the Better Business Bureau (BBB) ​​and the American Automobile Association (AAA).

Most people do not know their rights when it comes to car accidents. Worse yet, many insurance companies have built their reputations on paying injured people as little as possible. Of course, not all insurance companies are the same. But no insurance company awards adjusters awards for paying out more money to injured claimants.

Through these 6 articles, I’m going to teach you how to get the compensation you deserve. We’ll start with what you need to know before the accident (ie, your insurance coverage), then later articles will address what you need to know during and after a collision.

What insurance coverage do I have??

It’s critical to know what your own insurance policy covers now, before you’ve been in a collision. Most people don’t even read their own auto policy until after they’ve been in an accident. By then it could be too late. Take out your own insurance policy now and follow along as I walk you through the most common coverage options.

IN. Responsibility

Liability, the basic coverage required by many states, provides protection against property damage or bodily injury that you cause.

Coverage is typically provided not only for you, but also for family members living in your home. People who drive your car with your permission may also be covered.

You’re also generally protected when you use a vehicle you don’t own (for example, if you borrow a friend’s car).

This part is very important. Your insurance policy has a dollar limit, known as your “policy limits.” For example, the state of Washington has minimum liability requirements of $25,000; however, depending on your assets, you may want to consider purchasing more protection. Policy limits work like this: If, for example, your limits are $25,000 and you cause $75,000 worth of damage, your insurer will pay for the first $25,000 of damage and you’ll be personally responsible for the additional $50,000. That’s why it’s critical to have insurance policy limits that you’re comfortable with.

These are general guidelines. Be sure to read your entire policy for any exclusions or situations your policy does not cover.

b. uninsured driver

What happens when you are involved in a car collision with an at-fault driver who does not have auto insurance? In those circumstances, he would pursue his uninsured motorist or UM coverage.

Closely related to UM is another form of coverage called Underinsured Motorist, or UIM. This type of coverage applies in situations where you are involved in a collision with an underinsured driver. Typically, you will collect the insurance coverage that the at-fault driver has and then file a claim against your own UIM coverage. For example, if the other driver’s policy limits are $25,000 and his damages are $100,000, your own policy’s UIM coverage would pay the additional $75,000, based on your UIM policy limits.

UM and UIM generally apply only to bodily injury claims.

Although many states require insurance companies offer UIM coverage, you may not have to buys he.

against Collision

Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle when it is involved in a collision with another vehicle or object.

Collision coverage is not required. You may choose to purchase this coverage based on the value of your vehicle. The collision portion of your policy will generally include a deductible. That is the part for which you are responsible in case of loss.

d. Integral/ No collision

Comprehensive coverage covers non-collision damage to your vehicle, such as fire, wind, hail, vandalism or theft. Generally, a deductible applies to this coverage.

MY. trailer

Another item to look for in your accident policy is towing coverage. Immediately after the collision, your car may not be drivable or you may be injured. If you purchased towing coverage and your vehicle needs to be towed, your insurance company will generally pay up to a limit of $50 to $75.

F. Rent

If you have Rental Reimbursement Coverage, your insurer will pay for a car rental while your vehicle is being repaired. You should expect to rent a vehicle comparable to yours. There is usually a daily limit and a maximum total rental spend. For example $30 per day and $900 per incident.

GRAM. Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

A very important part of your insurance policy deals with medical coverage. After a collision, there may be an immediate need for medical payments. You need to understand what coverage you have, before a collision occurs.

1. If you have PIP

Your insurance company is required to offer Personal Injury Protection or “PIP” and must get your refusal in writing if you choose not to purchase it. “PIP” benefits include payments to you, your family, or your passengers for medical bills, lost wages, and nursing home care. Your PIP coverage can also provide protection when you’re riding in someone else’s car or even when you’re injured as a pedestrian.

For PIP to apply, the medical treatment must be related to the injuries caused by the collision and the treatment must be reasonable, necessary, and provided by a licensed physician.

You should not hesitate to use your PIP coverage if you need treatment. However, if you receive compensation for your injuries from the person who caused the collision, you may be required to reimburse your carrier for PIP expenses.

In many states, however, there is a “complete” rule. That means if your recovery does not compensate you (for example, you collect insurance policy limits), you may not have to reimburse your insurance company or health insurance company for medical payments they have made on your behalf. .

2. If you do not have PIP:

If you No If you have PIP coverage, seek payment of your medical bills from your own health insurance. The same reimbursement principle applies if you can recover compensation from the at-fault party. Many states have the “complete” rule discussed above.

If you do not have health insurance, you may be able to locate a provider to treat you with a “lien.” This means that the provider will not require payment for services until you can recover compensation for your injuries. Remember, you will owe the provider even if you never recover any compensation.

While it is possible to ask the other party’s insurance company to pay for your treatment, it would be unusual and can only happen if it is absolutely clear that your insured is fully responsible for the collision.

If the other party’s carrier agrees to pay for your treatment, they may require a recorded statement describing the collision and your injuries.

This is extremely important: You should not provide a statement without first consulting with an attorney. You can send me an email or call me; there is no charge.

h Umbrella Policies

A blanket policy is sometimes referred to as an “excess” or “catastrophic” policy. It’s an added layer of liability protection on top of your regular insurance.

For example, if you have auto insurance liability limits of $100,000, you can purchase an umbrella policy that covers you for an additional $1 million of liability protection. To purchase a general policy, most insurance companies require at least $100,000 in underlying limits, and some require even more.

A general policy would not only cover automobile collisions, but also other cases in which you have become responsible. General policies generally provide coverage after your primary insurance has been exhausted. Be sure to check your general policy for exclusions.

If you are in a serious accident, it is often necessary to sue the other driver and make a discovery (written questions that the other party answers under oath) to find out if they have a blanket policy. Most insurance companies will not voluntarily disclose their insured limits or if there is a blanket policy. I have had several cases where we later discovered (and recovered) the blanket policy for our clients.

YO. Policy Limits

Sometimes you can get much more protection on your auto policy for a relatively small increase in premium cost. You should definitely consider increasing your limits if you have assets to protect. Here’s why:

If you cause an accident, you never know what a jury might award to the person you injured. With low liability limits, a jury could easily award an award that exceeds its limits, leaving your assets vulnerable to collection. Personally, I have had experience with collecting money from people in excess of their insurance limits. This is not a pleasant experience for the person who has to pay out of pocket, most of the time because they didn’t realize they purchased the minimum limits of insurance required by law.

The other reason you may want to consider increasing your limits is to make the settlement attractive to the injured party. If you have seriously injured someone and your limits are $300,000, the injured person (and their attorney) may be willing to take this amount to settle the entire case. One very important secret to know: your insurance company cannot pay the injured person the $300,000 unless the injured person agrees the case is over and completely releases you forever! So having high limits might be enough of an incentive to get you out of a potentially very large lawsuit, even one that exceeds your policy limits.

On the other hand, if you have been seriously injured, you will want to know what the other party’s policy limits are. If the limits are low enough, you may be able to make a “policy limit claim” with your insurance company. If you are offered the policy limits and you accept, you will collect the insurance money and have to release the other driver. Again, please feel free to contact me before making or accepting a policy limit claim.

Talk to a qualified attorney for free: If you are in an accident, you should speak to a qualified attorney. It’s almost always free. There are many reasons why you should do this (see my article titled: Top 10 Reasons to Make a Free Call to a Lawyer First). The key is to make sure that the lawyer is qualified.

If you wish, you can call or email me and I will be happy to help you find the best attorney in your area. The best way to email me is to get your claim value by completing the 10 questions in the free Claims Calculator link below. That will give me both your email address and specific information about your case (amount of property damage, medical bills, lost wages, etc.). in all areas of the United States. I communicate directly with the attorney about the details of your case, and if he is willing to meet with you, I connect you with the attorney so he can schedule an appointment to meet or discuss your case.