CAN UNINSURED DRIVERS CAUSE A CRASH AND LEAVE YOU WITH THE BILL?

Immediately after a car crash, you will check yourself for injuries and call the police to report the issue. Soon after you make your police report, you will probably start to think about making an insurance claim. After all, you will probably have medical bills and car repairs to manage, possibly even a replacement vehicle to purchase.  

The driver who hit you will be the one whose policy pays for your medical costs and the repairs to your vehicle under California law. Are you at risk of getting into a crash with a driver who doesn’t actually have insurance on their vehicle?

CALIFORNIA HAS A RELATIVELY HIGH NUMBER OF UNINSURED DRIVERS

Although California requires car insurance to legally register a vehicle or drive, many people let their policies lapse. California is tenth in the nation for uninsured drivers based on data from 2019. Approximately 16.6% of all drivers don’t have an active policy on their vehicles in California. 

If one of these irresponsible people also causes a crash, you will find yourself struggling to cover bills without the help of their liability insurance policy. After a crash with someone who does not have insurance, you may be able to make a claim against your own policy. However, you will need to have uninsured or underinsured driver coverage for your own policy to protect you. 

If you don’t have that extra coverage, then the only other form of recourse may be a personal injury lawsuit against the driver who caused the crash. Exploring all of the ways to cover your expenses can help minimize your financial losses after a car crash.