Motor vehicle collisions can cost thousands of dollars. Just repairing a vehicle can be very expensive, and some people need to replace their vehicles after a crash. If someone gets hurt, there could also be hospital bills and lost wages due to missed work to consider.
Although you carry insurance on your vehicle, you still want to avoid a crash if possible. Unfortunately, no matter how safe you try to be on the road, other people can make bad decisions that have a direct impact on you.
If someone drives after drinking or sends a text message while in traffic, they could cause a crash that demolishes your vehicle or injures you. The way that insurance works in Missouri requires you to make a claim against the other driver’s coverage after a collision. They should have bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage. If you get into a crash with a driver without insurance, what protects you?
You might need to make a claim against your policy
Although Missouri does not require it, some drivers paid for extra coverage, like uninsured motorist protection. It is common for people to carry at least the same amount that they have in liability coverage in uninsured and underinsured motorist protection.
You can make a claim against your insurance policy for the costs that the other driver should cover but cannot due to their lack of insurance. Of course, even if you were not at fault, making a sizable claim against your insurance policy will affect what you pay for coverage. You might want to look into holding the other driver accountable.
Someone without liability insurance is vulnerable to personal injury lawsuits. You can take them to court and ask for vehicle repair costs, medical expenses and even lost wages.
How likely are you to encounter an uninsured driver?
A significant number of drivers in Missouri fail to maintain liability coverage despite state law. According to insurance industry statistics from 2019, roughly 16.4% of Missouri drivers are uninsured. If one of those irresponsible drivers is to blame for your crash, you might be the one suffering financial losses because of their lapsed insurance coverage and bad driving practices.
Knowing your rights after a motor vehicle collision caused by an uninsured driver will help you limit what the crash costs you.