There are many types of car insurance that you need to have in order to protect yourself if something unthinkable happens on the road. Here, we will explain the importance of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and the circumstances that dictate needing an Oklahoma City car accident lawyer.
What Is Uninsured Driver Coverage?
This type of coverage is what you use if the driver at fault in your car accident carries no car insurance. You typically would not bother attempting to sue the driver for damages in these instances, as people without car insurance typically don’t have much in the way of money. You would instead, up to the limit of your coverage, make a claim against your own insurance company.
What Is Underinsured Driver Coverage?
Underinsured driver coverage applies to situations in which the driver who hit you has insurance, but it is insufficient to cover your damages. In order for you to receive the total damages you need after being hit in a car accident, the other driver would have to have enough policy coverage to pay for them.
If this is not the case, you would make a claim against your insurance company, depending on the limits of your underinsured driver coverage. It’s important to note that you can only do this if your own underinsured coverage is greater than the liable driver’s insurance coverage.
You should also be aware that the amount you can receive from your underinsured and uninsured driver coverage cannot exceed the difference between the limit in your insurance and the coverage of the other driver. That means that, if your primary coverage is $200,000, even on a $300,000 claim if the other driver only has $100,000 in coverage, you can only have up to $100,000 in coverage from a claim against that driver, the difference between their policy and yours.
How To Make A Claim
Tell your insurance company as soon as possible if you think the driver responsible for hitting you is uninsured, as you will need to file an uninsured claim. Don’t delay, just in case your policy has strict deadlines when it comes to potential uninsured claim notifications. File a claim if the other driver refuses to give you any of their insurance information, or if they can’t get it to you in a timely manner.
Filing an underinsured claim is a little more complicated. You have to have a better understanding of how much your medical treatment and other damages will cost, which your Oklahoma City car accident lawyer can help you figure out. The main difference in underinsured and uninsured driver cases is that the claim you make will be against your own insurance policy.
If it gets down to it and you and your insurer cannot reach an agreement on the damages you need, you should seek the help of a strong attorney. A lawyer will know how to approach the issue and take over negotiations to get you the settlement you need. If you’re in need of an Oklahoma City car accident lawyer after being hit by an underinsured driver, give us a call at the Parrish DeVaughn Law Firm today.
