Insurance coverage in an auto accident claim can be a grey area and difficult to comprehend. This blog seeks to provide you with a few possible coverage options which could be available to you if you are involved in an automobile accident when the accident was not your fault.
*Liability Coverage – Liability insurance coverage is the insurance policy coverage on the vehicle that negligently caused the accident. Liability insurance is the first applicable coverage when there is a wreck for which you are not at fault. This coverage should address both property damage to your vehicle and any bodily injuries from the accident. The minimum liability limits required in North Carolina are $30,000, and in our neighboring state, South Carolina, minimum liability is $25,000.
*Uninsured Motorist Coverage – This is called “UM” as an abbreviation and is used if the driver who caused the accident failed to carry automobile insurance. Unfortunately, there are vehicles being operated with no insurance coverage every single day on the road with you! If one of these vehicles happens to cause an accident with you, your own underinsured motorist (“UM”) coverage will kick in to cover you since the other driver failed to be in compliance with the law and carry insurance. UM is required in North Carolina.
*Underinsured Motorist Coverage – This is called “UIM” as an abbreviation and is excess coverage if the liability limits in your case were insufficient to cover your injuries and were fully tendered. For example, if the at fault driver had $30,000 limits which were paid in full by their insurance carrier for your injuries, “UIM” may cover your additional damages which were not covered by the liability policy. In other words, if there was not enough money from the at fault driver and your case warrants more funds due to the nature of your injuries, UIM would be your option. UIM is not required coverage in North Carolina, so you must pay for this coverage to have it. If you are unfamiliar with this coverage, we would recommend you check out our prior blog (HERE) for further details.
*Medical Payments (also known as “Med Pay”) – If you carry Med Pay on your own policy, this is also a possible option for your medical bills. Med Pay would reimburse you for a portion of medical expenses that you incurred due to your injuries sustained in the car accident. Though the amounts of Med Pay coverage vary, most plans are in the $500 - $10,000 range.
*Workers’ Compensation – This coverage would only be a possibility if your automobile accident occurred while you were working. For instance, if you were a delivery driver or police officer and you were working when you were involved in the car accident, you should contact a workers’ compensation attorney to discuss potential recovery. If your accident occurred while you were working, you may well have two (2) valid cases, and we recommend you seek counsel as soon as possible.
Please note that the above information is a brief notation of some options for insurance coverage in an auto accident claim and is not exhaustive. To learn more about which funds may be available to pursue in your car accident claim, we would encourage you to contact us at 704-370-1212 to schedule a free consultation with Attorney/Owner, Maggie Shankle. The details of navigating your car accident claim can be complex, and we can help look into all possible options of coverage to help you understand your options.