Hit by an Uninsured Motorist? What You Should Know

Accidents are unpredicted situations, and sometimes they involve uninsured drivers that unfortunately add up to your insurance price. If you ever get hit or involved in an accident with a driver that does not have insurance or flees the place, there are a couple of things you must know in order to protect yourself from expenses that can seriously damage your budget. Here is how to be on the safe side.

Things You Should Know If Uninsured Driver Hits You 

If you get involved in a car accident, no matter if the driver is insured or not, you need to know that you have to collect all the necessary information about the driver and the vehicle, of course, if your injuries are not too serious. In line with what previously said, you should collect the information about the car, including model and registration number, the address of the driver and their personal information such as name, details of the accident scene witnesses (witnesses play the crucial role if there is a further legal procedure with the driver or their insurance companies), and photos of the accident as well as a detailed description of the damage. 

Contact Police and Ambulance

If you get involved in a car accident, the first thing you need to do is to contact the police and ambulance, and these are essential things to do. Here is why. Namely, police and medical reports are very important pieces of documentation if there is a lawsuit, or you have problems with the insurance companies to obtain the full coverage of your medical and damage bills. If you are not injured during the car accident, then you have a legal period of talking to the police, and it is 14 days depending on the state. On the other hand, if there is property damage, you need to talk to the police within five days after the accident. Drivers with reasonable insurance policies can make the claims on their policies, but the very process can be extraordinarily complicated and long. 

Hit By Uninsured Driver 

The special issues arise when you find out that the driver that hit you does not have insurance. Usually, you will get covered with their insurance since there is a special regulation where the driver at fault covers the insurance of the other. However, in some states such as Indiana, uninsured versus underinsured Indiana motorists usually have state coverage regulated by UM/UIM coverage regulations. This refers to the fact that if you own the insurance policy and the driver you got hit by does not, you can claim your UM/UIM coverage from the insurance company. On the other hand, the problem is that most drivers buy the policies without even understanding what are the benefits they have. 

What Should You Do If You Get Hit By an Uninsured Driver? 

Depending on who is at fault in this situation, there are different practices. If you are the one at fault, then you need to know that the other driver can make claims on your insurance policies. And besides, the fact that they are not insured will not change these circumstances. If you have a good insurance policy, you can also claim full coverage of your damage expanses. However, you still can pull the hidden card and sue them for not having the insurance policy.

No Claims Discount 

If you have no claims discount as part of your insurance policy, then it is important for you to know that if you get hit by an uninsured driver, then you will probably lose a part of your no-claims bonus. The reason for this is that the claim should be paid by your insurance company in case the driver you got hit by does not have the insurance to cover your medical and damage bills. But, it is vital for you to know what are the premises of your insurance since some insurance companies have no claim bonuses protected, and you will be paid the entire sum in case you get hit by an uninsured driver. 

Going through the stress of car accidents, being hit by a car, or even being involved in an accident with an uninsured vehicle is something that can cost you both health and money. You must be aware of the health insurance policies since there are some regulations and items that can help you gain some additional benefits such as no claim bonuses as well as the state claims for UM/UIM coverage. It is of vital importance to understand all the premises.