There are certain things everyone knows to do after a car crash. Drivers usually check themselves and their passengers for injuries and then to exit the vehicle if they can. Calling for police and medical response is often the very next thing they do. Then, they will check on the people in the other vehicle involved and then begin the process of exchanging information.
Unfortunately, some other time, the other driver may hand you their driver’s license well sheepishly admitted but they don’t currently have insurance on the vehicle. In Arizona, that could be a big problem, because insurance coverage after a collision depends on fault. If they caused the crash, their policy is supposed to pay for your medical bills and damaged vehicle.
How likely are you to get into a crash with a driver who doesn’t have insurance?
Arizona has an average number of uninsured drivers
There seems to be a correlation between the cost of car insurance and the percentage of uninsured drivers. States with higher insurance costs have more drivers without active coverage. However, even in states with average insurance costs, there are still always drivers who let their policies lapse.
Arizona isn’t among the worst in the country, but that doesn’t mean that uninsured drivers aren’t a concern. Arizona is just about average at 24th out of 50 states for its total number of uninsured drivers. The Insurance Information Institute estimates that 11.8% of Arizona drivers do not have active policies on their vehicles. Just over one in ten other drivers could lack the necessary coverage to protect you and your passengers if they hurt you or wreck your vehicle.
What happens to you after a crash with an uninsured driver?
As you can probably guess, when someone lets their insurance lapse, you can’t make a claim against their policy. If you carry uninsured or underinsured driver coverage, you may be able to rely on your own policy. However, making a large claim will probably increase your insurance costs despite the crash not being your fault.
The only other option may be to file a personal injury claim against the driver who hit you. You can claim everything from your unpaid wages to your medical bills if there isn’t insurance to protect you from those costs. Knowing your options after a crash with an uninsured driver can make the process a little less stressful for you.