Austin Uninsured/Underinsured Car Accident

While recovering from any type of car accident is not easy, it’s even harder to get back on your feet when the other driver involved is illegally driving without insurance. Luckily, there may be other forms of insurance coverage available to pay for your medical bills and property repairs. You may need help from an Austin car accident attorney for this type of case.

What Are Texas’s Car Insurance Requirements?

Every motor vehicle operator in Texas legally must carry car insurance. State law imposes minimum required insurance amounts to help guarantee that every driver has the financial means to pay for accidents that they cause.

The required amounts of insurance in Texas are:

• Bodily injury and death coverage per person: $30,000
• Bodily injury and death coverage per accident: $60,000
• Property damage liability coverage: $25,000

Driving without adequate proof of financial responsibility is a legal offense that can result in a fine of up to $350. The driver may also have his or her driving privilege suspended until proof of insurance can be shown.

What Is Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Insurance?

Motor vehicle drivers have the option of purchasing additional types of coverage that are not required by law. Two options can protect a driver in the event of a crash caused by a driver who is unlawfully driving without insurance.

Uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) insurance coverage can pay for the policyholder’s medical bills and property damage if the other driver involved does not have insurance. It can also pay for a hit-and-run car accident.

In Texas, insurance companies are required to offer UM/UIM insurance to everyone who purchases a policy. This type of coverage must be rejected in writing by the purchaser. If you don’t remember rejecting this coverage, it may be on your policy.

What to Do After an Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Accident

If you get hit by a driver who does not have any car insurance in Texas or does not have enough insurance under state law, take the following steps to protect your legal rights:

• Call the police. The police should be notified after any car accident so that you can obtain a police report, but it is especially important to involve the police if the other driver is in violation of Texas’s insurance laws.
• Gather evidence. Get medical care immediately and keep copies of your hospital bills and medical records. While still at the scene of the crash, exchange information with the other driver and eyewitnesses. Take photos of the car accident.

• Call your insurance company. If the other driver does not have insurance, file a claim with your own insurer. If you do not have UM/UIM insurance, you may have other types of coverage – such as collision, comprehensive, or medical payment insurance – to pay your bills.

If you have trouble securing fair compensation from an insurance company, contact an attorney near you for legal advice and assistance.

How Hiring an Uninsured/Underinsured Accident Attorney Can Help You

Hiring an attorney to represent you as a car accident victim can have many advantages, especially if your case involves challenges such as an uninsured or underinsured driver. An attorney will search for ways to allow you to recover compensation for your losses, such as filing a first-party claim with your own insurer or holding a third party responsible.

An Austin personal injury attorney can handle the claims process for you while you concentrate on healing from your car accident injuries. If you were recently hit by an uninsured or underinsured motorist in Texas, contact FVF Law Firm for a free case consultation. Our attorneys collectively have over 100 years of experience representing car accident victims.