In addition to following all the rules of the road and looking out for other people near them, drivers in Arizona are also expected by state law to protect themselves financially while driving as well. This means all motor vehicle owners in the Grand Canyon State have to purchase and maintain a car insurance policy in good standing so that if they end up in a wreck with someone else, that other person can seek compensation for crash-related losses through their liability insurance coverage.
Unfortunately, not every person complies with this law, and others technically meet the minimum requirements but still have bad insurance that will not end up covering much after a collision. Either way, uninsured/underinsured car accidents in Tempe can be a huge hassle to deal with, and support from a knowledgeable car accident lawyer can be vital to minimizing additional stress after this sort of wreck while also ensuring you get paid as much as possible for your damages.
Insurance Requirements for Motor Vehicle Owners in Tempe
Under Arizona state law, every driver must have liability insurance coverage providing at least $25,000 worth of coverage for a single person’s injuries, $50,000 for all injuries, and $15,000 for property damage stemming from any one collision. Unlike some other types of car insurance coverage, liability coverage only kicks in if the policyholder is found to be at fault for causing a crash, which is why it is sometimes referred to as “fault” coverage.
Of course, individual policyholders can choose to pay more in insurance premiums per month in order to get more insurance coverage beyond these minimums, including things like collision and comprehensive coverage which would reimburse the policyholder for the costs of repairing damage to their own vehicle. If someone does not have the minimum required amount of liability insurance coverage, that does not automatically make them at fault for any wreck in Tempe they end up involved in, but it does open them up to substantial legal sanctions as well as personal financial liability for losses stemming from that wreck.
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
One other optional type of insurance coverage that auto insurance providers must offer to policyholders is uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. As the choice of terminology suggests, this type of coverage is designed specifically to make up for gaps in coverage after an accident caused by another driver’s failure to purchase enough liability insurance to cover all accident-related losses.
UIM coverage usually matches whatever amount of coverage is provided by the policyholder’s liability insurance, and while it is not included automatically in every policy, policyholders must opt out of it in writing in order to have it removed from their policy and not incorporated into their monthly premium. A qualified attorney can help determine whether a particular policy includes this type of coverage and, if so, help make the most of that coverage following a crash in Tempe involving an uninsured or underinsured driver.
Get Help From a Tempe Attorney with an Uninsured/Underinsured Car Accident Claim
Uninsured motorists are not just breaking the law—they are also putting everyone around them at risk of suffering serious harm in a wreck which they may have no means of recovering from financially. Needless to say, this is an exceptionally frustrating problem to find yourself facing after a wreck that was not your fault, and one which can be very difficult to overcome on your own.
You have support available after an uninsured/underinsured car accident in Tempe from dedicated legal professionals who are not afraid to litigate if necessary to get the best possible case results for injured people. Call Phillips Law Group today to discuss your recovery options with a member of our legal team.
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