Houston car accidents are very common occurring at a rate of about 3,000 a week.

When you are in a car accident, you are left wondering who is going to pay your hospital bills, your lost wages and, who is going to pay to have your car repaired? Quickly figuring out the type of insurance coverage available is crucial to getting your life back on track. That includes, looking into what coverage you may have under your automobile insurance policy. Read also: Most Common Car Insurance Topics

Determining whether you will need to file an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim depends on the extent of the injuries of those involved in the car accident. When the negligent driver (driver at fault) either does not have insurance or, does not have sufficient insurance to cover the damages they have caused, it would be in the best interest of the car wreck victim to file a claim with their own insurance if the coverage is available. In other words, if you have uninsured or underinsured insurance coverage and you’re in car accident with a driver that has no insurance or, doesn’t have enough to pay the total of your damages, your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage could be used to pay for your damage. Unfortunately, it is very common that uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is not available because the injured party elected to reject this coverage when they shopped for automobile insurance. This is why it is important to understand that the types of coverage available to Texas drivers.

In Texas, insurance companies must offer you uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and, should you choose not to purchase it, the rejection must be in writing. If you never rejected it, it is presumed that you had this coverage at the time of an accident. Most often, we have seen that our clients elect to reject this coverage electronically. Electronic rejections are valid and, they would be found sufficient to establish the rejection of this coverage.

Types of Insurance Coverage for Car Accidents

• Liability: Under Texas Law, this is the coverage that every driver is required to have in case they are in a car accident and cause bodily injury to another person or physical damage to their vehicle or property. The minimum you must carry is ,000 (bodily injury per person), ,000 (per incident), ,000 (property damage). You’ll see this coverage referred to as a 30/60/25 minimum coverage policy.
• Medical Payments: This is no-fault coverage for medical bills you may have suffered in a car accident. This coverage is also available to your passengers.
• Personal Injury Protection: This coverage is similar to medical pay but, it also covers payment for lost wages and other bill not related to medical treatment.
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage: Coverage that can be used with the at fault driver does not have enough insurance or, does not have any insurance.
• Collision: Repairs or replaces your vehicle.
• Towing: Covers towing from the scene of the accident.
• Rental Reimbursement: Pays for your rental while your car is being repaired.

Filing your Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Claim

Imagine if you are in serious accident and you were not at fault but the other driver does not have insurance at all or, has a minimum policy (30/60/25) that does not pay all your bills. Are you going to be able to make up the difference out of you pocket? Usually, whether you have the money or not, most people would not want to be forced to pay for something when it was not their fault. This is why you would want to file an uninsured/underinsured motorist claim with your insurance.

Sometimes, clients are hesitant to file these claims because they do not want to see their insurance premium go up. The irony is that, if they have it, they have been paying extra premium for months and now when they need the coverage, they hesitate to use it because of cost. If you have it, it makes more sense to use it or, simply stop paying every month to have that coverage. It could help you get the medical attention you need a serious car accident. This coverage could pay for your medical bills, lost wages, physical pain and mental suffering, disfigurement and impairment. You cannot put a price on your livelihood and well-being. The car insurance market is strong, and you could always shop for better rates if they go up after an accident.

If you are involved in a car accident and need assistance determining what insurance coverage the other driver and you have to cover your damages, get the legal counsel that you need. At Sandoval Law Firm, PLLC we treat every client with the care and attention that they deserve. We are available to help you in your car accident case, call us at (346) 347-7777 for a free and informative consultation!

Some Auto Accidents Case Results Won for Our Clients

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