Ohio law requires that all motorists carry car insurance, but that won’t stop some people in the state from ignoring the law and drive uninsured. When an uninsured motorist causes a car accident, or when a motorist is the victim of a hit-and-run crash, the fact that the at-fault motorist does not have car insurance or if it is not possible to track the hit-and-run driver down, can leave the victim concerned about how they will deal with the vehicular damage and medical expenses incurred due to the crash.
Fortunately, on their own insurance policies it is likely that motorists will have uninsured motorist coverage. This coverage pays for the policyholder’s injuries and sometimes damages caused by an uninsured motorist. Whether motorists must carry uninsured motorist coverage and how much of it they must carry varies by state.
An uninsured motorist is a person who caused an accident, but either has no car insurance, whose insurance coverage does not meet state-required liability amounts or whose insurer refuses or can’t pay for the damages the at-fault driver caused. Hit-and-run motorists are also generally deemed to be uninsured motorists.
Those involved in uninsured motorist crashes should file a claim with their own insurance company. An adjuster will perform an investigation, and after that the victim’s insurer may cover the policyholder’s damages. Keep in mind that if the policyholder was also negligent in causing the collision, their insurer may not cover the damages the policyholder incurred.
Uninsured motorist coverage on the victim’s car insurance policy comes into play in an uninsured motorist crash. It helps victims cover the expenses associated with the accident. In 2015, one out of every eight motorists in the United States did not carry auto insurance. This may seem like a lot of motorists are out there driving uninsured. While uninsured motorist coverage can be helpful in these situations, it may not cover all the losses the accident victim suffered, then it may be time to pursue a car accident injury claim.
