As many as one in every eight drivers in California are driving without automobile insurance.
After the initial shock of the accident wears off, many people become angry about the harms caused by another driver’s carelessness. That anger often turns to frustration when you discover the at-fault driver does not have insurance. What are your options?
Thankfully California and many other states require car insurance companies to offer uninsured motorist coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage, or sometimes called “UM” is a type of coverage to cover you, your passengers, and even your dependents or those the injured person cares for, in some situations. Under certain facts, uninsured motorist coverage may also provide coverage in hit-and-run type accidents.
When the at-fault driver or even the owner of the car driven by the at-fault driver does not have insurance, that is when having uninsured motorist coverage can be your first and best option. Think of it as if your insurance company “steps into the shoes of the uninsured driver or car owner.” You now look to your insurance to pay for the harms and losses caused by the at-fault driver or owner who was not responsible enough to follow the law and drive with car insurance.
In most cases where the at-fault driver is 100 percent at fault, your insurance company will not count the claim against you. California uses a sliding scale to determine the percentage of fault to spread fault among all the at-fault parties. If you are partly at fault, even if it is a modest amount, payment of your claim may be reduced by that amount of fault by your insurance company in an uninsured motorist claim.
California law requires drivers to have enough insurance to pay up to $15,000 to an individual person for bodily injury up to a minimum of $30,000 per accident for bodily injury. The minimum amount of coverage to damage to your personal property, like your car, rental car, car contents, etc. in California is $5,000. These are the same limits your policy has to offer in uninsured motorist coverage. This allows most drivers to drive knowing there are at least these minimum amounts of coverage available to them when hit by an uninsured driver or oftentimes in the case of hit-and-run accidents.
You can also buy higher limits or uninsured motorist coverage above the minimum amounts. Usually, the amount of your uninsured motorist coverage can be no higher than the amount of liability coverage, or coverage to pay for injuries and damages caused by you.
While it is nearly impossible to predict what an automobile insurance company may do if you submit an uninsured motorist claim, it stands to reason that your rates should not increase if the accident was not your fault. Since your insurance company steps into the shoes of the uninsured driver, the accident should be treated as if you did nothing to cause the claim for insurance rate purposes. If your insurance company does raise your rates because of an uninsured motorist accident that was in no way your fault, you may wish to consider “voting with your pocketbook” and comparing rates for the same coverage with other insurance companies.
Contact us today at (559) 436-0850 to schedule a free consultation. Or learn more by reading about why our clients choose us.
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My job starts when I leave home…Two cars hit me head on… Out of all the attorneys on Youtube, Frank M. Nunes at Nunes Law stood out… Frank told me that after meeting he thought that he could help me with my case… Frank helped me get a workers’ comp attorney…Frank worked with my worker’s comp attorney…Frank worked hard on my case. He took the time to explain everything to me. Frank really got my case going. He got results. He settled out of court. I was very satisfied with the settlement. Frank did a fantastic job. Thank you, Frank
My daughter and I were looking for an attorney after being involved in a car accident. After reading many exceptional reviews about The Law Office of Frank M. Nunes, we contacted them. We went to an interview and were very impressed. We would suggest that if you are looking for an attorney who is honest, straight-forward, and very personable, who will get the most for your injuries, then look no further. Frank Nunes is the attorney for you!
I have worked with a number of attorneys over my 73 years. When I found myself a victim of a rear end auto accident and with Insurance Companies giving me the good old run around treatment, I knew I needed help. Dreading to talk with one of the attorneys I used in the past because I deemed them as big a problem as I was encountering, I decided to look for a new face to represent me. I found Frank Nunes and his staff of professionals, from the moment I met and counseled with them they helped me get my life back on track both physically and legally. If I ever need a counselor for any legal matter in the future, I will be seeking the advice and counsel of Frank Nunes and his staff of professionals.
Thanks, Frank and all your staff, for all your help both personally and legally.
We were looking for a lawyer for a lawsuit against a woman who hit me with her car. … Frank was able to collect from her insurance and our insurance, which was very helpful for us. Frank and the secretaries in the office were very good at helping me stay calm and confident. …
You walked me through every procedure of the lawsuit [and] cared and worked for us to come out of this suit with something that would help us.
Frank and his staff care for their clients and that means so much to us!!
[Frank Nunes] came highly recommended by an insurance company employee who knew [him].
Mr. Nunes is very knowledgeable about the field of auto accidents; he is very practical and pragmatic. His patience is amazing and he can explain the details and nuances of a case with clarity. He works very hard for his clients!
[He was] very good to listen to the accident situation and to offer counsel and advice about what to do next and where to go for the needed medical treatment. [He was] willing to listen to the concerns we had about the accident and the insurance process. [He] made every effort to get us a fair and reasonable settlement in a timely manner. [He was] very straight-forward and realistic.
We were looking for a lawyer because we had a serious car accident and when we met Frank Nunes we felt comfortable and we knew he was trust worthy. We would recommend Frank Nunes in a heart beat. He helped us with the bills that were coming in and [gave] us guidance in what to do.
You are the best! [You are] trustworthy and so helpful. You answered all of my questions and kept me in the loop with my case.
I was involved in an automobile accident. And heard of your reputation and was please to know u were a former Selma bear.
[Frank Nunes] is the best out there and he will get the job done. [He] kept in close contact made sure I was taken care of.
[Nunes Law was] easy to work with and I got a good [auto accident] settlement. [They] took care of everything with no hassles.
Mr. Nunes is very good at his job. He even continued to help me after he got paid and even just checked in to see how I was doing.
[I] had a trip and fall and [on a stone paver in a large retail store], but chose not to resolve for [their minimal offer]. [I] found Frank Nunes in an on line search.
Mr. Nunes took a personal interest in my case and the affect this injury caused me and my family. I know very little about navigating a legal action. Mr. Nunes navigated for me, but also explained and updated me throughout the process.
Mr. Nunes is professional & personable. His office staff is fantastic. It’s a win-win!
We represent clients injured in tractor-trailer crashes as well as auto accidents. Contact us today at (559) 436-0850 to schedule a free consultation. Or learn more by reading about why our clients choose us. We offer free consultations. There is no fee if there is no recovery.
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