My 20-plus years as an auto accident lawyer in the Philadelphia area have taught me that
many motorists don’t know their car insurance policy details. The problem is easy to understand: it’s much easier to renew a policy than it is to study its changes, options, and fine print.
Yet staying on top of your insurance policy is one of the best ways you can help protect yourself and/or your family in the event of an accident. And while nobody wants to sit down and read through pages and pages of insurance mumbo-jumbo, it’s important to know your coverages, limits, and deductibles. So in this post, I’ll share with you some practical tips about car insurance coverage you should look for in your policy.
Standard or Non-Standard Insurer?
If you are involved in multiple at-fault accidents, usually more than two or three, your insurance company may choose not to renew your policy. This means that they will terminate coverage on your vehicle on your next renewal, leaving you to have to find new coverage with a non-standard auto insurer, which is a company that insures higher risk drivers.When you are forced to take insurance with a non-standard insurer you are likely going to have to pay a surcharge for each at-fault accident you are involved in.
Check for Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Most auto insurance policies have what is known as uninsured motorist coverage (UM). This covers you when another driver caused the accident, but has no insurance, or has less insurance than you do.Your own uninsured motorist coverage is there to protect you when you are injured by an uninsured driver. This protection covers medical bills, damage to car/property, as well as pain and suffering.
Be Wary of Accident Forgiveness
A popular coverage both in Philadelphia and nationally is called accident forgiveness. Under this type of policy, your rates will not go up for your first at-fault auto accident.
While the benefit is clear, you should be very careful to read the fine print about subsequent accidents. By how much your rates go up depends on your insurance company. As each company differs how much they charge.You could see increases of 10% to 50%.
Accidents Caused by Someone Else: Hire an Accident Attorney
In the vast majority of Philadelphia area auto accidents, there’s an insurance company on the other side. This company provides coverage to the person or business that caused your injury, and now it is facing a claim. Of course, it doesn’t make profits by paying out claims, and so their claims representatives have one clear goal: to avoid making payment. If they can’t avoid making payment altogether, then they’ll aim to minimize the amount they have to pay.
This is where a knowledgeable auto accident attorney can help. Using Philadelphia as an example, we’re experts in federal, Pennsylvania, and city laws. This enables us to better negotiate with the at-fault insurance company and win a higher settlement.
If you live in greater Philadelphia and have been involved in a car accident through no fault of your own, my law firm can help you recover fully from any injuries you’ve suffered. Call (267) 627-4JOE (267-627-4563) or visit www.joemitchellattorney.com to schedule your free initial consultation.
