Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage helps you if you can’t get the compensation you need from the driver who causes a crash. Do you need to carry uninsured motorist coverage in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania drivers need liability coverage in case they are at fault for a crash and no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) in case they get hurt or a passenger in their vehicle gets hurt. There are other kinds of motor vehicle insurance coverage that are available but optional.
Drivers have the option of increasing how much coverage they have in the event of a crash. Many drivers carry ten times what the state requires for liability coverage or even more. Other drivers will add additional forms of coverage to their policies. Collision and comprehensive coverage are both popular, as is uninsured or underinsured motorist protection.
Uninsured Coverage for Negligent Drivers
Although it is against the law, some drivers get behind the wheel without an active policy. When compared with most other states, your risk of a wreck with an uninsured driver in Pennsylvania is relatively low.
The Keystone State ranks 46th in the nation for the percentage of drivers on the road without insurance. Only 6% of Pennsylvania drivers do not have at least the minimum coverage required by state law. In plain English, that means that you have a roughly 1 in 20 chance of the driver who caused your crash not having insurance on their vehicle.
If that happens, you may only have your PIP coverage unless you invested in more. If you already added uninsured motorist protection or collision coverage to your policy, your insurance will protect you after a wreck. If you don’t have that coverage, does that mean you are left with the bills even though you aren’t the one who broke the law?
Suing an Uninsured Driver in Pennsylvania
You absolutely do not need to absorb the financial cost of a crash caused by someone without any insurance coverage. Pennsylvania law permits people to file personal injury claims when they suffered property damage losses or physical injuries because of someone else’s actions or negligence.
Learning more about what protects you in the event of a car crash can help you protect yourself before one or assert your rights after one. Contact an Easton car crash law firm to learn more.
