Your car accident may have left you with serious injuries and an uncertain future. Make sure you say you were hit by an uninsured driver since thatll affect the entire process. This article addresses your options in those cases. In accidents involving an uninsured driver, the mib advises that the accident should be reported to the police within 14 days for claims involving personal injury. But there are thousands of reasons why that is a bad idea.
Uninsured drivers must pay for all of their own vehicle damage. Making an insurance claim for underinsured or uninsured. This is designed to protect you in a car accident from other people who might be driving without car insurance. If your state has an insurance requirement, or if you are unable to comply with the insurance alternatives, you can still file a claim against an insured driver. If you are seriously injured in a michigan auto accident while driving your own uninsured car or truck, then. Uninsured drivers must pay for all of their own medical bills. The first question we will typically ask them is if they, or a family member, has uninsured. Heres what to do if someone who doesnt have car insurance hits your vehicle and damages it or injures you. Finally, nofault insurance covers residual liability, which refers to costs that come up when youre in an accident with a non michigan driver or an uninsured driver, or youre in an accident in another state. Now i have a bill from their companys subrogation dept.
If you are hit and injured by a driver with no insurance, you must have uninsured motorist coverage in order to be compensated for pain and suffering. Uninsured drivers cannot sue for pain and suffering damages. If your car is properly parked and hit by another car, the other drivers nofault coverage will pay for the damage to your car. There are millions of drivers on the road without insurance coverage. A hit and run driver also counts as uninsured as it relates to bodily injury umbi, though, not normally for property damage umpd. Hit by underinsured driver in michigan diana lewis for goodman acker. This is a nophoto license that limits the holder to driving only the vehicles stated on the license. Michigan motorists must always have proof of adequate insurance with them when on the road, and when theyre caught driving uninsured, the penalties can be steep. What if you are hit by an uninsured driver in the state. Uninsured drivers may also face increased potential liability in some nofault states. With michigan s no fault insurance, cellis medical bills will be paid for life, regardless of the fact that an uninsured driver hit him. Read on to find out what this means to michigan drivers. Uninsured motorcycle accidents in michigan collisions. If you or a loved one were hit by an uninsured motorist, your first step should be to file a.
What to know after a crash with an uninsured motorist call lee free. That is why it is essential to have the contact information of the other person. If you are injured in a hit andrun incident in indiana, call the police so that they can make an accident report and look for evidence at the scene. Underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage michigan auto. Uninsured motorist coverage in michigan property damage. What happens when im driving without insurance in michigan. Our ann arbor car accident lawyers recently filed an uninsured motorist lawsuit on behalf of our client who was rear ended while driving on heweitt road and michigan ave. Tips for handling an accident with an uninsured driver.
In mississippi, the study found, the rate of uninsured drivers was a national high of 28 percent, followed closely by new mexico, tennessee, oklahoma and florida. If an injured persons auto insurance policy includes uninsured motorist. Uninsured motorist coverage michigan uninsured motorist. Michigan nofault insurance is not required by law to cover any of the following. Uninsured motorist bodily injury um or umbi pays when an atfault driver causes a car accident. How to handle a car accident without insurance in michigan.
Uninsured drivers are not reimbursed for lost wages. That goes for all of us, and its a major reason why. Car accident lawsuits against the atfault driver in michigan. Uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance in michigan. What to do if you have a michigan accident with uninsured. However, if your car is hit while parked, the atfault driver is actually responsible for all of the damage to your car and providing a rental car if needed while its being repaired. Hey all, about a month ago i was in a small fender bender in a parking lot. Many of these states dont allow recovery for noneconomic losses such as pain and suffering if the driver is uninsured at the time of the accident, but. Uninsured motorist coverage is an optional component of your overall insurance. Penalties for driving without insurance in michigan the balance. Uninsured motorist property damage umpd covers damage to your car if its hit by.
A 2015 study from the insurance research council found that 1 in 8 american drivers are uninsured. In order to receive a financialresponsibility restricted driver license, you must file a partialpayment agreement and proof of financialresponsibility insurance with. Brief explanation of michigan nofault insurance state of michigan. Uninsured motorist insurance protection is optional under michigan law. Michigan state requires that each driver carry automobile insurance coverage to legally drive. Can an uninsured driver hit by an insured driver file a claim. Michigan uninsured motorists accidents no auto insurance. However, if the victim is more than 50% negligent in causing the accident, michigan law says the victim cannot recover any compensation for noneconomic loss. Uninsured motorist insurance protection is optional under michigan. Penalties for driving without insurance in michigan. Drivers without insurance put themselves and others at unnecessary risk. Uninsured motorist coverage applies when the injured person is injured by an at fault driver who does not have coverage to cover the damages they owe the. That cost could make you want to skip the coverage and take your chances. Whew now that you have all of the information you need, youll want to contact your insurance company to inform them of the accident.
And when you file a claim against the atfault driver, you may find out that he. I was hit by an uninsured driver approximately 2 weeks ago. If you or a loved one have any questions about the michigan nofault law, hitandrun accidents or uninsured motorist coverage, please call us at 1800leefree 18005333733. However, about 10 percent of drivers use an automobile without car insurance, per the insurance research council. Updated on tuesday, november 20 2018 by erika sommer. Its not rare to come across an uninsured driver on the road.
However, even under these circumstances, an innocent driver might be able to recover compensation for their losses. In fact, your chances of encountering an uninsured driver are fairly high because drivers often pay one insurance installment in order to get their license plates, then allow the mandatory insurance to lapse. Underinsured motorist coverage is protection related to injuries received from an accident where the other driver. Furthermore, while you might be able to seek compensation against an atfault driver and their insurance company, this becomes more difficult if the motorist was uninsured. Your options when hit by an uninsured driver in wisconsin.
Therefore, if youre involved in an accident, theres a significant chance the other driver will not have insurance. Below i discuss in greater detail each of the top 9 dangers of driving uninsured in michigan. If you or a loved one have any questions about the michigan nofault law, hit andrun accidents or uninsured motorist coverage, please call us at 1800leefree 18005333733. How an uninsured or underinsured driver claim works. It also offers coverage for costs if another driver sues you for an accident. As a result of the large number of michigan uninsured drivers, we get a lot of phone calls from people injured in car accidents asking what can be done if they are hit by an uninsured person. What happens if youre in an accident with an uninsured. An eligible person for automobile insurance is a person who is an owner or registrant of a car registered or to be registered in michigan or has a valid michigan driver s license based on michigan law mcl 500. If your car insurance policy doesnt include uim coverage, your options are limited. But what if you have car insurance and are injured in a michigan car accident, and the other driver is uninsured. If you are hit and injured by a driver with no insurance, you must have. A 2011 study by the insurance research council found that in 2009, about one of every seven drivers was uninsured.
If your car accident was caused by an uninsured driver, your uninsured motorist um coverage will kick in, if you have it. Uninsured motorist benefits michigan car insurance coverage. Hit by underinsured driver in michigan diana lewis for. Michigan state legislature ensures that the victims of a negligent uninsured motorist have a source of recovery for their thirdparty claims.
Uninsured motorist benefits michigan car accident insurance. What if the other driver doesnt have auto insurance. At michigan injury lawyers, were familiar with ui and uim insurance. Getting hit by an uninsured driver, or a driver that leaves the accident scene does not mean you dont have a case. An uninsured motorist clause is a provision commonly found in united states automobile insurance policies that provides for a driver to receive damages for any injury he or she receives from an uninsured, negligent driver. When an uninsured driver is hit by an insured driver they may still face some consequences for their lack of insurance. Theres no getting around it, michigan nofault auto insurance is expensive. Its estimated that 21% of all michigan drivers do not have the nofault insurance thats required by law. You will need to file the fees and initiate this process with the court. Uninsured motorist coverage michigan uninsured motorist coverage. Michigan uninsured motorists accidents no auto insurance crash. Its estimated that 21% of all michigan drivers do not have the nofault insurance.
But insurance laws vary from state to state, and so does the incidence of uninsured drivers. You may, however, purchase this additional coverage in michigan if you want it. In some cases, the michigan driver who hits you will have no insurance, even though michigan law requires all drivers to be insured. Michigan nofault car insurance laws and regulations all. Uninsured motorist laws are different in each state. According to a 2017 study by the insurance research council, one in eight drivers didnt carry insurance in 2015. Michigan lawmakers and drivers spent decades debating how to reduce the high cost of car insurance in the state. If you are in a car accident, there is a 1 in 5 chance that you may not be able to obtain full compensation from the atfault driver for your injuries. In some cases, however, the other driver may not have any or enough car insurance, or in the case of a hit andrun accident, you may not be able to identify the other driver at all. With the number of uninsured drivers and riders in michigan today, many people are involved in crashes with motorists with no insurance coverage. To cover damage to ones own car, a driver needs a collision insurance policy, which is optional in michigan. Michigans nofault insurance law only permits lawsuits against an atfault driver for pain and suffering or excess economic loss not for medical costs or lost wages unless the driver was uninsured.
Michigan im an uninsured jackass and someone hit my car. If youve been injured in a car accident in michigan and the atfault driver was uninsured or had minimal coverage, a skilled michigan personal injury attorney. The detroit accident lawyers at our firm are frequently asked by clients whethe. Um and uim insurance coverage michigan injury lawyers. In michigan, hit andrun drivers are given the same status as uninsured drivers. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage umuim and. This coverage compensates for your accidentrelated. Can i sue the atfault driver in a michigan car accident. Where to make a claim in michigan with uninsured drivers. How michigan car insurance will change in 2020 and what. Many michigan drivers do not understand the importance of uninsured motorist coverage.
Uninsured means the atfault driver carried no insurance at all at the time of the accident. Liability insurance is required for all drivers in the state wisconsin. In most states it is a criminal offense to drive without having your car properly insured. If you were hurt in a car crash with a driver who lacks auto insurance, call a lawyer who is wellpracticed in michigan uninsured motorists accident claims. Note that uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance policies will not pay for damage to a policy holders own car involved in an accident even if the policy holder was not at fault. Underinsured means the driver had insurance but did not carry enough to meet the full amount of the accident victims damages. Because they have no insurance or very little insurance, uninsured and underinsured drivers may sometimes become hit andrun drivers when they are responsible for accidents. What to do if youve been hit by an uninsured motorist. And even worse, you will be held personally liable in the event of a car accident. And getting into an accident with one of those drivers can end up costing you big. What to do if an uninsured driver hits you quotewizard. Michigan s nofault auto insurance law is the best in the nation at protecting you when an accident happens. If so, you might benefit from reaching out to a lawyer who has experience with handling uninsured motorcycle accidents in michigan.
If youre hit by an uninsured driver and dont carry collision or uninsured motorist coverage, you would have to pay your own repair bills or go after the atfault driver in court. Learn more about reporting an incident to your insurance company. Driving without insurance has consequences beyond being liable for damages if youre at fault in an accident. If you have reason to believe that the driver who hit you is uninsured, you should give your insurer notice as soon as possible, letting them know that you intend to file an uninsured claim. Top 9 dangers of driving uninsured in michigan michigan auto law. If youve been in an accident and one of the drivers was uninsured, the experienced attorneys at. What you need to know about uninsured motorist coverage. If you are involved in a michigan accident and the other person has insurance, you will need to get their information so you can file a michigan minitort claim to get your deductible reimbursed. Additionally, the longterm cost of driving uninsured can impact a persons financial future. Economic experts say the high cost of auto insurance in michigan hinders the states ability to retain talented employees and attract new businesses.