Some people are lucky in that they can go carless in their lives, never needing to worry about purchasing, or leasing a vehicle, filling it with gas, insuring it, or paying costly repair bills when things go wrong. For most people, cars are an absolute necessity to get to work, school, stores, and the homes of friends and family; as a result, all of those aforementioned costs come into play.
Insurance is a necessity to protect yourself, anyone else in the car with you, the vehicle itself, and others on the roads. If you were to end up in a Mississippi car accident, having insurance makes sure you’re covered for damages and can repair your vehicle, the other party’s damages, or replace a vehicle entirely if it is totaled. Insurance isn’t always cheap, it’s affordable in most cases (assuming you don’t have a risky driving record filled with accidents and infractions, or if your car isn’t expensive/at risk of vandalism), but it usually isn’t cheap. Then again, neither is paying for an incredible damaged vehicle, or medical bills from injuries as a result of an accident.
So what happens if you’re involved in a car accident and the other party doesn’t have insurance, or is underinsured to cover the cost of all the damages to your vehicle and anyone who sustained injuries? Firstly, you’ll want to call a Mississippi car accident lawyer to help you protect your goths and avoid incriminating yourself for any undue blame or responsibility in the accident. Secondly, assuming you didn’t waive the coverage, you’ll want to pat yourself on the back for choosing uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance on your vehicle in preparation of just such an event.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is actually a Mississippi state law, stating that it must be provided in every insurance policy and the only way to waive that coverage is in writing. In the event of an accident with an uninsured, or underinsured, motorist with the coverage option, you would file a claim with your insurance company and they will cover the damages for your vehicle and any injuries you, or anyone else in the vehicle, sustained. Without the coverage option, or if you are an uninsured driver, the cost responsibility falls on you to cover.
What You Should Do If You’re Involved in an Uninsured or Underinsured Accident
You should immediately confirm the wellbeing of all parties involved in the accident and call the proper authorities if anyone is injured so they can receive treatment. Next, collect all possible information from parties involved and contact our offices to speak with a Mississippi car accident attorney to help you through the process. You may be questioned by insurance agents looking to place blame on you, so it is best to refrain from answering questions until you have discussed your options with us. From there, we will investigate the accident and advise you on best practices to protect your rights and seek any compensation for your damages.
For more information, now and be sure to enroll in uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage through your insurance agency to protect yourself from any possible negative outcomes down the road.
