On behalf of Law Offices of Kathleen G. Alvarado on Saturday, September 1, 2018.

It’s common knowledge that all California drivers require auto insurance before they go out on the road. California may not have as high of a fatality or accident rate in comparison to other states, but there are more accidents here in total due to the Golden State’s high population.

Unfortunately, several drivers do not obey the state’s law and purchase auto insurance for their vehicle. If a driver that has no insurance or is lacking in it crashes into someone and is at fault, it can be an awkward scenario that requires additional steps to fix the problem. Should you ever find yourself the victim of one of these motorists, you need prior knowledge of these situations to handle the accident properly.

Getting prior coverage

With no insurance company to contact from the former driver, you will have to rely on your own. Thankfully, there are different coverage options you can purchase prior to the accident that can help you recover financially as soon as you can. You can buy at least $1,000 of medical payment coverage in case you or your passengers receive any major injuries and collision coverage helps you when you are hit by another vehicle.

California also requires insurance companies to offer you uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. These plans help cover for injuries and damages should the other driver lack insurance to compensate for the accident.

Penalties for lacking insurance

If a California driver does not have any insurance in a crash, the state will fine them, suspend their license and impound their vehicle. All California motorists must legally have these minimum amounts of coverage:

  • $5,000 for property damage per incident
  • $15,000 for each person with injuries
  • $30,000 for bodily injuries per incident

A 2015 study shows that over 15 percent of California drivers lack insurance. Even though the guilty motorist should cover for your insurance, you should prepare extra coverage in your plan beforehand in case they are part of that percentage.

However, if the driver lacks insurance and your plan does not cover for everything, you should not have to deal with the consequences from their actions. You can also file a lawsuit against the other driver to get additional coverage as California is a tort state. It can help you obtain the medical compensation you deserve from potentially devastating injuries.