The ordeal of going through an automobile accident is bad enough with property damage and possibly life-changing injuries to deal with, but it gets even worse when you find out the other party did not even possess liability insurance to cover your damages. The problem of uninsured drivers is why the state of Virginia requires its motorists to carry uninsured motorist coverage, which can help out in the event you are struck by an uninsured driver.
Wallethub explains that uninsured driver coverage gives you a way to cover yourself in place of the liability coverage that the other driver should have possessed. Uninsured coverage allows you to pay off property damage and medical costs up to the limits set forth in your policy. Since uninsured coverage may be divided specifically into coverage that handles only injuries and coverage that pays for property damage, be aware of what policy you are purchasing.
In some cases, Virginia motorists get into an accident with someone who does possess insurance, but just not enough to cover all medical and property damages. Virginia law has an answer for this scenario as well by requiring drivers to carry underinsured coverage. Underinsured coverage works by allowing the other party to pay for damages up to their policy limit and then supply the rest of the coverage.
The state of Virginia requires its drivers to carry uninsured coverage with certain liabilities set for people, property and accidents. Bodily injury is set at $25,000 for every person that is hurt. Accident coverage is mandated at $50,000. Property damage should be covered up to $20,000 with a deductible of $200. These numbers are also the case for underinsured motorist coverage.
The complications of being struck by an uninsured or underinsured driver may necessitate asking a professional car accident attorney for advice, since the other driver might also be personally liable for injuries you and your passengers sustain in an accident. Because auto accidents happen in many different ways, do not consider this article as legal advice; it is only intended for educational benefit.