There is nothing more frustrating and can ruin your day faster than a car accident, especially when the other driver does not have auto insurance. Even though Utah law requires every driver to carry adequate car insurance, people find themselves in wrecks with another driver who does not have it.
That leaves the question, “What happens if I am in an accident, and the other driver has no car insurance?”
Continue reading to learn what to do when you are in an automobile accident with an uninsured driver.
Current Utah Law
Utah law requires that all drivers have a minimum amount of car insurance. Failing to carry insurance can lead to severe penalties that can include fines and even time behind bars. Utah is a no-fault state, meaning your auto insurance pays injury claims up to a certain amount, regardless of who is at fault. According to NerdWallet, Utah’s bare minimum requirement is:
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- $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $65,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $15,000 property damage liability per accident
- $3,000 personal injury protection
The Do’s and Don’ts
Here are a few tips you might want to follow after a crash with an uninsured driver:
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- Do Call the Police — Whether the other driver has auto insurance or not (but especially if they do not have it), you should always call the police so an official report can be filed.
- Do Not Accept Money — An uninsured driver may try to offer you money in lieu of calling the police, filing a report, and taking out a claim with your insurance. Do not take their money no matter how good the offer may seem. At this point, you do not yet know what damages or injury costs will be.
- Do Exchange Information — Even though they do not have insurance, you will still want to exchange information. Get their name, phone number, address, vehicle make and model, and license plate number. Additionally, grab any witnesses’ contact information.
- Do Not Forget Photos — Take pictures of the accident, the damage done to both cars, injuries, and traffic signs. Taking photos on your smart device is also a timestamp that may come in handy down the way.
- Do Collect Details — Make sure to gather as many descriptive details of the incident as you can. Write down when and where the accident occurred, get the other driver’s vehicle information, the name and badge number of the officer who responded to the call, and any additional information you find pertinent.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Grab the detailed notes you made about the accident and contact your insurance company as soon as possible to inform them you were in an accident with an uninsured driver. They will want to know the date, time, location, police report number in addition to many other details. Thankfully, you took notes!
Contact Bear River Mutual Insurance
Unfortunately, life is full of unpredictable events. Prepare for the unexpected with Bear River Mutual Insurance. Contact the professional team at Advance Insurance for a fast and free auto insurance quote today.
