Automobile accidents are annoying and traumatic sufficient, even when everybody has insurance coverage. Learn on to search out out what occurs in case you’re concerned in a automobile accident in California and don’t have auto legal responsibility insurance coverage, in addition to what to do on the scene of the accident.
Who Pays for a Automobile Accident If You Don’t Have Insurance coverage and You’re Not at Fault?
In the event you’re not at fault for an accident and don’t have insurance coverage, you possibly can count on to obtain a ticket for driving with out sufficient protection. Relying on whether or not you’ve been caught with out insurance coverage earlier than, you may be fined as much as $500. Whenever you consider extra penalties and costs, you may be paying as much as $1,000.
As well as, you may face license suspension for as much as 4 years and be required to file an SR-22 certificates. All of this may result in paying a a lot larger premium than you’ll have paid in case you already had an energetic coverage on the time of the accident.
So far as paying for damages, in case you’re not at fault, then it’s the opposite driver who pays for a automobile accident in case you don’t have insurance coverage. You’re entitled to make a declare with the opposite driver’s insurance coverage firm to cowl your medical payments in addition to restore prices to your automobile. Below California legislation, you possibly can select the physique store the place the repairs are completed.
Who Pays for a Automobile Accident If You Don’t Have Insurance coverage and You’re at Fault?
In the event you do trigger an accident and don’t have insurance coverage, the results are much more critical. Along with all the fines and penalties above, you’re nonetheless legally liable for masking medical payments and restore prices. However as an alternative of constructing a declare together with your insurance coverage firm, the opposite driver can sue you in court docket. Which means you’ll additionally have to pay for an lawyer, and chances are you’ll be discovered liable for added damages equivalent to misplaced wages, emotional misery, and future medical payments.
The opposite driver might have uninsured motorist protection (UMC). The sort of protection helps compensate the opposite driver if you’re at fault for an accident however don’t have any auto insurance coverage. And after the opposite driver makes a declare with their UMC insurance coverage firm, the insurance coverage firm might resolve to sue you for the cash they needed to pay! However remember that UMC protection is elective in California, and you’ll nonetheless be sued for the medical and restore prices that transcend the UMC coverage limits.
What to Do If You’re in a Automobile Accident and You Don’t Have Insurance coverage
In the event you’re concerned in a automobile accident in California and don’t have insurance coverage, listed here are the steps it’s best to take after the accident. Keep in mind that your main objective proper after the accident is to verify everyone seems to be secure and that the police arrive to take over. Solely later do you have to be fascinated about who pays for a automobile accident in case you don’t have insurance coverage.
Don’t Go away the Scene
Even in case you don’t have insurance coverage and the accident wasn’t your fault, keep on the scene of the accident. California has robust hit-and-run legal guidelines, particularly in case you injure or kill one other particular person. In the event you knowingly trigger property harm and go away the scene, you then might be fined as much as $1,000 and spend as much as six months in jail. That is on prime of paying for the harm you prompted.
In the event you knowingly injure an individual and go away the scene, the results are way more critical. You possibly can face a advantageous of as much as $10,000 and as much as three years in jail. In the event you kill or significantly injure somebody, you then’ll be charged with a felony hit-and-run, which can lead to much more jail time.
Examine for Accidents
The very first thing you’ll wish to do is to examine your self for accidents earlier than checking in your different passengers. In the event you or one other particular person are injured, dial 911 instantly.
Examine on the Different Driver
If each you and your passengers are OK, get out of your automobile and stroll over to the opposite automobile concerned within the accident. Be certain that the motive force and different passengers aren’t injured. If anybody is injured, name an ambulance instantly. Then name the police and clarify that there’s been an accident.
Determine Your self
Give your identify and present tackle to the opposite driver. Additionally, ask for the opposite driver’s identify, contact, and insurance coverage info. At this level, you don’t have to work together with the opposite driver anymore. Stroll again to your automobile and look ahead to the police to reach.
Don’t Admit Guilt
It’s in our nature to apologize even once we’ve completed nothing mistaken or when one thing occurs that we will’t management. It’s actually vital to withstand the urge to apologize to the opposite driver. Any more, it’s as much as the police, insurance coverage corporations, and the courts to resolve who’s at fault for the accident. You don’t wish to say or do something that could possibly be used towards you.
