The fallout from a minor car accident is a hassle. The result of a serious or fatal car accident is life-altering. Whatever type of vehicle crash you’re in, if the other driver is underinsured, or they commit a hit-and-run, your underinsured motorist insurance coverage should protect you from being financially devastated. Unfortunately, not all insurance companies are working in your best interest.
Taking Responsibility for an Irresponsible Driver
There are thousands of underinsured drivers in Michigan, even though the law states that car owners must maintain a no-fault auto insurance policy. If you’re in a car accident with one of these irresponsible drivers who doesn’t have enough liability coverage, the financial burden falls to you, unless you have underinsured motorist insurance coverage.
Your underinsured motorist insurance essentially works like the coverage that an uninsured driver should have.
The driver who caused the accident must still take responsibility, and they may have a judgment against them, but trying to collect on those dollars and cents can be impossible. After all, if underinsured drivers don’t have enough auto insurance because they can’t afford it, that means there isn’t any money to be had to reimburse you for damages or medical expenses either.
That leaves you, the victim, to deal with insurance companies to try to avoid facing financial dire straits. But you should never try to take on an insurance company without the help of a Michigan car accident lawyer, whether it’s your own insurance company or someone else’s.
Why You Could Have Problems Getting Money from Your Insurance Company
It can be tempting to call your insurance company immediately after a car accident so you can get a claim going and a check in the mail before the bills for vehicle damage or medical expenses hit you. Rushing to get “help” from your insurance company, however, can backfire, especially if you’re not intimately familiar with the details of your policy and coverage.
Your underinsured motorist coverage can sufficiently cover you and your family should you be involved in a tragic accident. But, your underinsured coverage could be voided by the limits of another insurance policy. When this happens, you might receive less money than the amount you are entitled to.
It’s important to file the right claims after a Michigan car accident with an underinsured driver, or any driver, for that matter. Dealing with insurance companies can be a runaround, and the jargon and language that gets thrown your way during a traumatic time can have you willing to sign off on a payment even though it is far less than what you deserve to receive based on your insurance policy.
It isn’t possible to go back to the insurance company and ask for more money after your claim has been settled.
Contact Thurswell Law for a free consultation with one of our experienced vehicle accident attorneys. We know how to negotiate with insurance companies – your own and that of the underinsured motorist. Allow us to help you file the right claims, prove your damages, and show that your insurance policy covers your needs so you can be on your way to collecting your rightful benefits for medical expenses, pain and suffering, long-term wage loss, disability, and more.
We do not charge any fees unless you collect. Call (248) 354-2222 today to schedule your consultation.
