Safety should be your top priority behind the wheel. Everything from how you drive to the auto insurance you carry helps protect you from the worst possible physical and financial consequences of a major car crash.
Unfortunately, not everyone on the North Carolina roads will be as responsible as you are. Some motorists will get behind the wheel after drinking or will text while driving. Others may let their car insurance policies lapse because they figure they won’t get caught. If someone without a car insurance policy hits you and wrecks your car, what happens then?
You have two possible options when hit by an uninsured driver
North Carolina is one of the best states in the country for its rates of uninsured drivers. It’s 41st, which means 40 states have more people on the road without coverage. Still, you can’t ignore the risk that comes from about 7.4% of all drivers not having insurance on their cars.
That means that just over one out of every 13 drivers whom you encounter won’t have active insurance on their vehicles. If one of those drivers wrecks your car, you won’t be able to make a claim against their inactive insurance policy. Instead, you may have to make a claim against your own uninsured motorist coverage (if you paid for that additional protection).
If you don’t, your only option may then be a civil lawsuit. You can take the other driver to court and seek lost wages, repair costs and any medical expenses you incurred because of the crash they caused. Knowing your rights after a car crash can help you keep a collision from having a long-term impact on your finances.
