What to Do If You Get Hit by an Uninsured Driver
November 4th, 2020 by Fix Auto USA
If you’re involved in a car accident with someone without insurance, take a deep breath and try not to panic. If you stay calm, cool, and collected, you can handle the situation with ease.
What Happens If You Get Hit by Someone Without Insurance?
If you get hit by an uninsured driver, you should approach the situation virtually the same way you would any car accident. If possible, move your car to a safe location at least 100 feet away from the accident scene. Next, activate your car’s emergency flashers and check for any injuries. Provide first aid to anyone who was injured and call 911 to report the accident to authorities.
Once you properly report the accident and verify everyone’s safety, you should collect information from the other driver. Ensure a police officer takes your and the other driver’s contact information, so he or she can include it in the accident report. Do not accept cash, check, or any other form of payment to cover the cost of an accident.
You should take photos of any damage to your car that occurred during the accident. You should also get the contact information of any witnesses who saw the accident.
Make sure to notify your insurance company about the incident. At this time, you can share the other driver’s contact information with your insurance company. You should also give them information about the police that arrived on scene at your accident and the police report number.
A Closer Look at No-Fault and Tort Laws
How states handle accidents with uninsured drivers varies. Eleven states (and Puerto Rico) have “no-fault” regulations in place, and they stipulate that all parties involved in an accident split the damages, regardless of who is at fault. These states are:
- Florida
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Hawaii
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- North Dakota
- Utah
In states where no-fault laws are effective, you typically cannot sue the other driver after an accident unless significant damages or exorbitant medical bills arise as a result of the incident. However, your car insurance provider should pay at least a portion of the damages, even if the other driver lacks insurance coverage.
Other states follow tort law. Under tort law, the party responsible for an accident pays for any damages. If you get hit by an uninsured driver in a state where tort law is in place—and the uninsured driver is deemed responsible for the accident—you won’t be held responsible for damages. In this scenario, you can sue the other driver for damages. Or, if you have under-insured or uninsured motorist coverage included in your insurance policy, your insurer will pay for damages.
How Quickly Will You Be Able to Get Your Car Fixed After a Collision That Involves an Uninsured Driver?
You should never drive a car that has been severely damaged. If you’re involved in a collision with an insured or uninsured driver, you should still get your car fixed right away.
If your car doesn’t run after an accident, you can have your vehicle towed to a certified auto mechanic. This will allow you to get your car up and running once again.
If your car’s exterior was damaged during an accident, the auto body experts at Fix Auto can help. Our certified auto body professionals can repair damage to the bumper, windshield, and other exterior components at over 150 locations across the United States. To schedule a service appointment, please contact us online or call us today at 800.INFO.FIX.
This blog post was contributed by Fix Auto Palm Springs, a leading industry expert and collision repair shop servicing Palm Springs.
