Given the dangers of everyday driving and the state requirements for individual auto insurance coverage, drivers across Arizona pay for bodily injury liability insurance as a standard bill but are oftentimes unsure of what it actually covers.
It’s important to know what this type of insurance covers in the event you’re in an accident and working to determine what’s covered and what’s not.
What Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Covers
This insurance may cover:
-Medical expenses (emergency services, hospital care, follow-up visits, etc.) incurred by someone else if you cause an auto accident.
-Another party’s compensation for lost wages and income. If you cause an injury severe enough that causes someone else to miss work or makes him/her unable to perform normal work functions they could do pre-accident, coverage could help pay for this.
-Legal fees related to any court action taken by either party.
Each policy has different limits to what the insurance company will pay out for any of the above. These limits can vary per injured person and/or per accident.
In Arizona, the minimum bodily injury liability insurance a driver must carry is:
– $25,000 for bodily injury per person
– $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
– $15,000 for property damage per accident
How Insurance is Involved in a Personal Injury Suit
If a personal injury suit is filed, an insurance adjuster will look at total medical expenses incurred (plus potential future ones), lost income, “pain and suffering” and other effects to determine a potential settlement number they may offer the party filing the suit.
Insurance companies will never pay more than the maximum amount of liability insurance carried by the defendant. Their lawyers will also take an in-depth look at the viability of the plaintiff’s case and may raise or lower their settlement offer based on the facts of the incident.
Keeping photographs, records, receipts, and documentation of anything related to an accident is absolutely crucial if legal action is an option you’re considering.
Whether you’ve caused an accident or are a victim, it’s important to speak with a qualified personal injury attorney before agreeing to any settlement. Insurance companies are typically looking out for their own interests and not those of anyone involved in an accident. To learn more through a free consultation, call Rabb & Rabb, PLLC today at (520) 888-6740.
