In California, drivers are required to have at least a 15/30 insurance policy. This means that your insurance will cover up to $15,000 worth of bodily injury incurred by a single person and a maximum of $30,000 for all the people who were injured as a result of your negligence while driving.

Believe it or not, it’s quite common to be involved in a car accident with an uninsured driver. In fact, California consistently ranks at the top of states with the most uninsured drivers. Around 15% of drivers in California occupy the roads without auto insurance.

So, what happens when the driver that hit you doesn’t have insurance?

Typically, there are two routes you can take to be compensated for your injuries when the other driver doesn’t have insurance: You can sue the other driver personally or use your uninsured motorist coverage.

Suing the Other Driver Personally

Assuming that the facts are on your side and it’s evident that the other driver was at fault, you have the option of filing a lawsuit against the other driver. However, what are the chances of someone driving without insurance having money to pay you? As you may already know, lawsuits can be expensive and time consuming. In this scenario, you may win in court, but now you have to overcome the hurdle of collecting money from someone who probably doesn’t have money to pay you. But hey, you never know, maybe the other driver is a millionaire who just so happens to drive without insurance…likely not.

Using Your Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured Motorist Coverage covers you if you’re involved in an accident where the other driver doesn’t have auto insurance. In California, uninsured motorist coverage isn’t required, but it’s an option that you can choose to have in your policy. If you made the decision to choose this option, kudos to you, you can utilize this coverage to compensate you for the injuries you suffered as a result of the other driver’s negligence on the road.

If you were involved in a car accident and the other driver didn’t have auto insurance, call Mercado & Sacramento, PC now. We’ll explain what your options are and the best course of action to take.

Contact us now at (510) 340-4LAW.