Driving is a privilege that comes with numerous annual expenses. You have to pay a vehicle registration charge to the Texas state government every year. You also have to pay to renew your driver’s license every few years. Beyond that, there are the actual costs for the vehicle and its maintenance, as well as the insurance required under state law.
Liability coverage is mandatory for all Texas drivers. Such insurance protects those who cause crashes from losing future income and current assets. It also protects those hurt in car crashes by providing them with compensation that a driver may not be able to afford out-of-pocket after causing a wreck.
Unfortunately, you are dependent on the other driver’s insurance policy for coverage in most collision scenarios where you are not at fault. Do you have to worry about a wreck caused by an uninsured driver?
There are some people who don’t comply with the law
Just like there are drivers who get behind the wheel after drinking or who post to social media while on the interstate, so too are their drivers who think nothing of violating the rules about their insurance coverage. If you get into a wreck caused by a driver who either intentionally canceled their policy or fail to make a payment, you won’t be able to make a claim against their insurance coverage.
Compared to much of the country, Texas actually has a low rate of uninsured motorists on the road. At least as of 2019, the most recent year with an analysis available, Texas was 40th in the nation for its rate of uninsured motorists. Only 8.3% of drivers are uninsured.
State law and your policy can help
Some drivers in Texas choose to pay more for insurance coverage so that they have protection in a broader range of circumstances. If you have uninsured motorist protection on your policy, you can make a claim against your coverage for the property damage and injury costs that the at-fault driver should have helped cover.
Many drivers do not invest in this supplemental coverage, which means that insurance won’t protect them after a crash. Instead, they will potentially need to file a civil lawsuit. Those with verifiable financial expenses stemming from a collision can make a claim in civil court for lost wages, hospital expenses and vehicle repair costs.
Understanding what protects you after a car crash caused by an uninsured motorist will help you limit the financial consequences you suffer because of that wreck.