Every driver in Arizona should have liability coverage, but not every driver will have enough insurance if they cause a significant collision. It is quite common for people to focus more on what their coverage costs when they pay their premium than what a crash could cost.
It is easy to assume that just because you’ve never gotten into a crash, you will continue to avoid one indefinitely. Of course, many collisions won’t be the fault of something you do but rather the result of another driver’s behavior. In the aftermath of a crash that is clearly the fault of someone else, you will have the right to make a claim against their insurance coverage in most cases.
Unfortunately, you might realize that they don’t have enough insurance to fully reimburse you for your expenses. What coverage can you expect following a crash where you are not at fault?
Property damage coverage
Arizona law only mandates $15,000 worth of property damage liability coverage. If you have tried shopping for a used vehicle in recent years, you probably already realized that $15,000 won’t be enough to replace a vehicle declared a total loss after a collision.
In fact, $15,000 might fall short of fully compensating you for the repairs to your vehicle and its diminished resale value following a crash. The newer and nicer your vehicle is, the more likely another driver’s policy won’t offset your property damage costs.
Bodily injury coverage
Arizona does require more bodily injury liability coverage than property damage coverage. There are also two different policy limits depending on how many people get hurt. In a crash with one injured person, drivers should be able to provide at least $25,000 worth of bodily injury liability coverage.
Crashes that leave two or more people injured will have double that much protection available. The more serious the injuries are that you suffer and the more you earn at work, the greater the possibility that the insurance coverage for your injuries will not fully compensate you.
There are two ways for you to protect yourself from a scenario involving inadequate insurance after a crash. You can add additional coverage to your own policy. However, this will only help you if you take this step before a collision. Drivers already affected by a collision may have to explore civil litigation as a solution to cover their costs.
Understanding why some people have to go to court after an Arizona car crash can help you better examine your circumstances and decide the best solution.