Around the United States, one in every eight drivers doesn’t carry car insurance. Even though it’s legally required to carry insurance based on your state’s laws, many people don’t get a proper insurance policy. This can become very problematic when you get into an accident with someone who didn’t have insurance, and it’s important to know that the numbers in California are even higher.
According to an insurance Research Council 2021 study, a total of 16.6% of drivers in California don’t have insurance at all, making California come in the top 10 in terms of states where many people skip insurance. It’s likely that this number will continue to grow given that car insurance costs are increasing by over 18.9% one year to another. It is legally required for California drivers to carry car insurance and keep a copy of the card in their vehicle. Furthermore, if they get into an accident with someone else where significant damages or injuries have occurred, that driver needs to share their information, otherwise it may be considered a hit and run accident.
California’s minimum auto insurance requirements include:
- $5,000 for damage to property.
- $15,000 for injury or death to one individual.
- $30,000 for injury or death to more than one individual.
If you get into an accident with someone who was not carrying insurance or the proper amount of insurance, you may need to pursue other avenues for compensation if you get hurt in an accident. You may want to add uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage to your own car insurance policy to protect you in the event that this occurs so that you will not have to take on the brunt of medical bills. A person who doesn’t carry car insurance is unlikely to have significant assets that could potentially be tapped in a lawsuit.
Let a San Francisco car accident lawyer help you if you’re struggling to determine next steps following a major wreck.