Why You Shouldn’t Drive Uninsured in Texas
Whenever a driver gets into a car, there is a potential risk of getting into an accident and harming others. For this reason, it’s essential to have car insurance to cover potential damages.
Car insurance in the United States covers damages to your vehicle and protects you financially if you’re responsible for catastrophic injury or damage to another person.
In addition, insurance may cover medical bills for you or your passengers. That’s why if you were in a car accident and the other driver didn’t have insurance, it’s important to have uninsured motorist coverage. You should check to make sure you have it.
In fact, the most recent figures from the Texas Department of Insurance indicate that approximately 22% of the 17 million vehicles registered in the state are uninsured.
Without a doubt, having car insurance is one of your primary responsibilities as a driver in Texas. Legally, you can’t get behind the wheel of a vehicle until you have purchased car insurance.
What’s more, there are two good reasons why a driver should have adequate insurance:
- After an accident, the at-fault party will be responsible for paying the other party’s bills.
- Failure to have insurance could result in a violation with serious penalties.
What’s the Fine for Driving without Insurance in Texas?
Some drivers may get insurance solely to avoid legal penalties, as uninsured cars in Texas could face fines. Although driving without insurance isn’t a crime, it’s a traffic violation that can result in fines ranging from $175 to $350. It may also cause your annual driver’s license fee to increase $250 each year for the next three years.
One of the most serious consequences of driving an uninsured car in Texas is being held 100% liable for the victim’s damages. If you’re at-fault, a judge can take measures such as garnishing your wages until you’ve paid the victim’s medical expenses or property damage repairs.
In addition, the victim may have the right to file a civil lawsuit against the at-fault driver. If this situation applies to you, be sure to contact a car accident attorney.
Finally, you should be aware that you have two years from the date of the car accident to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver, according to the statute of limitations in Texas.
8 Things to Do after Getting into an Accident with an Uninsured Motorist
If you’ve been in a car accident caused by an uninsured driver, stand up for your rights. We recommend that you to do the following once you find out the person responsible doesn’t have insurance:
- Call the police to hold the at-fault party responsible for driving without insurance. They can issue a citation and possibly revoke the negligent party’s driver’s license.
- Take photos of the damage and the position of the vehicles before they’re moved. If you can’t, ask a passenger or independent witness to do it for you.
- Get information from the other driver. It’s also important to collect information from the police officers. Write down their badge numbers and the folio number of the police report.
- If the other driver doesn’t have insurance, he may want to negotiate with you to pay for repairs so that you don’t involve the authorities or your insurance provider. Doing so is risky. If the responsible party fails to pay, you won’t have a way to file for compensation.
- If you do have insurance, seek compensation through your own insurance provider. You can also work with an uninsured motorist accident lawyer to hold the at-fault driver responsible.
- Likewise, if you have insurance and the other driver doesn’t, contact your insurance company to ask if you have coverage for damages after an accident with an uninsured driver.
- If you don’t have coverage, sue for personal injury.
- File a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
What Are the Most Common Car Insurance Requirements in Texas?
Knowing how much car coverage you need is the first step to becoming a safe and responsible driver. If you purchased your first vehicle, you must get and maintain at least the minimum amount of insurance required by the state. In the case of Texas, a 30/60/25 coverage system is used.
- $30,000 in bodily injury coverage per person
- $60,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident
- $25,000 in property damage liability
If you weren’t aware of this information, you should purchase insurance immediately. In the event of a car accident, you could be personally liable for the victims’ losses. Plus, an insurance policy will allow you to avoid the loss of your own assets.
Remember that if the uninsured motorist refuses to pay you, the law protects you. You can sue to reclaim damages for the uninsured motorist accident.
You should be aware that this process will take time, so don’t hesitate to get the legal support of a car accident attorney to handle your case.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer
After an uninsured car accident, we recommend calling an experienced car accident attorney in order to negotiate with the other party, as well as advise you on what to do in your situation.
If you’re injured in a crash caused by an uninsured motorist, you can file a claim for compensation. You shouldn’t have to pay for your medical bills and car repairs.
At the George Salinas Injury Lawyers, we’ll help you build your car accident claim to negotiate the best settlement for compensation. Legal expenses can be costly, so you won’t pay us unless we win your case.
Get in touch with us and request a consultation for free!
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