When you get into a serious motor vehicle accident, liability insurance helps you defray the costs associated with that crash. Under Georgia law, every driver who registers their motor vehicle must show proof of valid liability insurance as part of that process.
The minimum coverage amounts required under Georgia state law include:
- $25,000 worth of bodily injury coverage in the event of one injured party
- $50,000 for situations with two or more injured people
- $25,000 in property damage coverage for any single crash
Unfortunately, it is possible for you to cross paths with a driver who does not have an active insurance policy covering their vehicle. This can leave you vulnerable to financial hardship if they cause a crash that injures you or damages your property.
Your insurance might protect you if you have the right coverage
If you get into a crash with a driver who doesn’t carry active insurance on their vehicle, the first thing you want to do is review your own insurance policy. Most policies only protect you from the financial liability you incur if you cause a crash that damages someone else’s property or injures another person.
However, you can potentially have protection against a crash caused by a driver without their own insurance policy. Provided that you carry a rider to your policy that protects you in the event of a crash caused by a driver without adequate or active insurance, your liability policy will defray some of the costs you incur as a result of that uninsured driver’s irresponsible behavior.
If you don’t have the right coverage, you might need to take civil action
Those without uninsured motorist coverage and those with financial losses exceeding the amount of coverage for an uninsured driver crash may need to consider taking civil action against the driver involved. A personal injury lawsuit can help you recover verifiable financial losses, ranging from your lost wages to the cost of repairing your vehicle. While it is possible to manage a claim like this on your own, you might reap a larger settlement or judgment by seeking legal guidance.