Whenever you’re driving in Louisiana, something you have to think about is if other drivers are insured on the roads. If someone hits you and has little or no insurance, it could be very hard to collect compensation after the collision.
Something you can do to protect yourself is buying underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage. This coverage is helpful because it allows you to have financial coverage in the case that you get into a crash with someone who isn’t covered. With this option, you don’t have to worry if the other driver isn’t insured, because you have the coverage ahead of time.
An at-fault driver should pay but can’t always do so
Usually, an at-fault driver should be the one to pay for an accident. Unfortunately, they may not have enough insurance coverage to do so. You might run into low policy limits, for example, or find that they have no insurance at all.
While you would have the right to look into filing a lawsuit against the driver directly, the likelihood of getting all the compensation you would need would be low.
Underinsured and uninsured coverage may come together
You need to buy uninsured motorist or underinsured motorist coverage in Louisiana according to the state statute. The nice thing about getting insurance coverage is that uninsured and underinsured coverage tends to be bundled together. That means that you can have coverage for both scenarios and feel more secure whenever you’re traveling through Louisiana.
How much coverage should you get?
You can get policies for a number of amounts. You may want to opt for a higher amount than you would otherwise, especially if you know that there are a great number of people around you who drive without insurance. Your coverage could be the difference between having enough to pay your medical bills and having to figure out how to pay down your bills on your own without the support you should have.
In any case, you can make a claim against an at-fault driver. Doing so could help you get at least some compensation, even if your own policy has to be used to protect you further.