Posted on Monday, December 4th, 2017 at 12:29 am    

Driving anywhere in California can be tricky, especially during the holidays when traffic is heavier than other times of the year. If you drive in California, you are required to have minimum liability car insurance coverage. California is an at-fault state for motor vehicle accidents.

Therefore, if you cause a crash, you are responsible for the payment of any damages incurred by others injured in the accident. Liability insurance pays those damages up to your policy limits. In California, the minimum policy limits for bodily injury are $15,000 for injury to one person and $30,000 per accident. Drivers must also have a minimum of $5,000 in coverage to pay for property damages.

Other Types of Car Insurance You Might Want to Purchase

Even though you might not be required to purchase additional car insurance coverage, you might want to consider other types of insurance to protect yourself if you are injured in an accident. Below are three types of car insurance you may want to discuss with your insurance agent. In many cases, the potential benefits outweigh the cost of the insurance coverage.

Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist Coverage

We want to believe that all drivers obey the law regarding insurance requirements.  However, this is not always the case. If you are injured in an accident with an uninsured driver, you could be responsible for thousands of dollars in damages. However, if you have uninsured motorist coverage, your insurance company pays for your damages as if it covered the at-fault driver.

Underinsured motorist coverage works similarly. Even a minor injury could easily result in more than $15,000 in bodily injury damages. If the driver has minimum insurance, you can only recover $15,000. Any medical bills or other damages above the minimum coverage would be your responsibility. Underinsured motorist coverage pays the difference between what you receive from the other driver and the total of your damages.

Personal Injury Protection Insurance

When you are injured in a car accident, the other driver’s insurance company will not pay any amount until you are ready to settle the claim.  If you are out of work for several months and you incur thousands of dollars in medical bills and other costs, you will not receive any money until you sign a release and settlement. However, you do not want to settle the claim until you are sure you have recovered fully from the injuries.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) can help pay medical bills and lost wages while you are waiting to settle your claim. Your PIP insurance pays a portion of these damages, regardless of who is at-fault for the crash. Therefore, even if you caused the crash, you could still file a claim against your PIP insurance coverage.

GAP Insurance

GAP insurance is very important if the loan on your vehicle exceeds the value of the vehicle. You are only entitled to receive compensation for the value of your vehicle. This could be a problem if you have a loan on the vehicle or the other driver has minimum property damage coverage.

GAP insurance pays the difference between what is owed on the vehicle and the fair market value of the vehicle. GAP insurance can prevent you from owing a substantial amount of money on a vehicle that has been totaled.

Call a Sacramento Car Accident Attorney for a Free Appointment

If a negligent or careless driver caused you to be injured, we want to help. For a free legal consultation with a Sacramento car accident attorney, call The Tiemann Law Firm at (916) 999-9000 or visit our website.  Our personal injury law firm serves clients in Sacramento, Folsom, Roseville, El Dorado Hills and other communities in the greater Sacramento area.

Client Testimonials

Hanna Padilla Testimonial
Quote

From the very start of my case the Tiemann Law Firm was wonderful. Perter came all the way to my home to sit down and talk to me about my options. He made me and my partner feel very comfortable and promised us he would take the very best care of my case. Peter kept me informed every step of the way and was always on top of things. everything was done in a timely manor and I always felt like I was the only case he was working on because he was so fast. In the end Peter got me back way more money than I ever expected. I would recommend this law firm to everyone. I am very happy with the outcome of my case thanks to the Tiemann Law Firm! Thank you!

Star Fire Testimonial
Quote

It is hard to put into words the care and dedication that I received from the Tiemann’s. They have been here for me every step of the way and were always available when I had questions or concerns. My husband and I will be forever grateful for everything they have done for us and our family. Thank you so much for all of the hard work and time you have put into my case, we greatly appreciate it and your friendship. We highly recommend this firm and will always be thankful for everything they have done. Thank you so much again, Kim

Maye Ly Testimonial
Quote

I just saw my lawyer Jelena Tiemann on a t.v ad, which reminded me how much she helped when I was in a desperate situation. I just love her! That is why I feel a need to tell everyone. I had a situation that happened & didn’t know what to do, our where to go. I didn’t even know if she could help me or if any lawyer could. All I wanted was it to go away & was afraid most lawyers wanted to drag it out & possibly go to court. For one she was very professional but was very personable (maybe b.c she’s a lady). She didn’t make me feel embarrassed or self-conscious that I did something wrong or was the cause of the situation. She immediately said we should try our best before going to court. Let me handle some paperwork, if at the last we do go to court we have documents. She gave me all the details, pros and cons but reassured me she deals with these cases all the time. She came through and made it as painless as possible. I now have my life back.

Jennifer Birdseye Testimonial
Quote

Tiemann Law Firm helped us with an injury case for my nephew. They were very knowledgeable and we are very happy with the service they provided. The entire staff is topnotch!

Elizabeth Ochoa Testimonial
Quote

I chose Tiemann Law Firm to help me after a car accident I was involved in. Throughout the entire process, Moe made sure to keep me updated, he always responded quickly whenever  I had questions about anything. My case won thanks to this law firm and its dedication. My experience with Tiemann Law Firm was amazing! 10/10 recommended.