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What to Expect with Minimum Liability Coverage in California

As you shop for the best auto insurance plan, you may be focusing the short-term cost. The better option is to consider the long-term cost. How much will it cost you if you are in an accident? Will you be covered or will you be in a tough situation? There are many insurance choices and there none is the perfect option that works for forever. Instead, you must carefully consider your options and choose the one that makes the most sense for your needs.

Today at The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker we are going to cover minimum liability coverage in California. If you have already been involved in a car, bus, truck, or motorcycle accident, then we urge you to contact us now for a free legal consultation. You can reach us at 800-333-0000.

Insurance will not automatically cover the costs of an accident

It is the opinion of many people that their car insurance would absolutely cover them if they were injured while driving. It is understandable that they would think this, based on the fact that California requires that all registered drivers have liability insurance. However, this coverage is not actually for the driver’s injuries – it covers the injuries of anyone said driver causes.

The majority of California drivers have chosen minimum liability coverage

The reason the majority of California drivers have chosen minimum liability coverage is simple: It is the cheapest option. It includes coverage for $5,000 in property damage and $15,000 for the death of a person or a person’s injury if there was just one victim. If there are more than one victims then the total amount caps out at $30,000.

Does this level of coverage handle minor accidents? Yes, it generally would. For example, if two cars crashed and one victim sprained their wrist, $15,000 is probably more than enough to cover their medical treatments. However, in a more serious accident, this coverage is not likely to be sufficient.

If a person dies, $15,000 is likely not enough to cover their medical bills before death and their funeral expenses, let alone cover the lost income and pain and suffering of the family. If there were four catastrophic injuries caused by one accident, a $30,000 cap is not going to pay for those injuries.

What you can do to elevate these issues

First, you can get more than the minimum coverage and elect to have coverage that could actually pay for the damages in an accident. Second, you can carry underinsured / uninsured coverage on your own insurance policy. This coverage kicks in if the person who was at-fault does not have adequate coverage to pay for your injuries.

Regardless of the type of coverage you have, or who you have it from, it is wise to have a personal injury attorney on your side anytime a claim is going to be paid out. We can assure that you are getting the maximum benefit from the insurance company. Request a free consultation by calling The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000.