While drivers in New York are required to have insurance, no insurance car accidents are not that rare.
If you were in an accident with no insurance, or the other driver didn’t have insurance, you would of course want to know what sort of consequences you may face. We’ll take a look at some different scenarios for car accidents with no insurance.
A car accident where the other driver didn’t have insurance
If you are in a New York car accident where the other driver doesn't have insurance, you will need to file a claim with your insurance company. This is because New York is a no-fault state where drivers pay for their own damages through their own insurance up to certain levels. That means that each driver's insurance company pays for their own policyholder's damages, regardless of who caused the accident.
While this may seem unfair, it is meant to protect drivers from being sued for damages they can't afford to pay. If the other driver in your accident doesn't have insurance, you may still be able to sue them for damages, but it can be difficult to collect on a judgment if the driver has no assets. No fault states also allow insureds to get paid faster, as they are going through their own insurance rather than battling to get someone else's insurance to pay them.
A borrowed car accident no insurance
A borrowed car accident that involves no insurance is quite a common occurrence. Often, people will take friends' or family members' cars out for a spin and not have any financial protection in place. If they get into an accident while they are driving someone else's vehicle, they could be left with expensive damages.
A good way to prevent this is by always having comprehensive insurance coverage when you borrow someone's car. This will protect your assets in the event of a crash, and it can also help you if you're ever injured in another accident. By taking these simple precautions, you can avoid getting into a car accident that exposes you to high fees and potential liability issues. In New York, drivers are required to have car insurance.
Accident not at fault no insurance
If you are in a car accident where you are not at fault, but you have no insurance, what could happen? First off, as New York is a no-fault state where you are required to have car insurance, you may get a ticket, lose your license, and be unable to register your car moving forward.
If the damage to the other car in the accident was small, their own insurance should cover it. However, they can still sue you for damages. You will of course need to pay for your own damages out of pocket. Even though you were driving without insurance, if you weren't at fault and suffered damages, you can still sue the other driver to try to collect compensation.
A single car accident no insurance
Having car insurance is really important - not only will it protect you in case of an accident, it also protects everyone around you. In the case of a single car accident, where no other cars or vehicles are involved, having insurance is even more important, as it may be your only avenue to collecting compensation for your damages.
The only way someone else may be held accountable for the damages in a single car accident is if they somehow caused the accident. For instance, maybe a neighbor cut down a tree that landed on your car, or perhaps a construction crew made the roadway unsafe in such a way that it caused the accident. When you can identify a party that caused the accident, you could pursue them for damages.
Contact Curan & Ahlers Today!
Curan & Ahlers is a personal injury law firm that serves the White Plains and Westchester County areas of New York. If you were in a car accident, contact Curan & Ahlers today to learn how we can help you!
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