It’s bad enough being involved in a car accident, but when the at fault driver has no insurance, it’s even worse. Unfortunately, this is a strong reality for Texas accident victims because the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles states 20% of drivers in Texas don’t have insurance.

If you are a car accident victim in this situation, here are the next steps you can take to find insurance to pay for your accident claims.

1. DO YOU HAVE UNDER-UNINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE (UM/UIM)?

In Texas, drivers are not forced to have UM/UIM coverage which protects you against uninsured drivers. That said, when you sign up for an Insurance policy you have to physically sign your name and initial to reject it. Given the statistics above, that 20% of Texas drivers do not have insurance, it is a risky move. However, if you do have UM/UIM coverage, and you are hit by an uninsured driver, this coverage allows you to go after your own policy, just like you are going after the other driver. For example, all the categories of compensation are available to you. You can check out these types of damages on our Accident Laws page.

2. DOES THE AT FAULT DRIVER HAVE AUTO INSURANCE ON ANOTHER VEHICLE?

From time to time, the at fault driver is driving a vehicle that does not belong to them. In these situations, it is possible for the insurance they have on another vehicle to cover them in the accident. However, it is also possible that they do not provide this information at the scene of the accident and because most of the time the Police only run available insurance for the vehicle in the accident, you may be led to believe there is no available insurance. Good Law Firms can investigate this for you. Talk to a Car Accident Expert today for more information by answering 5 questions on our home page.

3. DOES SOMEONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD HAVE PROTECTION AGAINST UNINSURED DRIVERS?

If you don’t have UM/UIM coverage on your policy, it is POSSIBLE for someone in your household to have protection against uninsured drivers, and that coverage will also cover you. This possibility is on a case by case basis. You will need to file a claim with the person in your household’s insurance company and see if they will cover you. You can talk to a Car Accident Expert today to let you know the best way forward by answering 5 questions on our home page.

4. DO YOU HAVE PERSONAL INJURY PROTECTION, MED PAY OR COLLISION COVERAGE?

• PERSONAL INJURY PROTECTION “PIP”

Another type of coverage is PIP which is short for Personal Injury Protection. Typically you can use PIP to pay for medical expenses, lost wages and if you needed to hire someone for household chores. However, you cannot receive non economic damages like pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost joys and more. Furthermore, this coverage typically covers a small amount of damages. Common policies have $2500 in PIP coverage which will cover very little of your medical bills.

• MED PAY

Another coverage is MED PAY. This coverage is just like PIP except you can only use it for Medical Expenses. This coverage, like PIP, typically covers a small amount of damages. Common policies are $5,000-$10,000. Keep in mind, both PIP and MED PAY do not pay pain and suffering. They are coverages strictly for economic damages only.

• COLLISION

Collision coverage is only there to cover your Property Damage. Keep in mind, you will likely have a deductible to pay.

You can check out our TYPES OF CAR ACCIDENT INSURANCE page on our website for more information.

5. FILE A LAWSUIT OR APPLY FOR THE TEXAS CRIME VICTIMS COMPENSATION PROGRAM

If you can’t find insurance anywhere, there are only two options left. You either file a lawsuit directly against the driver who caused the car accident or you apply for the TEXAS CRIMES VICTIM COMPENSATION PROGRAM. I’ll be honest with you, if the at fault driver does not have substantial assets to go after, you may end up spending a lot of time and money with a lawsuit and never get paid. This is also why it’s very rare for a Lawyer to take a case like that. As for the program, it is on a case by case basis so not everyone gets accepted. But if you get accepted, the program will help you pay for any damages you may have received from your car accident. It is certainly worth a shot. Be sure to talk to a Car Accident Expert today by answering 5 questions on our home page.