After a serious car crash caused by another driver, your primary focus will be on recovery and healing from your injuries. Paying for the medical care required is likely a close second.
Even if you have good health insurance coverage, you could end up owing far more than you’re able to cover on your own. That doesn’t even account for other economic damages like lost wages, physical and other types of therapy, repair or replacement of your car and more.
The first place you’ll likely turn for compensation is the other driver’s auto insurance. However, if they only have the minimum required amount under California law, that’s only $15,000 for injury to one person. They likely have higher limits, but that may still not be enough. If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, that can help cover the remainder.
How does umbrella coverage work?
There’s also another potential source of insurance coverage the at-fault driver may have: umbrella insurance. Many Californians have umbrella insurance policies – largely to prevent losing their homes to a personal injury lawsuit.
Umbrella policies kick in when auto or other type of insurance is maxed out. These policies typically cover any type of injury that the policyholder or their family members (including their pets) are responsible for – for example, if a guest is injured in their pool, if they cause an accident on their bike or if their dog sinks its teeth into a neighbor.
Generally, those who have umbrella policies get coverage that totals the value of their home and other assets that could be taken in a legal claim. That means most policies are at least $1 million.
It’s crucial to seek the compensation you need to cover not just short-term medical expenses, but those you may incur for months or even years after a serious crash. However, that requires seeking all sources of compensation from the at-fault driver. With experienced legal guidance, you have a better chance of getting this compensation so you have one less thing to worry about.