Every driver in Missouri is required by law to carry liability insurance; of course, that doesn’t mean that every driver does. Oftentimes, we see clients who come in that have been involved in an accident with a driver, who is responsible, that doesn’t have auto insurance. The question is, what are your options at that particular time?
Let’s assume that you’re in an accident involving an uninsured driver and you are driving your vehicle; as long as you have liability insurance on your vehicle, then you will have also what’s called “uninsured coverage.” You don’t have to buy this separately; it’s included with the liability insurance. So, every driver in Missouri who buys liability insurance coverage will also have uninsured coverage, and this applies when you’ve been involved in an accident that’s at fault of another driver who’s uninsured.
If you’re in an accident, you’re driving your vehicle, and the other driver hits you or causes the accident, you can submit a claim against your own insurance company. Now, your own insurance company will take an adversarial role; they will then represent the position of the uninsured driver. This is very important to understand–they’re no longer working on your best interest. At this particular time, they are taking the position that the driver may not be responsible for the accident. So, it’s important for you at that particular time to consult the services of a lawyer. That’s a good time to call our office; we deal with these types of claims every day.