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Filing an Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Claim in Arizona

February 5, 2020 | 4 min read
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Filing an Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Claim in Arizona.

After you have experienced the trauma of an automobile accident, trying to work with the other drivers’ car insurance company can only add to your already overwhelming experience. Often, the other driver is operating a vehicle without insurance or the other driver may have insufficient insurance to compensate for your injuries. When the other driver lacks sufficient liability coverage and their policy limits are too low to cover the damage, this can present an even greater challenge. Although Arizona law requires all motorists to carry insurance, not all drivers comply, and it is common for an at-fault driver to be uninsured or underinsured.

What is the difference between uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage?

According to the Arizona Department of Insurance:

  1. Uninsured motorist insurance is liability insurance that is purchased as part of an automobile insurance policy. Uninsured Motorist coverage will protect you and passengers in the event that you or your passengers sustain bodily injury in an accident involving a driver without liability coverage. Your uninsured motorist insurance will cover:
  • Your medical bills and the medical bills of your passengers.
  • Your lost wages, and the lost wages of your passengers,
  • Damage to your vehicle and any of your personal property in the vehicle
  1. Underinsured motorist coverage is purchased to cover your costs if the other driver’s insurance policy limits are too low. Underinsured motorist coverage will typically cover the motorist’s bodily injuries, meaning that it will only cover the medical bills for the driver.

If You Have Been in an Accident

If you were in an automobile accident caused by an uninsured driver or underinsured driver, depending on your insurance coverage, Burg Simpson’s personal injury lawyers may be able to file an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim with your insurance company. The claim can cover your losses including your medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering. Burg Simpson can handle every aspect of this kind of case.

Following an accident, it is always wise to consult with a personal injury attorney to determine if you may have an uninsured or underinsured claim in addition to any other forms of financial recovery.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Insurance

While having uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance is not required in Arizona, spending a little more money each month in premiums will ensure that you and your family are covered in the event of an automobile accident. The amount of uninsured and underinsured coverage should match the amount of your liability coverage to make sure you are fully compensated for injuries you sustain in an accident which is not your fault.

Due to the fact that many drivers in Arizona, including those who visit our state, do not carry even minimal insurance, your best option is to protect yourself from these drivers is to simply add uninsured motorist coverage to your current policy. Having this provision in place will cover your losses if you involved in a collision with a motorist who does not have insurance.

If You Collide With an Uninsured or Underinsured Driver:

Immediately following the incident:

  • Ensure that everyone is safe, and request emergency medical attention if necessary
  • Take photos of the scene and of the damage to both vehicles
  • Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver
  • File a police report to have a record of the accident. This will ensure that you have the documentation that your insurance company requires.

After the incident:

Seek to obtain proper medical attention following the incident. Many people do not meet with a health care professional following a crash because do not realize the severity of their injuries until much later.

  • Consult with a personal injury attorney regarding filing an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim. Most insurance companies require that you file a claim within 30 days, so it is important that you act promptly.
  • Share the police report and photographs from the scene of the incident with your attorney.

Within 2 Years of the Incident:

If you decide to file a lawsuit against the other motorist due to damages that were a result of the automobile accident, you must file within 2 years of the incident. Damages can include injury, death, monetary loss, and/or pain and suffering.

Contact an Uninsured Motorist Lawyer at Burg Simpson

 For more than 4 decades, the attorneys at Burg Simpson have helped thousands of injured people obtain the compensation they deserve. If you have been injured in a vehicle crash that was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation.

Please call the uninsured motorist lawyers at Burg Simpson at (602) 777-7000 or fill out this form to schedule a free consultation.

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