Do You Have Appropriate Automobile Insurance Coverage?

The following is a guest blog from Kerckhoff Law, APC, a San Diego personal injury law firm.

Do you have appropriate automobile insurance available to cover you in the event of an automobile accident?

Automobile insurance laws in California require the owner of a vehicle to have a certain amount of liability insurance on one's vehicle (California Vehicle Code § 16020). Liability insurance provides compensation to another person in the event that you cause an accident and are found to be liable to that person for damages. The minimum amount of coverage required by law in California is $15,000.00 (California Vehicle Code § 16056), but you can purchase higher amounts of liability insurance in order to protect your personal assets against the risk of higher damages being awarded against you in the event you cause another person serious injuries.

When Kerckhoff Law, APC, represents a person who is injured in an automobile accident, one of the first things we do is investigate all possible insurance coverage that is applicable. There are two categories of auto insurance -- first party coverage and third party coverage. First party coverage covers you and your property (such as medical expenses, damage to your vehicle, and the insurance company's duty to defend you in the event that you are sued as the result of your operation of a vehicle, etc.). Third party coverage is for your responsibility to pay for injury caused to other people (and vice versa), whether in your vehicle, or another vehicle involved in the accident. The coverage (and its exclusions) is set forth in your insurance policy. In exchange for the payment of a premium, the insurance company promises to provide compensation in the event of certain occurrences. Though a full recitation of insurance coverage and laws would occupy several large text volumes, the following is brief synopsis of the most typical coverage and issues. Among the various types of insurance coverage which may apply are the following:

California Vehicle Liability Insurance

As previously stated, liability insurance is required by law (California Vehicle Code § 16020). The liability portion of an insurance policy is used specifically for defending and settling any claims, or paying any judgments rendered against the insured in an automobile negligence claim. If you are injured by the negligence of a defendant, we will make a claim under the bodily injury liability coverage of the negligent defendant's insurance policy. Liability coverage is not health insurance, and it is not designed to pay for your medical bills as they are incurred. Instead, it is designed to be a one-time settlement or payment for all of your damages. Liability insurance minimums required by law in California (California Vehicle Code § 16056) are:

- Fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) for bodily injury or death of one person in any one accident.

-Thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) for bodily injury or death of two or more persons in one accident, not exceeding the per-person limits above.

Five thousand dollars ($5,000) for injury to or harm to property of others in tne accident.

All content on Accidents.com is for informational purposes only and is NOT intended as legal or medical advice. Please seek advice from a professional on any related topics.

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