BOLLENBECK LAW, S.C.
Many people think that car insurance protects the victims of crashes from losses. However, insurance in Wisconsin is a liability-based program. It does offer coverage to people hurt by irresponsible drivers, but its primary role is to protect the person who caused the crashed from financial liability.
Unless you pay for special coverage, you will be dependent on the other driver after a crash. Unfortunately, that might mean that there isn’t enough insurance to repay you for the losses you incurred because of the wreck.
Under state law, to register your vehicle and legally drive it on Wisconsin roads, you need to carry both bodily injury liability protection and property damage liability protection.
The state only requires $10,000 in property damage coverage. In a crash that hurts one person, the minimum injury liability coverage is just $25,000. In crashes where two or more people get hurt or die, a driver could have just $50,000 worth of insurance.
You didn’t cause the crash, so you should not be the one saddled with medical bills or car repair costs. However, when someone doesn’t have insurance or has the cheapest insurance policy they can find, their coverage may leave you with a lot of unpaid bills.
You may be able to make a claim against expanded coverage in your own policy if you paid for that. You may also need to consider filing a civil lawsuit against the driver who caused your crash. Determining how much the crash will cost you can be an important first step in responding to a major collision caused by another driver.
Phone: (920) 735-1711
Email: law@bollenbecklaw.com
Address: W6260 Communication Court Appleton, Wisconsin 54914