Understanding Georgia Automobile Insurance Before an Accident Occurs (Part 1 of 3)
July 10, 2011
This is the first in a three part series on understanding automobile insurance in Georgia and in particular, how it relates to a personal injury claim. Personal Injury law is intricately tied to the insurance laws. Without insurance, it is often times difficult to find the funds to compensate those that have been injured. If you or someone you know has been injured, do not hesitate to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in Atlanta.Six million Georgians were involved in automobile accidents from 2000-2006.On average that is 2,394 people per day, or one person involved in a car crash every 36 seconds on Georgia roadways. On average from 2000-2006 almost 5 people died per day on Georgia roadways. Odds are that you are someone you know has been involved in a car accident. When we meet with an injured person or his or her family to talk about a case, it is often too late to talk about insurance coverage. Most people are unaware of their insurance coverage until after the wreck has occurred. By understanding three basic areas of insurance coverage, our hope is that you can avoid financial ruin if tragedy strikes. This guide is by no means meant to be exhaustive of every type of insurance coverage that you can buy.
We strongly encourage you to discuss your insurance options with a licensed insurance agent, but make sure you discuss the following three main areas:
- Liability coverage
- Medical payments coverage
- Uninsured motorist coverage
Georgia Law only requires that the owner of a vehicle maintain liability coverage in the amount of $25,000/$50,000. Georgia law does not require any other type of coverage for personal injury. So what is liability coverage and what do the numbers mean? Liability coverage protects you in the event that you are at fault and injure someone else. The insurance company will pay up to $25,000.00 for any one person that is injured and no more than a total amount of $50,000.00 for all people injured. This includes any medical bills and lost wages. $25,000.00 may sound like a lot of money, but medical treatment can be extremely expensive. If someone has suffered a severe injury, it is not uncommon for initial medical bills to exceed this $25,000.00 limit.
What if the other person’s injuries exceed your liability coverage?
You can be personally responsible for the difference. This means that if you own a car or a house, any of your assets can be exposed. So you need to increase your liability coverage. It does not cost double to double the amount of coverage. Let’s say that you are paying $500.00 a year for a minimum limits policy. It will not cost $1000.00 to double your coverage; it may increase to $600.00. So grab your policy, and take a look at what your liability limits. If you have assets, then you need to protect yourself, consider raising your liability limits to make sure that you have enough insurance should disaster strike.
If the minimum limits in Georgia for liability are $25,000.00 how do you protect yourself if someone else is at fault for causing the wreck? What if your medical bills exceed these limits and you cannot work? This will be discussed in part two of our blog on understanding insurance. At Henningsen Injury Attorneys, P.C. we stand willing and able to help you or anyone you know who may have been injured in an auto accident. Whether it be due to an automobile accident, truck accident, work place injury, slip and fall, or any other type of accident, we have the resources to make sure that you are fully and fairly compensated for all that you or your loved one has been through. Either through an out of court settlement, or if the matter has to be tried before a jury, we stand willing to make sure that you get the compensation that you deserve.
Call Henningsen Injury Attorneys, P.C. to speak with an experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyer today.
