Does Auto Insurance Coverage Kick in When You’re Off Work?
Driving a car is a relatively high-risk endeavor. You’ll face different variables on the road every day due to the unique road conditions and the behavior of other drivers. Sometimes accidents occur. Perhaps you were involved in an auto accident that has left you unable to work for an extended period of time. Here’s a closer look at whether your auto insurance can assist while you cannot work.
General Overview
In most cases, auto insurance policies provide loss of income coverage. You will receive lost wages until you can start working again. Liability insurance may compensate you for lost wages based on the injuries sustained in an accident. Purchasing liability insurance is a legal requirement to drive your car. It’s recommended that you look over your policy carefully. In most states, people can file lost wages claims under bodily injury liability coverage. However, other states have different guidelines regarding filing lost wages claims.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Recent studies show that hundreds of drivers across America are uninsured. It’s recommended that you consider adding uninsured motorist coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage will reimburse you for lost wages if you sustain injuries in an accident caused by an insured driver. While you can sue the other driver, many legal analysts note that most uninsured drivers have limited assets, which makes filing a lawsuit less beneficial than it may seem. It’s also worth noting that you may attempt to file a lost wages claim through the other driver’s insurance if they had coverage when they caused the accident.
Personal Injury Protection
Adding Personal Injury Protection is another option to consider. Personal Injury Protection helps cover your medical treatment costs regardless of whether you caused the accident. Some states require drivers to add Personal Injury Protection to their auto insurance coverage.
How State Laws Impact Things
Many states have no-fault laws in place. However, the majority are at fault. The auto insurance coverage claims process varies based on the classifications. In at-fault states, you can file a lost income claim through the other driver’s coverage if they are at fault. Suppose you are responsible for causing the accident and reside in an at-fault state. In that case, you are exempt from filing a loss of income claim unless you have Personal Injury Protection included in your policy. No-fault states mandate that you have Personal Injury Protection included in your policy. No-fault states require that you have Personal Injury Protection. No-fault states allow you to file a claim regardless of whether you are responsible for the accident.
Potential Exclusions
Some auto insurance companies add policy exclusions. You should analyze your declarations page and check if Exclusion of Work loss coverage is included. If Exclusions of Work loss coverage is included in your policy, your lost wages are not covered if you are injured in an auto accident. Some carriers allow policyholders to lower their premiums to exclude lost wages coverage. Remember that most high-level insurers will reimburse you for lost wages if you cannot work due to injuries sustained in an accident.
Things to Consider
To help finalize your lost wages claim, you’ll need a letter from your doctor that thoroughly explains your injuries, written documentation from your employer explaining why you cannot work, a copy of the police report detailing the accident, and your tax information. In some cases, you may be forced to hire legal counsel to secure the wages that you’re entitled to.
Consult Jack Stone Insurance Agency for Right Auto Coverage!
Most auto insurance policies will reimburse you for lost wages if you are unable to work. If you have questions regarding auto insurance coverage, contact the team here at Jack Stone Insurance Agency so we can assist you.
