Texas Cracking Down On Uninsured Motorists
A recent survey performed by the Texas Department of Insurance shows that roughly one in every five Texas motorists on the road today is uninsured. Taylor County’s rate – 21.17 percent of drivers without insurance – is slightly less than the statewide average of 21.64 percent, but is still quite high. The problem of uninsured and underinsured drivers has plagued Texas for years, which is why the Texas state departments of Insurance, Public Safety, Motor Vehicles and Information Resources joined together under the guidance of the state legislature to form the TexasSure Vehicle Insurance Verification system. TexasSure tracks where vehicles are registered and the amount and type of insurance they have filed with their registration agency.
Why Does It Matter If Motorists Are Uninsured?
In a word: money. The millions of uninsured and underinsured motorists cost insured Texas drivers about $1 billion extra in optional insurance coverage annually. If an uninsured driver causes a collision, there is no source from which to automatically find payment for property damage and injuries resulting from the accident. This can leave a car accident victim on the hook for medical bills, time out of work while recovering and with thousands of dollars in vehicle repairs. It might be possible for a victim to bring a lawsuit to recover damages directly from the at-fault driver (by pulling from the value of assets like cars, homes or savings accounts), but legal actions can take time and be cost prohibitive since many drivers who are uninsured don’t have substantial assets in the first place.
To save themselves from the potential financial pitfalls of an accident where the other driver was uninsured, responsible drivers have to pay the price in the form of higher insurance premiums and by purchasing additional policy protection in the unfortunate event of an accident. Being in an automobile accident is traumatic enough, particularly where injuries are involved. Sometimes the hassle of dealing with insurance companies or trying to recover damages from a private party proves to be too much. At times like this, an experienced advocate at your side can make a huge difference in your physical, emotional and financial recovery. Seek the counsel of a skilled personal injury attorney if you have been injured in a Houston-area car accident.