A Guide to Auto Accidents and Insurance Coverage in Waldorf, Maryland
Sadly, auto and car accidents happen all the time here in Waldorf, Maryland, and other parts of Southern Maryland. When a person is injured in a Charles County, MD, auto accident through no fault of his or her own, the injured person has a legal right to make an insurance claim. By law, vehicle owners must have vehicle insurance and must have several types of coverage, including liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist, collision, and comprehensive coverage. In this article, the top-rated personal injury, accident auto, and big rig tractor-trailer truck lawyers at the Law Office of Robert Castro provide a quick guide to personal injury insurance coverage. If you have been injured in a Waldorf, MD, auto accident, call us at (301) 870-1200.
Mandatory Coverage
Nearly every state requires car owners to carry auto accident liability insurance. This is important in Maryland personal injury cases because it is more difficult to recover compensation for injuries and property damage if there is no insurance. One insurance policy will contain various types of coverage. That is, you do not generally buy separate insurance policies for each type of coverage — one policy will cover what types of insurance you want, and the price will vary depending on what coverage you buy. Broadly, there are several types of insurance coverage:
- Bodily injury coverage — this type of coverage pays out compensation for injuries and death; this type of coverage is often broken out into two subcategories: medical and personal injury protection
- Property damage coverage (often called collision coverage) — this type of coverage reimburses for damage to property like vehicles or personal property in the vehicle or to other things like a damaged fence
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage — this type of coverage reimburses for injuries and property damage if the other driver has no insurance or has a small insurance policy that is not large enough to cover the actual injuries and damage
- Comprehensive coverage — is generally an optional coverage that reimburses for theft, vandalism, and natural disasters
In Maryland, motorists are required to have the first three categories of insurance, but not the fourth.
Dollar limits on coverage
Generally, an insurance policy will have dollar limits on how money the insurance company will have to pay out for each category. Further, the dollar limits are further broken down into maximum payments for any one person and for ALL injured parties in the accident. There is likewise a maximum coverage for property damage. As an example, a person might purchase coverage that has a limit of $100,000 for any one person injured, $300,000 for all injuries, and $50,000 for property damages. This is often shorthanded in this manner: 100/300/50. Higher limits can be purchased, which will cost more in the monthly premiums paid.
This is important in Maryland personal injury cases because the insurance policy limits are the maximum that can be obtained from an insurance settlement. If the policy limits are not sufficient to cover the actual damages, then a personal injury lawsuit must be filed to obtain the FULL recovery of compensation. The insurance company will pay up to the limits of the policy, and then the remainder of any recovery from the lawsuit must be paid by the at-fault party from their own personal funds and/or assets.
Contact Waldorf, MD Personal Injury Attorney Robert Castro Today
This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions, contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer at (301) 870-1200. We are Waldorf, MD, Personal Injury lawyers. Our address is 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD, 20601.
