Laws governing MD automobile insurance
After an accident, drivers typically exchange insurance information. A driver who is found at fault for the accident may be liable for monetary damages to the persons involved in the collision.
The Maryland Department of Transportation requires vehicle owners to carry automobile insurance that offers the minimum coverage of $30,000 for injury per person, $60,000 for injury for two or more people and $15,000 for property damage. The required coverage protects persons who suffer minor injuries and minimal property damage, but may not be enough to compensate for the substantial medical and personal injuries arising from a serious accident.
Accidents involving uninsured drivers
Uninsured motorists likely lack the assets and income to pay a civil judgment. In all cases, drivers should consider whether other parties contributed to the accident. If the case involves an uninsured motorist, a third party claim may present an opportunity to recover damages. Liable parties may include an automobile manufacturer that installed defective brakes or a construction contractor who left debris in the roadway.
However, when the other driver does not have enough insurance coverage to pay for your monetary damages, you can make a claim against your insurance company up to the limits of your uninsured motorist coverage. Make sure you have adequate uninsured motorist coverage under your own policy; it is the best protection against the uninsured motorist.
Hit and run accidents
Leaving the scene of an accident is a crime in Maryland. Often, a driver flees to avoid DUI charges, an arrest warrant or financial responsibility. Hit-and-run accidents are treated the same as uninsured motorist claims—allowing injured policy holders to collect from their own insurance carriers. Claims against third-party drivers and corporations can provide further relief for damages above policy coverage limits.
