Dear Clients and Friends,
We Americans love our automobiles, don't we? We love buying them, driving them, comparing them---and, oh, that wonderful "new car" smell! Let's face it, in the Chicago area, you can't get too far without a set of wheels.
But here's a down side to our vehicular love affair. In the 16 years I've practiced personal injury law, I've represented more clients injured in car crashes than any other type of accident. In fact, at any given time, more than 50% of my caseload involves auto accidents.
Since publishing my first Silver Bulletin newsletter last spring, I received many phone calls from people injured in car accidents. It got me thinking: while there's no foolproof way to prevent an accident, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself...before you're involved in one. That's the subject of this newsletter.
PROTECT YOURSELF!
TIME FOR AN AUTO INSURANCE TUNE-UP
Fall is upon us, and you know what that means. It's time to clean out the gutters, put up the storm windows, and winterize your car for the cold months ahead.
While you're taking the time to tune-up the family automobiles, take the time to tune up you auto insurance as well. It only takes a few minutes---but those few minutes could add up to one of your most important investments.
There are more than 200 million registered vehicles in the United States, and nearly that many licensed drivers. Unfortunately, all these cars on the roads create a greater risk of accident. According to the National Safety Council, there were over 11 million accidents in 1996, involving nearly 19 million vehicles. (1)
Hopefully, you will never find yourself counted among these statistics. All the same, there is one thing you can do now to protect yourself, legally and financially, in the event of a car accident: make sure you have adequate auto insurance.
(1)National Safety Council, Accident Facts, 1997 Edition
ANATOMY OF AN AUTO INSURANCE POLICY
Your auto insurance policy consists of a number of separate coverages---some insuring your vehicle, some insuring drivers and passengers. It is the latter which you should review...those that will apply should you or a family member be injured in a car accident. These break down as following:
Bodily Injury Liability
This coverage applies if you or a family member is responsible for causing an accident. It pays medical, rehabilitation, and even funeral costs for the other car's driver and passengers, passengers in your car, and any pedestrians. It also pays settlements and legal costs for "non-monetary loses," or pain and suffering.
The State of Illinois requires that you carry $20,000 of bodily injury per person, and $40,000 per accident. Considering today's medical costs, this isn't nearly enough to protect your personal assets in the event you are liable for a catastrophic injury. It doesn't take much for hospital bills to exceed $20,000. Add in physical therapy, plus a potential pain and suffering claim...and you're seriously underinsured. Our recommendation: carry at least $250,000 per person, and $500,000 per accident.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage's
Just because Illinois drivers are required by law to carry auto insurance that doesn't mean they do. A surprising number of drivers carry inadequate car insurance...or, worse yet, none at all.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage protects you and your family, should you be injured by a driver without insurance. Underinsured Motorist Coverage protects you if the driver has some insurance, but not enough. These benefits apply when you are riding in a car, walking, or riding a bike. They include medical, rehabilitation, and some funeral costs, plus losses for pain and suffering.
Illinois law stipulates a minimum of $20,000 Uninsured Motorist Coverage per person and $40,000 per accident. You are not required to carry higher Underinsured Motorist Coverage's unless you purchase higher limits of Uninsured Motorist Coverage. Our recommendation: carry the same amount of Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage as you do Bodily Injury: $250,000 per person, and $500,000 per accident. The coverage won't cost much---say, around $50 per year--- and it's worth every penny.
Medical Payments
Medical Payments, or Med Pay, is another excellent insurance bargain. Regardless of fault, it covers medical and funeral expenses for you and your family if injured while in a car or walking.
If you're like most people, you already have health insurance. However, Med Pay picks up where health insurance leaves off, paying deductibles, copays and coinsurance. Med Pay is not required by Illinois state law, but some carriers insist that you carry it. Priced at under $20 annually for $10,000 of first-dollar coverage, it's a wise investment.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?
In addition to beefing up your car insurance, consider investing in a personal liability umbrella policy, which protects you and your family in the event of legal action against you. $1,000,000 of coverage typically costs less than $200 per year, making it highly affordable "sleep insurance."
You can also protect yourself and your family by keeping your car in good working order, wearing seat belts, buckling kids in safety seats, and practicing good defensive driving.
One more word to the wise: if you're injured in an accident and the other driver is at fault, his insurance company may immediately offer you a settlement. That's because insurance carriers know that settlements are smaller when accident victims don't' consult legal counsel. Don't settle for less than you deserve!
My specialty is personal injury and worker's compensation issues, and I've built my practice by looking after the best interests of my clients. If I can be of service to you or someone you know, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Barry Stewart Silver
707 Skokie Boulevard, Suite 505
Northbrook, IL. 60062
847-480-2070
The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.You may reproduce materials available at this site for your own personal use and for non-commercial distribution. All copies must include the above copyright notice.