There is no doubt that you work hard every day to ensure you and your family are protected, whether that be physically or financially. You work hard to earn your money and making sure both you and it are protected should anything happen ought to be high on your priority list. Having insurance is a way to ensure that you stay financially protected, are able to continue working to provide for your family, and ensure you have a place to live.
Natural disasters, accidents, and dishonest people are unfortunate parts of life but there are ways for your and your family to stay protected. The simplest solution: purchasing insurance. Insurance is there to help you manage the risks you take every day driving your car, walking through the grocery store, living in a rented apartment, or owning a home. There are many different types of insurance and these days you can get coverage for just about anything but having proper coverage over the important things in life makes all the difference.
As personal injury attorneys here in Utah, at Johnson | Livingston we see the unfortunate results of the risks that are taken every day. Some are intentional, others accidental. Regardless of the circumstance, having insurance coverage plays a big role in the outcome of all of the personal injury claims we see at Johnson | Livingston. It makes a big impact on a filed claim when someone is covered versus someone who isn’t insured.
It is also important to recognize that having insurance is not the only component of a personal injury case, and oftentimes we get involved because the insurance companies who have promised to protect you are not willing to process your claims. Insurance does help protect and cover you from risks, and insurance alone may not give you what you need or deserve in an emergency or through a personal injury claim. Below are a few of the main types of insurance coverage we see when dealing with personal injury claims.
Types of Insurance Coverage
Homeowners Insurance: When purchasing homeowners insurance you are not only protecting a large investment but you are also financially protecting yourself and your family. Homeowner’s insurance can provide a safety net for losses or damages to your property if there is an accident and your home is damaged in some way.
Additionally, homeowners insurance also includes personal liability coverage. If someone is injured while they are on your property and you are found to be legally at fault for the accident, the injured party can file a claim against your homeowner’s insurance. The insurance policy would help cover costs for the injured party for things like medical expenses, lost wages, and legal fees. This will help protect you from being sued, and in the majority of claims, we are suing an insurance company to fulfill the payment for the claims.
Car Insurance: Car Insurance is required in the state of Utah. It offers financial protection and also protects your and your passengers. If you get in a car crash and it is determined that the crash was your fault, your auto liability coverage is what would cover the cost of damages for both you and the other party, including medical bills, damage to their vehicle, legal fees, and any other losses that occurred as a result of the accident. Having car insurance can also protect you financially should your car be stolen or broken into. There are many insurance riders that come into play here throughout a personal injury case including Personal Injury Protection, Bodily Injury, Underinsured Motorist Coverage, and more. If you want to better understand these riders and your policy we encourage you to talk with your insurance agent, and if you are in the middle of a claim or case, feel free to reach out to us and we can help answer questions you may have.
Renters Insurance: When paying for any type of rental property, you should always have renters insurance. It’s commonly misunderstood that a landlord’s property insurance can provide coverage, but that is not true. Having renters insurance protects you and your personal belongings in a rented space. It can pay for repairs or replacement of personal property in the event of damage or loss and can also provide coverage if there is an accident in your rented space. Renters insurance can also include personal liability coverage, personal property coverage, and additional living coverage.
Landlord Insurance: If you own property and are managing and collecting money from its occupants, you should have landlord insurance. Homeowner’s insurance only covers owner-occupied homes and does not offer coverage over property the owner does not live in. Landlord insurance, just like any other, will help provide financial coverage when loss or damage occurs on the property resulting from accidents, natural disasters, or other liability issues related to the rented property. There are a variety of options with varying levels of coverage, however, most landlord insurance plans will offer liability protection, lost rental income/rental default insurance, and property damage.
The Role of Insurance in Settling a Personal Injury Case
Whether or not you have insurance coverage in the event of an accident is going to play a big role in how a personal injury case is settled. If you were in some way negligent and found to be at fault for an accident that took place, having insurance coverage is going to help you navigate the claim or lawsuit filed against you and will help protect you from having to pay for damages and losses straight out-of-pocket.
On the opposite end, if you were involved in an accident and the responsible party is unknown, such as in a hit-and-run crash, you would file a claim with your own insurance company and it would be treated by the insurance adjuster as if there was another party involved. Having that insurance coverage can help give you some of the support you need so you are not left burdened with all the financial responsibilities while also recovering from your injuries, especially if you are out of work due to the accident. It’s important that you don’t fall for marketing language insurance companies like “full coverage,” there are many factors that go into each type of insurance and your specific policy, so working closely with an agent you trust can make all the difference. You can learn more about insurance and the language related to your policy at Insurancemyth.com.
Don’t run the risk of having an accident without being covered. Review your insurance policies today and make sure you understand what coverage you have and how it will help if you are in an accident or are responsible for one. We encourage you to review your insurance coverage at least once a year if not every 6 months. If you are struggling to understand how insurance coverage impacts your personal injury claim, or your case, we are here to help you understand your rights and to stand and fight for you to receive the necessary compensation for your injury.
We take our job personally and believe that you deserve to have quality legal representation that cares about you and takes your case seriously. You can schedule a free case review with Johnson | Livingston here on our website or by calling us at 801-948-9670 or by texting us at 801-683-5359.
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