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When you are not at fault in an accident, the other driver’s car insurance typically pays for your expenses. If it takes a while to determine fault, you can file a collision claim with your insurer, which will then try to recover the cost of the claim and your deductible from the at-fault driver’s insurer. In most states, you should file injury claims directly with the at-fault driver’s insurer, though no-fault states require you to use your own insurance to pay for medical bills.
How Car Insurance Works When You’re Not At Fault
- The at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability insurance will cover your medical expenses in most states.
- If you live in a no-fault state, you’ll need to file medical claims with your own personal injury protection (PIP) insurance.
- The other driver’s property damage liability insurance will cover repairs to your car and other items, like fences and mailboxes.
If the at-fault driver does not have insurance, you can file a claim with your own uninsured motorist (UM) insurance, if you have it. Depending on your policy, you might also have underinsured motorist coverage (UIM), which applies if the other driver’s liability limits aren’t high enough to pay for all the damage.
For more information, check out WalletHub’s guide on what to do after a car accident.
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