Fatal Accident Is A Sad Reminder About The Need To Have Adequate Insurance

Susan Devine

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A fatal accident occurred early in the morning on Highway 101 in San Luis Obispo when four young men were returning home from a concert in Santa Cruz.  Preliminary details about the accident can be found at this San Luis Obispo Tribune article.  This is a tragedy for everyone involved in the accident, but for the rest of us it should be a reminder to do your best to protect yourself and your family with adequate insurance in case this ever happens to you.  Many people do not understand how a typical auto insurance policy works or what can happen if they are involved in such an accident.  Here is a link to a website that explains the basics of an insurance policy.

A typical mistake I see many people make is not having adequate coverage for serious accidents.  In California, every driver is required to carry a minimum of $15,000/$30,000 on the liability portion of their policy.  Liability coverage pays pays for accidental bodily injury and property damages to others, including medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost wages. Property damage includes damaged property and automobiles. Importantly, this coverage also pays for your legal defense and court costs. Many people will get the minimum coverage and find out later that it is not enough to cover even a relatively minor accident.  Talk to your insurance broker and ask how much additional you will pay to get higher coverage, such as $100,000/$300,000 or more.  You will be surprised that you can get much more coverage for very little additional money.  Your policy will also help if someone else hits you and they don't have enough insurance.  This is the uninsured/underinsured portion of your policy.   

If you want to learn more about what can happen if you are in a serious accident, this website offers helpful information about how lawsuits work and how you might be compensated.  Click on this link to find out more.  It also will help you find qualified attorneys to help you through the process.