Understanding Uninsured Motorist Insurance In New Jersey?

Answer 1

New Jersey requires that drivers hold uninsured motorist insurance because of the number of drivers in the state who are on the roads without proper coverage. This type of insurance will cover the damages that are caused by another driver in an accident if that driver does not have insurance. Many insurers will also include coverage in the case of an underinsured driver who does have insurance but whose policy does not pay enough to cover the damages that are incurred. Uninsured motorist insurance will help to make up the difference in compensation between what a driver should receive and what the negligent individual can pay. It does not provide extra money above what the main insurance policy would normally pay.

One of the key elements that can dictate whether a driver will receive money due to an accident with an uninsured driver is the issue of liability. New Jersey has comparative negligence laws in place. This means that the fault for an accident can be placed on more than one individual. The uninsured driver must be found to have a larger portion of negligence than the driver with insurance. If the policyholder is found to have the larger portion of fault in an accident then the uninsured motorist coverage will not be applicable.

The actual definition for who is an uninsured driver in New Jersey is not always clear and can actually be applied to a broad range of individuals. A person is considered uninsured if they are not holding any liability coverage. A person can also be considered uninsured or underinsured if they have some form of liability coverage but the amount of the policy is not enough to pay for any damages that have been caused. Another definition for an uninsured motorist is a person who had insurance when the accident occurred but then subsequently had their claim denied so that no payments are made to the victim of the accident.

Some situations can occur where the person who is At Fault for an accident is not present after the accident or is completely unknown. Uninsured motorist insurance in New Jersey will pay for the damages that were caused by an anonymous individual if there is some evidence that the covered driver was not at fault. This can help a driver to regain the use of their vehicle quickly and pay for medical bills but can also lead to a long litigation process once the individual who caused the accident is found.