Even if you never sit behind the driver’s wheel, you should protect yourself by having car insurance. Anytime you are injured through someone’s use of a motor vehicle, car insurance can come into play. When you are walking or riding your bike, car insurance may be able to pay expenses if you are injured. If you are a passenger in someone else’s vehicle, your own car insurance can protect you.
Without insurance, you are forced to rely on others to comply with state insurance laws and to carry sufficient insurance coverage to compensate you for any injuries. Depending on who you talk to, 20% of the drivers on our roads are “uninsured” – no insurance. Wouldn’t you have more peace of mind if you knew that you were protected?
Take this example: You’re riding your bike in the bike lane, a large vehicle does not see you and turns into you. You go flying through the air, and you are hurt.
Who will pay for your medical treatment? What if you can’t work?
Hopefully, the person who hit you has sufficient insurance to compensate you for your losses, but if they don’t, there’s very little you can do without your own insurance coverage. Worse yet, what if the person who hit you doesn’t have insurance at all?
You may be stuck with your medical bills and unable to work.
This situation can be avoided by having car insurance, even if you rarely drive. And, it’s not usually that expensive if you don’t drive very often. By paying a small amount each month, you won’t have to worry about someone else making a mistake or having insufficient coverage.
Since pedestrians and bicyclists are more vulnerable, collisions more often result in serious injuries. The best thing to do is to be extra careful and make sure you’re visible to motorists.
But, if you are injured as a pedestrian or bicycle rider, an attorney can help you determine which insurance company may be responsible for payments and what benefits may be available.
