Aug 25, 2020 in News Blogs

Blogs: I've Been Injured in an Accident with an Uninsured Driver. What Now?

The law in Canada is clear: every driver must own automobile insurance. Unfortunately, a small number of Canadians choose to ignore the rules, putting fellow motorists at risk. In August, Globe and Mail Drive columnist Jason Tchir answered a few common questions about uninsured collisions. If you've been involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist, a car accident lawyer from Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers can help. "What happens if my car gets hit by one of these idiots without insurance?" a reader asked Tchir. "Am I still covered?" As Tchir's column makes clear, insured drivers who are involved in accidents with uninsured motorists still have access to coverage. In provinces that use private insurance providers, like Ontario, all policies include provisions for uninsured accidents. However, the process for accessing compensation may be more complicated in these cases, and the amount of available compensation may be limited. "If you can identify the vehicle and the driver confirms they have no insurance, then the provincial policies give you some coverage," said the Insurance Bureau of Canada's director of consumer and industry relations, Pete Karageorgos. "You'll need to notify the author_idities as soon as possible because they need to conduct an investigation." For accidents resulting in vehicular damage but no injuries, uninsured coverage may be up to $25,000, minus a $300 deductible. Purchasing additional, optional coverage may extend that amount. For accidents involving injuries - the kind of events that sometimes require the help of a car accident lawyer - the process of acquiring compensation varies from province to province. In Alberta, for example, insurance provides up to $50,000 in benefits for two years following an uninsured collision. After that, the injury victim may be able to access up to $95,000 in additional benefits through the Motor Vehicle Accident Claims (MVAC) program, Alberta's Treasury Board spokeswoman told Tchir. In Ontario, drivers who are injured in uninsured collisions may access benefits through the province's Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS). Catastrophically injured accident victims can also pursue civil claims for additional compensation against the uninsured driver. If the claim is successful, they can access up to $200,000 through their uninsured automobile coverage. If you've been injured in an accident involving an uninsured driver and would like to know more about this subject, contact Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer. Our team will explain your legal options and provide guidance and advice on your road to recovery.   Image: Shutterstock