Just like every other state in the country, drivers in Arizona are required to purchase and maintain certain levels of insurance if they want to remain legal while operating a vehicle on state roadways. It is important for every individual who has a vehicle, or any person regularly on or around the roadway, to understand the Arizona auto insurance requirements.
What The Law Requires from Arizona Drivers
Arizona requires that drivers have car insurance that meets or exceed the following minimum levels:
- Bodily injury liability coverage of a minimum of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
- Property damage liability coverage of a minimum of $15,000
It is important to understand that this is the bare minimum that drivers must have in order to remain legal on the roadway. Many drivers in Arizona do choose to pay higher premiums which bring more elevated amounts of coverage should an incident occur. The minimum coverage does not provide very much, particularly for anything more than a minor accident. For example, if you sustain a spinal cord injury caused by the negligent actions of another driver, your medical expenses are going to rise far above the $25,000 per person limit.
How Much Uninsured Motorist Coverage Do I Need?
Arizona law does not require individuals to carry uninsured or underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage. Some states around the country require motorists to carry uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage kicks in in the event you are injured in an accident caused by an uninsured driver on Arizona roadways. Underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage is intended to provide coverage to you if the at-fault driver’s insurance minimums are not enough to cover your injuries.
Although not required by Arizona law, we strongly encourage all drivers to consider paying a little bit more on their monthly insurance bill so that they can receive this coverage and have more protection in the event an accident occurs on the roadway. A significant portion of drivers in Arizona are uninsured, so this extra protection is crucial.
Do You Need to Work With an Attorney
If you or somebody you care about has sustained an injury in a vehicle accident caused by another driver in Arizona, you may very well need to work with an attorney quickly. An Arizona vehicle accident lawyer can step in and investigate every aspect of your claim. Not only will they gather the evidence needed to prove liability, but they will handle all communication and negotiation with the at-fault party’s insurance carrier to help you recover full compensation for your losses.
Additionally, it may be necessary to file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court against the at-fault driver and their insurance company. This could be because the insurance carrier refuses to offer a fair settlement or because they deny the claim. Additionally, if your total losses rise above the insurance limits of the other party, you may need to file a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver’s personal assets to recover compensation. A lawyer will work to file the lawsuit on your behalf within the appropriate time frames and make sure that it is filed appropriately. If necessary, your attorney will take your case in front of a personal injury jury. Contact us today for a free consultation.