| u’re fortunate, or depending on how you | | | | bump and heard a scream. At first she thought |
| look at it, unfortunate to live in one of the twelve | | | | she ran over her cat who would occasionally |
| states that are under a non-fault auto insurance | | | | escape. She opened her car door and found half |
| system, you can cause an accident, yet your | | | | of a body. Scared half out of her mind, she shut |
| insurance company won’t pay for the | | | | the car off and ran into the house and |
| other parties’ damages. | | | | immediately called 911. |
| If you live in a No-fault state (DC, FL, HI, KS, KY, | | | | The driver was too scared to go outside at that |
| MA, MI, MN, NJ, NY, ND, PA, UT) that means you | | | | point. As far as she knew, the half body, |
| live in a state that both requires drivers to carry | | | | belonging to one of her neighbors, was still under |
| insurance for their own protection and places | | | | the car and the driver was certain the injuries |
| limitations on their ability to sue other drivers for | | | | were serious. Her left rear wheel had crossed her |
| damages. Your auto insurance company will pay | | | | body from her thigh on one side on the diagonal |
| for your damages (up to your policy limits), | | | | to above her pelvic region. The driver later |
| regardless of who was at fault for the accident. | | | | learned that some strong man from across the |
| Any other drivers involved will be covered by | | | | street came over and picked up the car so she |
| their auto insurance policies. Since all are required | | | | could get out from underneath. |
| to carry insurance, in theory, there should be no | | | | The neighbor announced that she was feeling fine |
| uninsured motorists in those states. Stop laughing; | | | | and didn’t want to go to the hospital. But |
| the term “in theory” was used! | | | | the police and ambulance didn’t feel the |
| These states opted for the no fault insurance | | | | same way so they took her the four blocks to |
| system because it guarantees every driver | | | | the hospital. Turns out the neighbor was |
| immediate medical treatment in the event of an | | | | sunbathing behind her car and somehow the |
| accident. Further, it's intended to reduce the legal | | | | driver didn’t see her when she walked to |
| and administrative fees associated with insurance | | | | her car. She ended up with no broken bones, no |
| claims. Again, in theory, this should equate to | | | | internal injuries; just a tire track from her right |
| lower premiums. Unfortunately, often times the | | | | thigh across to her left stomach. |
| liability issues that still remain will actually drive | | | | The driver felt absolutely terrible, accepted full |
| premium costs up. | | | | responsibility, wanted to do everything and more |
| However, because no state is pure no fault, | | | | to make it up to her. The next day, the driver |
| drivers can always be held financially responsible | | | | phoned the insurance company to explain to them |
| for the cost of injuries they cause in certain | | | | what had happened. They asked her two |
| circumstances – that’s the loop | | | | questions. #1 Does she drive? (yes) and #2 Does |
| hole. Some states allow injured parties to sue if | | | | she own a car? (yes). The insurance company |
| their injuries meet certain standard for severity, | | | | informed the driver that due to No Fault insurance |
| while others allow it when total costs reach a | | | | the neighbor’s own car insurance would |
| certain dollar level. | | | | have to cover the medical costs. The driver was |
| Below is a classic case of a no-fault situation. | | | | clearly at fault, yet the driver’s insurance |
| Neighbor lived in a four-plex apartment building. It | | | | wouldn’t cover the damages even though |
| had a 4-stall garage along with a 4-stall wide | | | | it was her fault. |
| driveway. Because the driveway was so wide it | | | | The driver went as far as to tell the neighbor to |
| was second nature for the tenants to pull out of | | | | sue her since it was her fault and she felt totally |
| their parking spots and turn around in the | | | | responsible. The neighbor merely responded, |
| driveway instead of backing into the street. | | | | “It was just an accident.” The |
| One Sunday afternoon, one of the tenants | | | | lesson here - next time lay on the grass, instead |
| decided to go visit a friend. She got into her car | | | | of the drive way to sunbathe and risk the doggy |
| and began backing out of the driveway in her | | | | doo. |
| normal manner. When all of a sudden she felt a | | | | |