Finding Insurance Coverage Isn’t Easy, But We Know How
After a collision between two cars, the liable party should be the one left holding the bills. But this doesn’t always happen. Over 10% of Colorado’s population is driving without auto insurance, and if you were hit by one of these irresponsible drivers, getting the compensation you’re owed is going to be more work. That’s where the Tenge Law Firm, LLC, can help.
Our team of Boulder car accident attorneys is very good at locating insurance policies and sources for recovery. Put your case in our hands in a 100% free consultation, and we may be able to find just compensation for you. Call (303) 665-2929 to set up a meeting at one of our three convenient locations in Colorado.
The Basics of Auto Insurance in Colorado
The compulsory or mandatory coverages in Colorado are bodily injury of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, as well as medical payments coverage of $5,000 per accident. However, we highly recommend you carry more than $5,000 in medical payments coverage.
The most important coverage is UM/UIM, which covers you in the event you or your family is hit and injured by either an uninsured motorist (i.e., a driver without any insurance whatsoever) OR an underinsured motorist (i.e., a driver who has auto liability insurance but not enough to cover your particular injuries, damages, and losses). You are entitled to have UM/UIM insurance up to the limits of your bodily injury coverage, and the Tenge Law Firm, LLC, strongly encourages everybody to do so.
Is There a Difference Between Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist?
An uninsured motorist policy covers you, your family members, and occupants of your vehicle if you are injured by an uninsured driver. An uninsured motorist isn’t just another driver without any liability insurance – it also covers hit-and-run drivers, phantom drivers, and covers you if you are injured by an uninsured motorist while a pedestrian, on a motorcycle, or even a bicycle.
Underinsured motorist coverage is insurance you buy on your own policy to cover you in the event you are hit and injured by another driver who does not have enough insurance to fully compensate you for your injuries, damages, and losses. By way of example, if you are injured and the other driver has the minimum $25,000 in bodily injury coverage, but your injuries are valued at $125,000, your UIM coverage would step in to compensate you for the difference up to the limits of your UIM coverage.
What Should I Do After an Accident with an Uninsured Driver?
Get medical attention first, as always. The cases we handle often involve catastrophic injury; people who genuinely need assistance with their claim. Then, give us a call. The Tenge Law Firm, LLC, will make sure the driver truly doesn’t have insurance. Often, there are other policies he or she might be covered under, or the insurance carrier is wrongfully denying coverage where it actually exists. So, the bottom line is this: don’t take the insurance company’s word for it. Call us so we can perform a professional insurance coverage analysis, bringing all our experience, skill, and knowledge to bear for you. If the driver really doesn’t have coverage, we will examine other sources of insurance, including your own auto policy.
What If I Don’t Have UM/UIM Coverage on My Policy?
First, don’t give up. We are excellent insurance lawyers. We would be happy to meet with you and investigate all potential sources of coverage for you. For example, you may be covered under another vehicle that does have UM. We have represented injured people who came to us with what seemed to be a lost cause—no insurance. We found coverage for them.
If I Make a Claim on My Policy, Will My Insurance Company Raise My Rates or Cancel Me?
No. In fact, there are specific statutes in Colorado that prohibit a carrier from taking any sort of retaliatory action against its own policyholders for making such claims. After all, you have a contract with your insurance company, which you paid for. In exchange for your payment, your insurance company agreed to provide certain benefits to you under the contract. Thus, it is illegal for the company to take action against you simply because you took advantage of the benefits that you paid for.
The Tenge Law Firm, LLC, has dealt with bad-faith insurers before, and we can pursue punitive damages in court if your insurance company refuses to cooperate and perform its contractual duties to you. If we represent you in a personal injury claim of any sort, we do not take upfront fees, and only collect payment after we’ve won a jury verdict or negotiated a fair settlement.
Call (303) 665-2929 to schedule your free consultation and start on the road to recovery. We have offices in Boulder, Denver, and Fort Collins.