A crash can leave a family struggling to pay bills while care continues. Learning that the driver at fault has little insurance may add to that burden.
If you face mounting bills and lost wages after a Central Missouri collision, knowing the driver’s policy limits can help you plan for costs it will not cover. That potential shortfall may lead to the following outcomes and other sources of recovery.
Your payment may fall short of your losses
In Missouri, the law requires vehicle owners to maintain financial responsibility. Minimum liability limits are 25/50/25, which means:
- $25,000 for bodily injury to one person.
- $50,000 for bodily injuries to everyone in one accident.
- $25,000 for property damage per accident.
The $50,000 total does not increase your $25,000 injury limit. If three people suffer serious injuries, their claims may compete for that shared amount.
Emergency surgery, a hospital stay and lost wages can push losses from severe injuries past $25,000 within days. After paying the applicable limit, the insurer generally owes no further damages under that coverage.
Your own policies could provide additional benefits
If your losses exceed the at-fault driver’s liability limits, you could seek payment through your underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. This protection is optional. Mandatory uninsured motorist coverage generally does not cover an insured driver’s low limits.
Your policy sets payment terms and may allow offsets, which reduce benefits based on other payments. Reviewing household auto policies can show if stacking allows you to combine coverage across vehicles or contracts. Clear anti-stacking terms may bar you from combining UIM benefits.
A business can share responsibility
Beyond your own policies, a crash investigation could reveal a claim against a business. For example, an employer can share liability when its worker negligently causes a crash while doing job duties.
The company’s own failure to maintain its fleet may also support a negligence claim if faulty brakes contributed to the collision. Their commercial insurance could cover those damages.
You may pursue the driver’s personal assets
Without another policy, the driver can still owe you damages beyond that limit. You can sue to seek a judgment for those unpaid losses. Collection may involve nonexempt assets or wage garnishment, which takes a portion of the driver’s pay. However, low income, protected property or bankruptcy may limit what you collect.
How you can protect your financial recovery
You can assess a settlement by documenting future rehabilitation needs and reduced earning capacity alongside current expenses. These records may help you judge whether an offer accounts for lasting harm.
For assistance in fully understanding car insurance in MO, have a trial attorney review all available coverage before you sign a liability release. A release can end your ability to bring further claims against the driver and jeopardize your UIM benefits.