New York Car Accident Lawyers

In 2007, motor vehicle accidents were responsible for more than 1,300 fatalities and 194,255 injuries in New York State.

A car accident can ruin your life. It can result in disabling injuries, doctors’ visits, hospital stays, operative procedures and surgeries, rehabilitation therapy, lost income, lost pension benefits, physical pain and mental suffering, and the very real prospect of permanent disabilities. To make matters worse, you have to battle with insurance companies that often wrongfully deny claims and payment.

If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one in a New York car accident, we extend our sympathies and condolences. We realize no amount of money can ever replace your loss. But we can help NY families recover money for the injuries and damages suffered by them.

“Most people believe that if another driver causes an accident, the other driver’s insurance company will automatically pay for their damages. Unfortunately, that is not reality.”

You have a limited amount of time to take legal action, so it is important to obtain legal help immediately.  Timely action also helps preserve valuable evidence and maximizes any potential recovery.

The New York car accident lawyers of Schwartzapfel Lawyers, P.C. can help. Call us today at (866) 292-2099 or fill out our online contact form for a free case evaluation.

The attorneys at Schwartzapfel Lawyers, P.C. have successfully represented thousands of families whose lives have been upended by car accidents. We’ve seen that one of the key sources of frustration is dealing with the insurance companies.  Most drivers believe that if another driver causes an accident, the other driver’s insurance company will automatically pay for their damages. Unfortunately, that is not reality.

In New York State, every vehicle is required to have a minimal amount of Personal Injury Protection coverage. This coverage ensures that most individuals injured in a motor vehicle accident can receive certain benefits regardless of fault. But insurance laws and regulations, particularly those involving New York State No-Fault benefits, can be challenging to understand and reimbursements of expenses can be difficult to obtain. For example, many drivers don’t know that a claim for No-Fault benefits must be filed within 30 days of the accident or your medical bills and lost earnings may not be paid.

No-Fault benefits do not provide any money for pain and suffering.

Under New York State Insurance Law § 5102(d), car accident victims or their families can recover money for these personal injuries only in cases involving:

• Death;
• Dismemberment—loss of limb(s);
• Significant disfigurement or scarring—The injury must be significant enough to cause a reasonable person to view the result as “unattractive, objectionable or as the subject of pity or scorn;
• Fracture of a bone or a part of a bone—a broken nose or teeth qualify;
• Loss of a fetus;
• Significant limitation of use of a body function or system;
• Permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ or member—The use of the organ or member causes persistent or chronic pain that has a limiting effect;
• Permanent loss of use of a body organ, member, function or system—The injury must cause the organ, member, function or system to no longer operate. The law requires the loss to be total;
• The “90/180 Day Rule”—Defined as an impairment of a non-permanent nature that prevents the victim from conducting daily activities for at least 90 days during the 180 days immediately following the accident.

The attorneys at Schwartzapfel Lawyers, P.C. have a proven track record of success helping thousands of families recover the money and benefits they are entitled to. If you have lost a loved one in a car accident, we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences. We can help you during this most difficult time. Allow us to protect your rights and help you recover for:

• The loss of financial support;
• The loss of parental guidance;
• Pain and suffering endured by the deceased prior to death;
• The loss of household help.

When you are in a New York, NY car accident, you may be unaware of what steps to take. Here’s what you should do:

• First, obtain medical assistance for yourself and others involved by calling 911.
• If you are able, exchange contact information with other drivers while waiting for police or medical care. Get the other driver’s license and plate number. Get the other driver’s insurance company and policy numbers.
• Obtain the names and contact information of any witnesses.
• If this isn’t possible, try and obtain contact information from the police officers who arrive on the scene so that you can later obtain a copy of the police report.
• Take photographs; if you don’t have a camera, use your cell phone.
• While you typically must notify your own insurance company of the accident, do not provide a written or recorded statement about the accident to any insurance company representative until you have spoken with an attorney.

If you or a loved one has been seriously hurt in a car accident caused by the fault of someone else, you may be entitled to money damages, including payment for both past and future lost wages, mental and physical pain and suffering, medical costs, loss of annuity or pension, loss of household help and non-economic damages such as loss of consortium (harm to a family relationship).  Schwartzapfel Lawyers, P.C. has made a difficult situation easier for tens of thousands of personal injury clients – let us help you, too.

When you’ve suffered serious injury as a result of a car accident, you need the New York lawyers ofSchwartzapfel Lawyers, P.C. at your side. With more than 150 years of combined experience, our attorneys are well-prepared to handle all your legal needs.  Call us at (866) 292-2099 or fill out our online contact form for a free case evaluation. We will fight for you!

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Auto Accident Attorney

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Getting the Auto Accident Settlement You Deserve

Finalizing an auto accident settlement can take some time. Approximately 2 million people are injured in automobile accidents each year in the United States, and another 20,000 die as a result of these collisions. As people learn every day, injuries and deaths are just the start of the process. Getting a fair settlement can drag on for years.

You may consider an auto accident attorney (and a Tax attorney for IRS tax help) following your mishap. Negotiations with insurance companies can be difficult because they have countless representatives who try to minimize any payouts to claimants, legitimate or not. If you attempt to represent yourself, you may have a very long time to wait and may not get your just settlement even then. There’s also the risk that you’ll be pressured into settling for far less than what you deserve.

Hiring an Attorney for an Auto Accident Insurance Claim

Statics show that “going it alone” with an auto accident lawyer will not work for bigger financial settlements. If the case is complex, this will even hurt your chances more. If the case is one that is simple and you are not to be blamed, like a rear-end accident, then you might want to choose not to use an attorney to keep costs down.

Some reasons why you should use an accident attorney if the case fits:

• They most likely will have connections throughout the insurance world which they can leverage.
• They will have expert knowledge of the National and Stale laws as they apply.
• They will know the basic fee base and how much you can ask in your settlement.
• Their experience with other similar cases allows them to get you a higher settlement.

Filing The Insurance Claim After The Auto Accident

Your accident has happened and there will be a lot going on that you will be thinking about.  It is crucial that once everyone has been checked for serious injuries that you remain calm and get all information you can that will help you fill out the insurance claim completely and with as much detail as possible.

Use your phone (or digital camera) to take photos of all damage of all involved and the surrounding area. Even signs that may help you claim such as “no turn on red” or “speed limits”.  An auto accident attorney will need a copy of this including statements of other involved or witnessed the accident.

Seek medical attention immediately.  After an accident, you have a lot of adrenaline running throughout your body and some injuries may not be noticeable until the day after.  That is OK, just get to a clinic or emergency room as soon as possible to be checked out and get all documentation.

Keep great records of all your out of pocket expenses such as medical, lost wages, rental cars, towing charges, etc.  It will serve you well in the long run to get the auto insurance settlement you are looking for.

What Is The Correct Auto Accident Settlement For You

The more information you have the better when it comes to dealing with insurance companies. It will make the negotiations much smoother and produce a better result for you.  Be prepared to have offers and counter offers going back and forth for some time.

You should have a dollar amount you are looking for considering the hardships brought on by the auto accident. You can rest assure that the insurance company will have a number all ready for their side to offer you! Do your homework! If you have chosen an auto accident attorney, make sure you have included their costs or what their fees will be when considering what you want to end up with as well as many people seem surprised when the final amount they receive is not nearly as much due to this reason.

Auto Insurance Settlement Tactics

At this point the insurance companies are not your friend.  The funny Gecko or “Flo” are no where to be seen and now you have invaded on the dark side!  Here are some of the tactics that auto insurance companies will use against you:

• Drag the settlement out – the longer it goes the better for them.
• Your bad record keeping – they will use this against you.
• Difficulty in working with you – helps make the settlement drag out so that you take an offer sooner and most likely for less.

If you are unsure about the settlement you are being offered, seek legal advice from an auto accident attorney, and don’t be intimated into accepting less than what you deserve.

Characteristics Of A Traumatic Brain Injuries | TBI

A traumatic brain injury is a rather serious public health issue in the US. Annually, these types of  brain injuries make a contribution to a serious number of deaths and cases of permanent incapacity.  The CDC estimates that each year, at least 1.7 million TBIs happen either as an isolated injury or together with other injuries. A TBI is due to a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that interrupts the standard function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI.

The scale of a TBI may range all the way from “mild,” i.e, a short change in psychological standing or consciousness to “severe,” i.e, a long-lasting period of unconsciousness or absentmindedness after the injury. A lot of TBIs that happen every year are concussions or other kinds of mild TBI. CDC’s research and programs work to stop TBI and help folks better recognise, reply, and recover if a TBI happens.

There are many cases of traumatic brain injury that results in 1.2 million ER visits, 290,000 hospitalizations and at least 50,000 deaths due to this devastating disease. Most traumatic brain injuries occur secondary to falls and motor vehicle accidents. These types of injuries occur when there is an external force on the brain causing brain dysfunction.

A violent blow to the head is the real cause of these varieties of wounds. It could also be due to penetrating injury , for example with a bullet or shrapnel. Brain injury types can be mild, moderate or grim. Happily there are a lot more mild wounds than serious wounds. Extreme wounds to the brain can have a good range of mental and physical effects.

Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms

Patients can have symptoms straight after the injury or delayed symptoms. In a mild brain injury, there might be no loss of consciousness or a loss of consciousness that lasts just a couple of minutes. There are swift memory or concentration problems and a headache regularly happens. There may be woozy spells or vertigo linked with queasiness and vomiting. Hazy vision or ringing noises in the ears is common and there may be sensitiveness to light or sound. The individual may develop foreboding or depression and might have mood instability.

There may be fatigue or sleepiness and the individual could have difficulty sleeping correctly. Alternatively, the patient may sleep more than standard. In moderate or extreme traumatising brain wounds, the symptoms can be like milder wounds ; nevertheless the loss of consciousness can be a minute or perhaps a few hours. The period of perplexity can be exceedingly long and the individual may exhibit extreme combativeness or agitation. Speech can be slurred and the individual might be so hurt that it’s tricky to awaken them from sleep. There may be marginal weakness or insensibility and a dearth of coordination. Vomiting can be repeated and the headache can be dreadful. Episodes aren’t uncommon and a pro analysis can show dilatation of 1 or both pupils of the eyes. If there’s a skull fracture, clear cerebrospinal liquid can drain from the ears or nose. There may be bleeding from the ear or nose too.

Traumatic Brain Injury in Children

Children can be hurt as well and can have their own set of symptoms. There may be a unexpected change in drinking or eating habits as well as obstinate crying. The baby could be extraordinarily testy and tough to console. The child’s attention time can be poor and they may sleep too tiny or too much. The kid may appear unduly miserable and will have lost interest in the ordinary things in life. The degree of damage relies upon the kind of event happening and on the force of the impact. Injury can be found solely to the area of impact or could cause multiple points of damage as the brain sloshes forwards and backwards in the head. Revolution of the head can tear the cellular structures of the brain.

An explosion could cause bad injury. Penetrating damage can permanently kill a piece of brain, including veins, brain cells and the dura of the brain. Any bleeding in the brain could cause swelling and blood clot that ruin the oxygen supply to the brain.

Get the Best Prices on Full Coverage Auto Insurance

We all like to save money, and many of us do not mind paying less and getting cut-rate products. Of course, there are some things that you just don’t want to skimp out on, and you will have to pay the going rate. One of these things is full coverage auto insurance. After all, you spend a lot of money to get a vehicle, and you want to make sure that if anything happens to it that there is going to be insurance to take care of your expenses.

Minimum Coverage

Most states require that everyone who has a vehicle have a minimum amount of coverage. If this is all that you can afford, then at least you will have some coverage if anything should happen. But, if you can afford it, you really should consider paying a little bit more and having full coverage. That way, no matter who is at fault for an accident, you do not have to worry about a lot of out-of-pocket expenses that you may not be able to afford. If you have the proper coverage, you will even have legal representation if you are sued following an accident where you were at fault.

Each state has its own requirements for auto insurance. If you are not ready to get full coverage auto insurance, for whatever reason, you need to either speak with your insurance representative, or inquire at your local Department of Motor Vehicles to find out what the minimum insurance requirements are for the state you live in.

What Does Full Coverage Actually Cover?

A number of different items are used to make up full coverage auto insurance. The first component we are going to talk about is liability insurance. Most states expect all vehicle owners to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance. This covers you in the event that you are at fault in an accident and the other parties are claiming damages. The three things that are covered by liability insurance are:

• Personal Injury
• Property Damage
• Medical Bills

As a rule, most liability policies cover $50,000 for personal injury, up to $100,000 for property damage and up to $25,000 for medical bills.

Full coverage insurance also includes collision coverage. This is pretty simple and straightforward. If you are in an accident while your vehicle is in motion, any damages are paid for by the collision coverage. You can file claims even if your accident does not involve other vehicles. Some instances that are covered include hitting buildings, being hit by another vehicle, and accidents involving animals (many people who live in rural areas have this coverage because of the higher rate of accidents involving wildlife, especially deer and moose). You are also covered if an uninsured driver hits your vehicle.

Comprehensive Coverage

Another aspect of full coverage is comprehensive insurance. This is usually combined with collision coverage, and provides similar coverage. The major difference between comprehensive and collision insurance is that your vehicle does not have to be moving for you to be paid for damages.

• For instance, if your vehicle is parked and another driver runs into it, you will be covered. If a tree limb were to fall on your vehicle, your insurance will pay for the damages. Other instances that can be included in this type of coverage include fires, natural disasters such as floods and severe weather (all of these are also referred to as acts of God). Theft and vandalism are also covered.

You can save money on comprehensive coverage by taking steps to protect your vehicle. Installing an alarm system is a good example of this.

Uninsured/Underinsured Drivers are Covered

What would happen if you were in an accident, and the other driver did not have enough, or any insurance coverage? Would you be stuck paying for everything, even if the accident weren’t your fault? Your full coverage auto insurance includes uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This means that even if someone who does not have coverage hits you, you will be protected.

The uninsured motorist involved in the accident is required to pay your deductible. If you have any medical bills as a result of the accident, they will be taken care of by this coverage. The only conditions for this are that the accident is not your fault, and the other driver has absolutely no insurance.

Being underinsured or uninsured is the same thing when it comes to the law. In some states, drivers may have money set aside and held by the State instead of having insurance. This is basically the same as insurance, because it is money that is to be used only if there is an accident. If there is not enough in the account to cover all of the expenses, the underinsured/uninsured driver must pay the difference.

Your Full Coverage Auto Insurance Policy

Insurance products and premiums will vary depending on the company, which is why it is so important to make sure that you shop around before making your final decision about which insurer you want to do business with.

In some cases, you will be able to choose the insurance products you need to make up your full coverage policy. You may wish to have two or more of these policies, but not all of them. Make sure that you understand everything involved, and what could happen if you decide not to get certain types of coverage.

Getting Quotes

If you want to make sure that you are getting the best prices for full coverage auto insurance, you need to get quotes. As previously noted, not all insurers offer the same products and rates. You may even find that if you already have insurance that you are paying too much, and another insurer will provide you with the same coverage you have now at a much better rate. Insurance is expensive, but it does not have to be outrageously priced. Let us know what you need for coverage, and we’ll use your zip code to get a number of free quotes from insurers in your area. Go online today to get your free insurance quotes.

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Is Cheap Full Coverage Insurance Good Enough?

Do you think that cheap full coverage insurance is all you need? You may or may not be right about this. Although many drivers think full coverage means there is nothing left needed as far as their car insurance coverage goes, they may be sadly mistaken. In fact, most drivers do not find out the truth about what their auto insurance policy covers until they have to file a claim.

By then of course it is too late to fill in the missing gaps in coverage. So, although the name full coverage sounds nice, it is important to understand what exactly it fully covers. If you think you have all the coverage you need or are looking into getting just full coverage, the first thing you should be aware of is what exactly this is.

Is Cheap Full Coverage Insurance All You Need?

You sign up for that full coverage auto insurance policy and think you have everything you will ever need when it comes to coverage for you as a driver and your vehicle. Just make sure you are actually aware of what full coverage is, especially when compared to the types of auto insurance you may actually need.

• Generally, full coverage actually means it covers what you absolutely must have to meet the required insurance. In other words, it is usually meets the state requirements for wherever you live. This could be liability or no-fault coverage, but either way it usually does not go beyond the basic minimum requirements.

• In some instances however it may also include uninsured motorist and PIP or Personal Injury Protection, unless this is the same as the no fault coverage you are required to have in your state. The problem is you probably don’t actually know what you have, if you signed up for full coverage car insurance. The best thing you can do is find out from your current policy provider what exactly you are covered for.

• If you have a car that is financed you need more than this type of minimal coverage. You may have set it up correctly without realizing it if you worked with an agent who knows what you need. However, if you did not then you may find out at the end of your car loan that your lending company tacked on their own pricy car insurance to make sure you got the coverage you need. Once you are done with the car loan you will have to then pay for that extra coverage you had.

No matter what you have currently, it is a good idea to get quotes and find out how much you could actually be getting cheap full coverage insurance for.

Some Other Things to Know

If your full coverage auto insurance only covers liability it means you have coverage for damage you cause in an accident to someone else in relation to personal property and medical expenses. Of course, even this is only up to a certain dollar amount so you meet the state’s minimum requirements for bodily injury per person, bodily injury total per accident and personal property damage coverage. Anything above the amount covered is still your responsibility out of your own pocket.

If you have no fault or PIP as part of your full coverage policy then you are covered for your own damages and medical expenses no matter who is deemed the at fault driver in an accident. This helps prevent the need for lawsuits or injured parties being denied treatment until after the insurance is worked out. However, this policy also can have a low amount of minimum coverage requirements which still means you would owe a lot out of your own pocket.

Does This Include Collision or Comprehensive Insurance?

In most cases, unless you have specified you want collision and comprehensive coverage this is not included. Here is a brief overview of what is included with collision and comprehensive insurance.

• Collision insurance – Although the name implies this would be any type of collision, in most cases it only covers a collision involving another vehicle. Anything other than that is usually then covered by comprehensive.

• Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance coverage fills in many of the gaps other types of insurance leaves behind. For example this usually covers collisions with anything other than another vehicle. It is also the type of coverage you need to protect yourself from things like Acts of God, theft, fires and natural disasters.
  

So, while it may sound like these are the types of details that would be included with your full coverage, more than likely you will have to expand your policy to get this kind of policy protection.

Is Cheap Full Coverage Insurance For You?

The bottom line is that you have to decide if you need full coverage or more. If you are not required to have more than full coverage car insurance as mandated by a financial lender for a car loan then it is completely up to you. Much of this simply depends on the value of your car and how much you want to spend on insurance premiums per month. Keep in mind even though getting slightly lower monthly premiums can be tempting, if you have to pay for your expenses out of your own pocket following a collision this can be a lot bigger a financial burden.

In some cases, drivers have problems even coming up with the deductible to get a claim filed. So imagine having to pay extra for things like:

• Repairs to or replacement of your vehicle
• Damages to another person’s personal property including or in addition to their vehicle
• Medical expenses for yourself or others which can include hospital stays, ambulance transport, surgery and expensive aftercare like physical therapy

To find out just how low your rates could be, all you have to do is use your zip code to get started. Then you will be well on your way to getting started getting a cheap full coverage insurance policy or even more.

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What Does Full Coverage Auto Insurance Consist of?

While you have probably seen or heard the term “full coverage auto insurance”, there really is no set definition for this term.  This means that what one company considers full coverage may not in fact be the same thing as what another company is offering.  The term full coverage generally refers to the combination of liability coverage, comprehensive coverage, and collision coverage.  There may also be other specialty offerings such as roadside assistance or pet coverage included in certain full coverage packages that are offered by some companies.  There is a lot of ambiguity when dealing with the term full coverage and by understanding what you want from a policy will allow you to purchase the appropriate coverage.  The easiest way to approach this subject is to break down the different types of insurance policies that are typically a part of “full coverage”.

Liability Coverage:  This type of coverage is what will pay for damages that are a direct result of an auto accident that you are deemed to be responsible for.  Liability coverage is also required by law in order to register a vehicle and each state has specific requirements as far as coverage limits are concerned.  These minimum limits are generally quite low and by no means are an ideal amount of coverage to have.  This type of coverage will pay for any damages you cause to another vehicle, other damaged property such as a building, and any bodily injury that is a result of the accident.  This will pay for damages up to the specified policy limits for each type of coverage.  The coverage limits are usually expressed in the following format 50/100/25, which translates to $50,000 bodily injury per person, $100,000 bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 property damage per accident.  This coverage applies to any accident which you are determined to be liable for and the determination will ultimately be made by your insurance company, not the police as some people think is the case.

Comprehensive Coverage:  The easiest way to describe this type of coverage is that if your vehicle is not moving and it is damaged, that is when comprehensive coverage kicks in.  For example, if your car is parked in your driveway and a tree branch falls on it, comprehensive coverage would pay for the resulting damage.  This is considered to be a first party insurance coverage as it is intended to cover the insured party’s assets.  There is usually a deductible that the insured party will need to pay which can range from $250 to $1,000 or more.  This is generally less expensive than collision coverage as there are fewer incidents of this type.

Collision Coverage:  When it comes to collision coverage this generally includes any damages that result from any incident which occurs when your vehicle is in motion.  For example, if you are driving your car and run into a light pole in a parking lot, this would be paid for under your collision coverage.  This is a first party coverage which also requires the payment of a deductible in the event of a covered accident.  The deductible will usually be between $250-$1,000 or more, depending upon the policy.  This coverage will pay to have your vehicle repaired or in the event the vehicle is totaled it will pay the actual cash value (ACV) of the vehicle.  This is usually determined by the price at which similar model and year vehicles have sold for in your area.  There are also some policies which state if your vehicle is less than a year old it will pay the actual cost to buy a new one, instead of paying the ACV which is generally far less.

Buying Full Coverage Auto Insurance:  When the time comes to purchase an auto insurance policy you obviously want to look for the best deal.  This is a bit tricky because you need to weigh not only the price but also what is offered for that price.  You will also want to read reviews of insurance companies to see which ones have high customer satisfaction rates, as these will be the best to work with in the event of an accident.  By understanding what is offered by different full coverage auto insurance policies you will be better prepared to get the right policy for your needs.

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How Full Coverage Auto Insurance Can Save You Money

It may be hard to believe that full coverage car insurance could save you money, but it’s true. You may be thinking that this type of auto coverage costs more, but you can find cheap full coverage auto insurance and still use it to help you save money in the long run. While most people think they are saving money by going with liability car insurance or the state minimum, they may actually be making a pricy mistake.

The Basics of Cheap Full Coverage Auto Insurance

So you may be wondering how exactly full coverage car insurance can save you money or how you can find cheap full coverage auto insurance. It really is not all that complicated.

• Full coverage car insurance helps you save money because the policy pays for much more of the expensive issues you may have to pay for out of pocket should the need arise. Saving a few dollars on your monthly premiums does not equal actual savings if you should have to pay for any vehicle repairs or medical expenses. This is especially true if you do not have health insurance. If you are carrying just the state minimum liability car insurance and are in a collision, all of your own vehicle repairs and medical bills will be your financial burden to cover.

• Another reason that cheap full coverage auto insurance may help you save money is that if you have not recently received quotes for premium costs you may be paying the same or more for less coverage than a good full coverage policy would cost. Getting your free quotes from insurance providers competing for your business often times results in lower rates than you could have imagined. The only way to find out is to get your quotes and compare them to what you are currently paying for your insurance coverage.

Benefits of Full Coverage Car Insurance

 Trying to save a few bucks off the cost of your monthly auto insurance premiums usually isn’t worth the effort unless you end up never having to use your insurance. While every driver hopes to never use insurance and certainly does not plan on doing so, there is just no way to predict if you will need that full coverage auto insurance policy or not, which is the point of having a policy.

The problem is some drivers make the even more detrimental mistake of not having insurance at all. Except for the state of New Hampshire, all of the other American states require drivers to have at least a minimal amount of liability auto insurance in place to drive legally.

Driving without the basic required car insurance means that you could be fined and receive a ticket for this infraction. Also it means if you are in an accident and not at fault, you will probably not be covered anyway because you are driving illegally.

Ways that driving without full coverage car insurance can actually cost you money:

• You can wind up with fines and court expenses for tickets if you are caught driving without the required minimum liability auto insurance policy in place. Each state has different minimum mandatory policy requirements in regards to the minimum coverage amounts for personal injury and property damage.

• Without enough coverage or any coverage at all, the expenses from an accident could have you financially burdened for years to come. Paying for another driver’s injuries and property damages could even lead to garnished wages, foreclosure and even bankruptcy. This also includes damage to private property such as someone’s home or to public property such as guardrails. All of these are expenses you must cover before even getting to your own repairs and injuries.

• Lacking the amount of full coverage car insurance needed does also mean you have to pay for your own expenses in the event of an accident. Even liability insurance leaves you with this financial burden. Your car will more than likely need repairs and possibly even replacing. Unless you have medical insurance, you could acquire a great deal of hospital bills including surgery or follow up after care expenses such as physical therapy.

• Again this is true even if you are not deemed the “at fault” driver in an accident but neglected to have the state requirements for insurance coverage. Driving without insurance is legal infraction, and most of the time the responsible driver’s insurance company will not be liable for covering your expenses because of this.

Ways to Cut Costs for Full Coverage

Not only can you find cheap full coverage auto insurance, you can find ways to save on your policy by using simple but smart tips. It starts with getting full coverage auto insurance quotes and finding out which providers may offer even bigger savings for some of these approaches.

• Find out how much you could save by paying your bill annually or quarterly instead of monthly. Most insurance providers offer discounts for paying annually or quarterly in addition to offering lower rates for drivers who pay down a good amount for a down payment.

• Keep your driving record and your insurance coverage history clean. Obviously if you have a good driving record free of tickets and accidents, your insurance will be lower. Also, be sure to keep an insurance policy at all times. Lapses of more than 30 days in coverage can cause you to be a “higher risk” and therefore have higher premiums.

• Keep your car in safe, drivable condition and make sure you have all the safety features possible intact. Have air bags and anti-lock brakes at the very least, and add any other features you can afford including anti-theft deterrents. Anything that can help you be protected from injuries or the car from being stolen will help lower rates.

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How to Get Full Coverage Car Insurance Quotes

In order to get the auto policy you need, you might want to start with full coverage car insurance quotes. This is actually a great way to find out what kind of coverage you actually want. When you compare quotes this will help you decide if you can afford to get even better coverage than full coverage auto insurance. This may come as a surprise to you though.

For one thing, you may think full coverage is all you need. On the other hand, you may have assumed you could not possibly afford more than the basic full coverage auto insurance policy. Before you settle for any type of car insurance coverage or pay rates you could do better with, it is time to get some quick lessons about car insurance policies and the kind you may need.

Is Full Coverage Enough for You?

You may be thinking that as a driver there is nothing you could need above and beyond full coverage. In fact, why else would it be called that if you needed additional coverage? With that in mind you get your full coverage car insurance quotes and assume you have what you need. The problem is you could be wrong. It is important to know exactly what you have and make sure it is what you need or else you will end up finding out when it is too late that you needed more.

• Full coverage is usually enough for anyone that does not have a financed car. You can meet your state requirements and be a safe legal driver. If you want protection beyond that however, full coverage may leave too many gaps making you an unhappy and under insured motorist.

• For financed cars you usually need collision and comprehensive as well “full coverage.” Collision car insurance usually covers you if you have an accident with another car and are the at fault driver. For collisions with something other than another vehicle like an animal or structure, you will need comprehensive. In addition to these types of collision, comprehensive auto insurance coverage usually takes care of you in the event of a flood, natural disaster, riots, theft or Acts of God. This to some is the true definition of full coverage.

• Except in many cases even that is not truly enough to have full coverage. You may also need to have additional GAP auto insurance coverage. Although most drivers think it stands for filling in the gaps other policies leave open, this is actually an acronym for Guaranteed Auto Protection. If the car you are paying on is valued at less than the amount of the loan you have you will be required to carry gap car insurance. This policy covers that gap between value and financing, so you are not left paying it out of pocket in the event the car is totaled out or stolen.

What Does Your Full Coverage Look Like?

What you may need for your full coverage car insurance policy depends on all of these things and maybe even more. However, you may simply be in a less complicated car situation without the need to insure based on what a lender demands. If this is the case then “full coverage” may look different for you.

Take into consideration these ideas:

• If your car is paid for and you don’t feel the value is worth getting extra coverage like collision or comprehensive car insurance then keep it simple. For you, the state minimum may be plenty for full coverage. Just make sure you know what this is. In some states this is liability and in others it will be PIP or no fault.

• Also keep in mind what your minimums are decide if you want more. For instance, if you only have $50,000 per accident for medical coverage in the event of an accident you may want to increase that amount. Medical bills can add up quickly. If you aren’t careful you could be liable for money from your own pocket to cover all of this.

• Make sure you have enough protection for yourself when it comes to your medical bills as well as repairing or replacing your vehicle. This is especially true if you do not have health insurance.

All you need to get started getting all the information you need is your very own zip code. This will get you all the full coverage car insurance quotes you need to get an affordable policy in place.

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Full Coverage Auto Insurance in Illinois

Whether you are a new driver in the state or a recent transplant to Illinois, it is important to understand your policy for this state. Like everywhere else, your policy requirements will vary based on the state. Location will impact the rates right down to the zip code. If you are moving from another state, though, this could be good news.

Often times moving from one state to another will actually result in a decrease in your policy rates. So let’s get an overview of what to expect for your Illinois insurance policy. The minimum the state requires includes bodily injury and property damage.

• Bodily Injury – Bodily injury is the coverage needed should you be the at fault driver in an accident resulting in bodily injury to other passengers of your vehicle or one you hit.
• Property Damage – If you are the driver at fault, your policy will cover damage you cause to other vehicles or property.

For the Illinois liability minimum the current amount policy must be 20/40/15. What this means is that your minimum required policy to drive legally in the state includes $20,000 for bodily injury per person per accident. The 40 represents $40,000 worth of total coverage for bodily injury per accident. Finally this policy would also include $15,000 worth of property damage coverage.

The minimum amount can change at any time, so make sure you get your rate quotes for the current state minimum instead of basing it on the information from this article. With the right carrier this should also include any legal fees you may have as a result of being sued in relation to an accident your coverage includes – one more important reason to make sure you have current coverage as a driver in Illinois, or any state really.

Other Details

Aside from just basic insurance, which is usually just liability, you may want to consider other aspects of full coverage. For example, having uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is important in the event that you are in an accident with a driver who doesn’t have the policy they should.

If you have a vehicle that is leased or financed, you will probably need much more coverage. This will be determined by the state requirements as well as the minimum requirements from your financial lender. So you may also need coverage including:

• Collision – This covers your vehicle in the event you are involved in an accident with another vehicle. However it may not cover a collision with anything else.

• Comprehensive - This usually covers accidents with other objects as well as protection from fire, storms, theft and vandalism, plus other issues.

To find out what you need for car insurance coverage in Illinois, get your free quote today. Compare policy premium prices easily and make the best decision for your vehicle and driving situation.

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