Types of Insurance that May Come into Play in a Personal Injury Insurance Claim

When victims sustain injuries caused by another party’s negligence, they will need to file a personal injury insurance claim with the appropriate insurance company to recover personal injury compensation. Determining what type of insurance may be involved is somewhat tricky.

Personal injury cases encompass a variety of types of accidents, from car crashes to slip-and-fall accidents on someone else’s property. Therefore, the types of insurance involved in personal claims vary.

Types of Insurance in Personal Injury Insurance Claims

The type of liability insurance that might be involved in a claim can include:

• auto insurance;
• homeowners insurance;
• employer’s insurance;
• business liability insurance;
• health insurance; and
• product liability insurance.

Personal injury cases involving auto accidents are among the most common types of claims. Also fairly common are premises liability cases. Because auto and homeowners/business liability insurance are commonly involved in personal injury cases, we’ll take a better look at those specific types of coverage.

An Overview of Auto Accident Insurance Coverage

Depending upon the nature of the car accident, several types of coverage may be utilized in an injury claim:

• Bodily Injury Liability – This type of insurance covers expenses related others’ injuries if the policyholder is at fault for the accident. Colorado requires a minimum $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
• Property Damage Liability – This type of coverage pays for property damage to another’s property if the policyholder is at fault. Colorado requires at least $15,000 of coverage per occurrence.
• Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage – This type of insurance is used when the responsible driver does not have insurance. It’s also used in hit-and-run accidents in which the other driver cannot be identified. In Colorado, UM coverage can be waived only in writing.
• Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage – This insurance becomes important when the responsible driver does not have enough coverage to compensate the injured party. This coverage will make up the difference. In Colorado, UIM coverage can only be waived in writing.

Other types of insurance coverage may become involved if the claimant purchased additional coverage. If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident that was the result of someone else’s negligence, you can speak with an attorney to determine your coverage and how to handle the claims process.

Insurance in Premises Liability Cases

Premises liability cases are filed after accidents on commercial properties, as well as on personal property. Homeowners insurance provides limited protection for personal injuries sustained on personal property. This insurance may come into play in cases such as:

• a visitor being attacked by a dog;
• someone falling down a stairwell;
• a child falling off a tree in someone else’s yard; or
• someone slipping and falling at a pool party.

When the accident happens on commercial property, that business’s liability insurance would become involved. These types of premises liability cases can include accidents such as:

• slipping in a grocery store;
• falling down the stairs of an apartment building;
• tripping in a dark parking lot;
• merchandise falling in a store;
• getting injured on an mall escalator;
• falling from a hotel balcony due to defects;
• building collapse;
• injuries from smoke and fires; and
• assaults from negligent security.

Arvada Personal Injury Cases Can Be Extremely Complex

Personal injury cases can become awfully complicated, awfully quickly. Insurance issues often complicate matters; for example:

• there may be more than one insurance company involved;
• what the insurance actually covers can seem unclear;
• who is actually liable for the insurance can be disputed; and
• the insurance company may use shady tactics when fulfilling a claim.

For questions regarding a personal injury insurance claim in the Arvada area or personal injury compensation, contact personal injury lawyer D.J. Banovitz. For a consultation, call our Arvada firm today at (303) 300-5060.