If you or a loved one are injured in a car accident, it is important to understand what benefits are available to you through your auto insurance policy. Especially when opening a case with a personal injury firm, it is important to know what coverage you have available to you throughout your case. A car insurance declarations page can seem confusing at first glance, however once you understand the basic format of the policies you can know the exact benefits and coverage that will be available to you, not only for your injuries but also for your car’s property damage as well.
Here at Pratcher Krayer, we work with insurance companies daily and can walk you through the process of understanding your benefits when you need them the most. A declarations page explains how much your car insurance costs and how much you are getting for what you pay. It has the amount of car insurance coverage you purchased in each component (liability, personal injury, collision and comprehensive, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage), this also includes any optional coverage, and any discounts you get.
The declarations page contains your premium, how frequently you pay it, and the deductibles you are required to pay for each coverage component. It will also list your car, its make, model, and vehicle identification number, and its lienholder, if you lease. There are three major aspects of your declarations page that greatly influence your personal injury claim. The first is your Liability Protection, this is the coverage limit that each category will cover the policyholder in the event of injury or damage. The second coverage to look at is your Personal Injury Protection Benefits, which is the amount of money your insurance company will cover in your medical expenses and your income loss benefits. The third category is your Underinsured/Uninsured Motorist Benefits which allows coverage protection for you in the case that the other person involved in your accident does not have insurance, or that their insurance is not enough to cover the damages and expenses from the accident.
Lastly, it is important to look out for the following common problems that can be found on insurance declaration pages. These errors could be something simple and easy to overlook such as clerical errors, like a misspelled name or incorrect address. The declarations page may also have incorrectly listed type of coverage (for example, a named perils policy instead of an open perils policy). Incorrect deductibles, which is the amount you pay up front when you need the coverage benefits, may be listed as the wrong number and you may entitled to better coverage then what is listed. In addition, there may also be incorrect coverage amounts, missing endorsements or riders, or missing discounts or incorrect pricing. These are all things that can greatly impact the value of your case if incorrectly listed.
We understand how confusing coverage can be in the event of an automobile accident. When you are injured, it can be stressful to think about how your medical bills are going to be paid for. At Pratcher Krayer, we are here to help you through the process and maximize the coverage benefits that you are entitled to. If you or someone you know was involved in a personal injury accident and wishes to speak with a skilled attorney, call the Delaware personal injury attorneys of Pratcher Krayer, LLC located in Wilmington, Delaware.