Connecticut is one of the only states that require uninsured driver coverage. When you buy your motor vehicle liability insurance policy, you have to pay for coverage that protects you in a crash caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver.
This kind of coverage will help when someone who causes a crash and has liability for your claim doesn’t have insurance or inadequate coverage for your medical costs, total property damage and losses. You have the right to make a claim against your own policy to cover any amount that the other driver’s insurance doesn’t pay.
How likely is it that you would ever need uninsured driver coverage after a crash?
The uninsured driver rate in Connecticut is relatively low
In a study conducted by the Insurance Information Institute in 2021 that reviewed data collected about drivers in 2019, Connecticut came in third from last as far as the rate of uninsured drivers. That means that there are only two states in the entire country with fewer uninsured drivers on the road and that Connecticut drivers have lower overall risk of a crash with an uninsured driver.
Across the country, approximately 12.6% of all motorists, which breaks down to roughly one in every eight drivers, don’t have an active insurance policy. However, that number is far lower in Connecticut. Approximately 6.3% of drivers in Connecticut don’t have insurance. That is half of the national average, meaning that Connecticut drivers have half the risk of the national average for getting into a crash with a driver who doesn’t have insurance.
Still, approximately one out of every 20 drivers on the Connecticut roads won’t have insurance.
Insurance claims can be complex with an uninsured driver
Obviously, you are going to need compensation after a crash totals your vehicle or leaves you with major injuries. Having uninsured driver coverage means you won’t have to cover those costs out of your own pocket.
Unfortunately, if you need to make a claim against your uninsured driver coverage, you can expect your own policy costs to go up. You will likely want to look at all of your options, including a lawsuit against the driver who hit you, before you take action you help protect yourself.
