Despite the fact that liability coverage is a legal requirement in almost all states, people continue to operate motor vehicles every day on public roads without insurance. If you are involved in a car wreck with someone who was operating without insurance, your medical bills, property damage and pain and suffering could go unpaid unless you were covered by uninsured motorist coverage. Even if you were not seriously injured in the auto accident, property damage and medical bills can add up quickly — particularly if they are out of pocket expenses.

When most people purchase car insurance, they focus on what the state minimum is, or on how much they think they should purchase to cover any injuries to other people in the event they are negligent in an auto accident. While this should certainly be a consideration, care should also be taken to include uninsured motorist coverage in the event the other person is negligent and operating without liability coverage.

As a general rule, if the other driver is negligent in a car wreck, he or she is responsible for paying your medical bills, property damage and possibly pain and suffering. If he or she is insured by liability coverage then the driver’s insurance company will cover the payment. If, however, the driver did not have any liability coverage, your only option may be to file a lawsuit against the driver if you were not covered by uninsured motorist coverage. Although you may easily win the lawsuit, collecting on the judgment may prove fruitless.

If, on the other hand, you were covered by uninsured motorist coverage, then your own insurance company will pay for your damages based on your policy coverage. The insurance company may, or may not, choose to pursue litigation against the negligent driver. In the meantime, however, your injuries are covered and you do not have to worry about the often lengthy and costly process of filing a lawsuit against the driver.