Car Insurance Stacking Provisions
From long-term physical injuries to financial difficulties, dealing with the aftermath of a car accident is daunting. And negotiating with insurance companies can arguably be the most difficult part. However, knowing the best way to insure yourself can make all the difference.
Because serious injuries can occur in even the most minor car wrecks, it’s important to know how to negotiate with insurers in the aftermath of a crash and get the best coverage possible before a crash.
If you’ve sustained injuries in a car accident in Arizona and want to file a claim, contact the Phoenix car accident lawyers at ELG Law. Our team of auto accident lawyers is here to help you safeguard your legal rights and negotiate with insurance companies after an accident.
The Benefits of Stacking Coverage
First, it’s important to know what stacked coverage means for you. Stacking underinsured or uninsured motorist coverages means you are able to collect from more than one car insurance policy. In other words, you’ll receive full payment for your injuries and property damage. Not every state allows this, so make sure you know where your state stands.
For example, you could own more than one auto insurance policy with these two types of coverage. To collect all of the damages, you could make a claim under the underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage of each policy. Let’s say you have one policy with $25,000 worth of bodily injury coverage per person and another policy with $25,000 worth of UM/UIM bodily injury coverage. In this case, you can collect up to $50,000 for any injury you suffer as a result of a collision with an uninsured or underinsured motorist.
Stacking Provisions
Furthermore, there are different types of stacking, depending upon what you as the insured are wanting to obtain. If multiple coverages exist in one policy, you can combine them with intra-policy stacking. The other type of stacking, inter-policy stacking, occurs when you combine coverages from separate policies.
But if you live in a state that prohibits stacking, there may be another way to get coverage. The states that forbid stacking when you’re the driver hit by an uninsured motorist might allow a different type of stacking. For example, if you’re a passenger in a car struck by an uninsured driver, you could collect benefits from the driver’s policy (whoever was driving your vehicle). You could also collect from your own policy if your driver’s UM/UIM benefits did not pay for your injuries. So, even though you couldn’t collect from the at-fault driver here, you’d still be covered.
Car Accident Lawyer in Phoenix
The best way to ensure your accident claim is successful is to consult your attorney after an accident. Your lawyer will help you organize the facts of your case and act as a liaison to insurance companies. An attorney can also clarify if stacking coverage applies to you. Collaborating with your attorney on these issues will help make your recovery process smooth and stress-free after an accident.
Contact our Phoenix injury lawyers at ELG Law today at (623) 877-3600 for a free, no-hassle consultation.
