How Does Car Insurance Work in New York?

How Does Car Insurance Work in New York? Most people don’t think about what their car insurance policy will cover if they’re involved in a car accident in New York, NY. Our New York car accident attorneys believe that it’s a good idea to plan ahead and understand your insurance policy before you need it.

At the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers we concentrate our entire practice on fighting for the rights of accident injury victims. Our New York personal injury attorneys include former insurance defense litigators, so we understand how insurance companies operate.

This combination gives you the edge you need when you’ve been hurt in a New York car accident.

Getting fairly compensated for your car accident injuries can be difficult. Our exceptional attorneys are here for you when you need a fighter in your corner. Call us today at (212) 564 2800 to get a 100% free initial consultation to learn how we can put our experience to work for you.

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How the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a New York Car Accident

How the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a New York Car Accident Our number one goal at the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers is to take the stress of the insurance claims process off your plate so that you can focus all of your energy on healing. Our New York car accident lawyers understand exactly what you’re going through and that any added financial stress can make your physical recovery all the more difficult.

We also want to empower you with knowledge. Understanding how car insurance works in New York can help make the compensation process a little less stressful. We hope you never need to use it. But if you do, it’s important to know what your insurance policy covers and what it does not.

When you choose us to advocate on your behalf following a car accident in New York, New York, we’ll get to work by:

Analyzing your insurance policy to understand your coverage and policy limits
Reviewing your medical records to assess the extent and seriousness of your injuries
Providing you with a detailed explanation of the compensation your policy will provide
Discussing additional options you might have if your insurance doesn’t cover all your damages

We’ll also protect you against the insurance company when they try to avoid paying you the fair value of your case. If they refuse to negotiate with you in good faith, we won’t hesitate to take them to court and get your case before a jury.

The most common types of car accidents are:

Does New York Require Certain Types of Car Insurance Coverage?

Because New York is a no-fault car accident state, you must first look to your own insurance company for compensation if you’ve been injured in a car accident, regardless of who was at fault. State law requires every New York car owner to carry the following minimum insurance coverage:

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance

You must have PIP coverage that will pay for your medical expenses, loss of earnings, and other reasonable expenses that flow from the car accident.

You must have at least $50,000 in PIP coverage. However, it’s important to understand that PIP will only cover 80% of your lost earnings, up to a maximum of $2,000 per month.

Liability Insurance

This coverage pays for any bodily injuries or property damage that you cause to someone else because of your own negligence. If you are sued by another injured party, your insurance company must provide you with legal defense in the lawsuit.

You must carry the following minimum amounts of liability insurance:

$25,000 for bodily injury not resulting in death
$50,000 for bodily injury not resulting in death sustained by two or more persons
$10,000 in property damage liability coverage

Other optional types of insurance coverage are available as well.

What Are My Options if My Insurance Doesn’t Cover All of My Damages?

PIP coverage has its limitations. Car accidents can result in extensive injuries that require expensive, long-term medical care, such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and paralysis.

Therefore, your damages can easily far exceed your policy limits. Moreover, your PIP coverage doesn’t cover “non-economic” damages such as your pain and suffering, mental anguish, and other non-financial losses.

If your PIP coverage does not pay for all your medical expenses related to the car accident, then you can potentially pursue the at-fault driver in a third-party claim for those losses.

Additionally, you can pursue the negligent driver for compensation (including non-economic damages) if you’ve met the “serious injury” threshold. Serious injuries include those that result in death, significant disfigurement, permanent loss of use of an organ or member, and other grave impairments.

New York’s insurance laws can be daunting. That’s why it’s wise for you to have an experienced law firm like the Law Offices of Jay S. Knipsel on your side. We can help you navigate these complicated waters and get you the compensation you deserve.

Call the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation

Since we focus our practice on representing accident injury victims, our seasoned attorneys thoroughly understand New York car insurance laws. If you’ve been injured in a New York car accident, you can rely on us to steer you through the complex insurance claims process.

Call the Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers to arrange for your free initial consultation. There is no risk or obligation, and you don’t pay our New York car accident lawyers anything until we get compensation for you.