Learn to Protect Yourself

​Driving is often a necessity, but it brings with it a number of risks.  Learn how to minimize your financial risks with a few easy tips from Warren Luccitti, Esq.!

For Those Who Drive Here in the Valley

By Warren Luccitti

With everyone from a teenager to a 90-year old being capable of having a license to drive, it is no wonder there are so many cars on the road. Couple that with the influx of several thousand people each month to the West Valley, with no significant railway system and a bus system in its infancy and you can guess why there has been such a significant increase in traffic over the past several years. With more vehicles, there are bound to be more accidents. All of us want to be responsible, so we maintain insurance coverage on our vehicles. That coverage will protect us from claims by people who are injured by our own negligence. But what happens when we are injured in that same accident and we are at fault. Who pays for our medical bills in that scenario? Unfortunately, if you don't have Health Insurance coverage through an employer or elsewhere, no one will pay... unless you had the foresight to obtain "Medical Payments" coverage (also known as "Med Pay") on your Automobile Policy.

Despite its availability, few injury victims have taken advantage of "Med Pay" coverage, which is aimed specifically at paying your medical expenses no matter who's at fault. This type of coverage is important because we all know how expensive medical bills can be. For a relatively low and reasonable cost (i.e. it varies among insurance carriers but it’s about ten (10) dollars a month) you and each person in your car can have $5,000 in medical bills covered by "Med Pay" no matter who's at fault for the accident. For about twenty (20) dollars a month you can have $10,000 of “Med Pay” coverage. 

For those of you without Health coverage, "Med Pay" is a necessity. For those of you who already have Health Insurance  through your job or elsewhere, the old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" recommends that we prepare for the unfortunate, unexpected events (like losing one's job or getting a divorce from the spouse who had the health coverage through their employer) by obtaining "Med Pay" coverage.

In a number of other states, drivers have $50,000 available to them to cover their medical bills, no matter who's at fault. It's even called "no-fault insurance". "Med Pay" coverage is the closest thing we have to no-fault automobile coverage here in Arizona. Why not take advantage of Med Pay's availability and reasonable cost?  I would like to see more people with Med Pay coverage than without. Ask your insurance broker for details.

Warren Luccitti, Esq., practices law here in the West Valley. He is a 1989 graduate of St. John's University School of Law in NYC, and is licensed to practice law in Arizona and New York. He can be reached for questions or comments at 623-533-7091.

Disclaimer: Please bear in mind that this is for general interest and informational purposes only, and not legal advice. Exceptions to general rules will often exist. Speak directly with an attorney when seeking legal advice. 

How to Protect Yourself Against Uninsured Motorists

By Warren Luccitti

A significant number of drivers are without insurance coverage. Some drivers are even unlicensed.  Of course, both of these types of drivers are violating the law. But that doesn’t seem to stop them.  So, what can you do to protect you and your family when one of these lawbreakers causes a collision?  The answer is UM and UIM coverage.  UM stands for uninsured motorist. If you have UM coverage, your own insurance carrier will pay for the medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering that the uninsured motorist caused. By the way, your UM coverage will also be triggered when the offending driver is a hit-and-run driver. When your insurance company offers you UM and UIM coverage, accept it.  If you have already rejected it, then contact them to include it (You’re allowed to change your mind.). 

When you say “yes” to UM coverage, think about saying “yes” to UIM coverage.  UIM stands for Underinsured motorist.  If you or a member of your family is severely injured, then the limited policy of the offending driver (if they have a policy) will not fully cover your loss.  A healthy amount of UIM coverage will allow your insurance company to pick-up the difference.  Example: If your injuries are worth $100,000 and the offending driver only has the minimum 15,000/$30,000 coverage, then all you will recover is $15,000.  If you have UIM coverage of $100,000, then you will be fully compensated (i.e. medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc.).  

Conclusion:

Med Pay, UM, and UIM coverage are there to protect you from large medical bills and to compensate you for injuries that would otherwise go uncompensated or under-compensated. Getting injured is trouble enough; there’s no need to compound it with mounting medical bills and getting little or nothing for injuries caused by an uninsured or underinsured motorist. Protect yourself and your family. 

Disclaimer: Please bear in mind that this is for general interest and informational purposes only, and not legal advice. Exceptions to general rules will often exist. Speak directly with an attorney when seeking legal advice.​

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