Arkansas is an at-fault insurance state that allows add-on no-fault insurance coverage in case the other driver who hit you is uninsured. If you or your family member sustained an injury in a car accident, your medical expenses and property damage are covered no matter who was at fault.
Contacting an Arkansas personal injury lawyer near you will help you understand whom to file your claim through and what you should receive for losses. He or she can even evaluate an offer or negotiate a denied claim.
Arkansas At-Fault & No-Fault Insurance Laws
At-fault insurance states require covered drivers to file an insurance claim through his or her own policy rather than through the liable driver’s carrier. Laws vary when it comes to at-fault coverage: some states limit what you can claim, while others do not.
Arkansas is an at-fault state but permits insured drivers to purchase an add-on no-fault policy. This policy will protect you in case you are injured by an uninsured driver.
Fault-Based Insurance at a Glance
Arkansas fault-based insurance laws require you to carry at-fault insurance coverage. You have a few options if you are in a motor vehicle accident that you did not cause under Arkansas personal injury laws, including:
- Filing a claim through your no-fault insurance coverage
- Filing a claim through the other motorist’s insurance company
Your Arkansas personal injury lawyer can give you legal advice as to what is the most advantageous route in your case. Injured passengers may submit an insurance claim as well.
Arkansas Motor Vehicle Insurance Coverage Minimums
Every license-carrying driver in Arkansas must possess liability coverage at a minimum. In other words, there are policy amounts a driver must carry for him or her to drive on public roads legally.
These policy minimums include:
- $25,000 per person for bodily injury
- $50,000 per accident
- $25,000 for property damage
Drivers may also carry amounts higher than these thresholds.
No-Fault Insurance Coverage in Arkansas
Aside from minimum coverage requirements, you can also carry a no-fault plan to cover you if an under- or uninsured motorist causes an accident. With a no-fault policy, you can receive money for medical expenses, disability, or accidental death benefits.
No matter who causes your car accident and injuries, you have the right to file a claim for your losses under a no-fault policy. Even if you are a passenger in another party’s vehicle, your benefits will cover you.
Obtaining no-fault coverage in Arkansas requires you to purchase what is known as a personal injury protection (PIP) policy. Like other policies, there is a statute of limitations on your ability to file a claim, which means that you need to file a claim if you were injured recently.
Other Types of Insurance Coverage You Can Purchase
While at-fault policies and no-fault add-ons are usually adequate, they are not entirely comprehensive in terms of what they will pay. In general, a PIP policy bridges the gap in coverage, but it does not make up for all of your financial losses.
As such, you may want to carry additional policies, including:
- Uninsured motorist coverage
- Under-insured motorist coverage
- Comprehensive coverage
- Collision coverage
Your insurance company can explain the terms and conditions related to your insurance needs. The most challenging aspect is striking a balance between practicality and probability.
What to Do if You Were Recently Injured in a Motor Vehicle Accident
If you or your family member were recently injured in a motor vehicle accident that wasn’t your fault, you have the right to pursue a claim for the benefits that your insurance company promised it would provide when you bought a policy through them. All too often, Arkansas personal injury lawyers see insurance providers denying their customers the coverage they need and deserve throughout the claims process.
Accident injury or wrongful death victims must physically and emotionally recover from life-changing losses. Fighting with an insurance company over what is considered fair is generally the last thing that they have the time, energy, or capacity to do.
Milligan Law Offices Will Represent Your Interests
Instead of fighting with an insurance adjuster alone, contact an Arkansas personal injury lawyer at Milligan Law Offices. Our legal team will represent your interests throughout the entire claims process.
Request a free consultation by calling (479) 783-2213 or submitting a message through our private contact form. We are Arkansas personal injury lawyers that offer contingency fee agreements, which means that you do not have to come up with a retainer for legal representation.