What You Need to Know about Car Insurance in Las Vegas FAQ & Answers
Like other states, Nevada requires that motorists who register vehicles have adequate insurance on their cars in the event of an accident. All motorists, however, should consider what policies to get because there are many on offer.
At Ladah Law firm, we will meet to discuss any car accident related issue you have. Below, we offer answers to the most pressing questions
Is Nevada a PIP State?
No. Nevada is a “fault” state that requires motorists carry liability insurance. This insurance kicks in if you are at fault for an accident and injure someone else. If you are, then the victims can make a claim on your policy. If you were to blame for a wreck, then you cannot make a claim on your own liability policy.
Personal injury protection benefits, or “PIP” for short, are no-fault benefits offered in some states like Florida. Nevada motorists, however, can purchase medical payments coverage, which is also no-fault insurance. Some people refer to medical payments as PIP.
When Should I Use PIP Insurance?
What is the Minimum Car Insurance in Nevada?
As of 2020, Nevada requires 25/50/20 coverage. This means:
$25,000 per person in bodily injury liability insurance
$50,000 per accident bodily injury liability coverage
$20,000 in property damage
Of course, these are minimum amounts. Exactly how much insurance you should have is an individualized question. You might want to carry more liability insurance, especially if you have a lot of assets in a bank account which could be seized in a lawsuit.
There are other insurance policies you should consider:
Medical payments. This coverage pays for treating injuries to you and passengers regardless of who is to blame for the accident.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM). The driver at fault for the accident might not have enough insurance to cover your entire losses. The driver might also be completely uninsured. UM/UIM coverage can step in and pay benefits. It is liability coverage, meaning you cannot tap it if you were to blame for the accident. We recommend that motorists carry as much of this insurance as they can realistically afford.
Collision coverage. This insurance pays for damage to your car that is caused by a crash, regardless of fault for the accident. It can pay to replace or repair your car.
Comprehensive. This insurance covers damage due to theft, storms, flood, vandalism, etc. Basically, any damage caused by something other than a collision.
Does Using PIP Raise Your Insurance?
Nevada Revised Statute § 687B.385 prohibits an insurer from increasing a premium for a claim if the insured was not at fault. If you were not at fault for the accident, an insurer cannot by law increase your premiums.
However, if you were to blame, then your insurer might increase how much you pay. Remember, medical payments are no-fault, so you can receive compensation. However, making a claim might increase how much you pay going forward.
Who Gets the Insurance Check for My Medical Bills?
your settlement any amount they paid for medical treatment for your injuries. Your attorney will need to send your health insurer a check to cover the amount they have a right to.
Remember that there is no right of subrogation in Nevada for medical payments coverage.
What Is the Difference Between PIP and Bodily Injury?
Medical payments, which many people call PIP, is a type of no-fault insurance. This means you could be to blame for the accident and still use the insurance to pay for your medical bills.
By contrast, bodily injury insurance is liability coverage. If you are to blame for the crash, an injured victim could make a claim. However, you cannot make a claim on your own policy. You also can’t make a claim on the other motorist’s bodily injury policy when you are to blame for the accident.
What is PIP on an auto policy?
Some Nevada drivers choose to get medical payments coverage, which is other states is called PIP. It is optional insurance in Nevada, though insurers are required to offer at least $1,000 in coverage. If you want it, you can buy more than this amount.
Medical payments insurance covers medical bills and funeral expenses for someone injured in a motor vehicle accident. The policy typically covers the named insured, his or her family, and any passengers in the vehicle.
Medical payments coverage is no-fault insurance, so it doesn’t matter if you struck another vehicle and are to blame for the accident.
How Does a PIP Claim Work?
You first need to identify whether you are covered. You will be covered if you were driving or if you were the passenger in another vehicle. It also covers accidents if you were struck by a vehicle while walking.
Medical payments will cover reasonable and necessary medical expenses to treat an injury sustained in a car accident, such as:
Hospital stays
Surgery
Diagnostic tests and x-rays
Doctor bills
Physical therapy bills
Ambulance costs
Prescription drugs
Prosthetics
Med pay does not cover the cost of repairing your car or any care for a pre-existing condition, unless that condition was made worse in the accident.
To make a claim, contact your insurer. Because this is no-fault insurance, they do not need to try and assign blame for the accident, which happens with liability claims. Nevertheless, they still need to be sure you were injured in a covered accident and that your medical treatment is covered.
Contact Our Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
After an accident, you might not really know what steps to take. Dealing with insurance adjusters is a time-consuming hassle, when most victims should be focused on getting well.702-252-0055 to schedule your meeting.
More Las Vegas Car Insurance Resources
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Common Las Vegas Car Insurance FAQs & Answers
How to Deal with Insurance Adjusters after a Car Accident
proper way to take action outlined here , and these common FAQs about dealing with an insurance adjuster:
1. Do I Have to Answer All of the Insurance Adjuster’s Questions? No, you do not have to answer all of the questions asked by the insurance adjuster. In fact, you should not answer questions that could be used as evidence of fault. You should tell the insurance adjuster who was in the vehicle, where the accident occurred and the date and time of the crash. Do not agree to give a recorded statement without speaking to a lawyer first.
2. My Insurance Adjuster Asked for Me to Sign a Release for My Medical Documents – Do I Have to? It sounds crazy, but your insurance adjuster may ask you to release your medical documents to them, which they may use for two things: First, to determine the extent of your injuries in the crash and make a decision about how to compensate you as such; and second, to see if you have any underlying conditions that may have contributed to the crash. Because your health records could actually be used against you to undermine your claim, you should never release these documents to an insurance adjuster.
3. Do I Have to Accept a Settlement Offer?
4. Who Can Represent Me in Talks with My Insurance Adjuster?
The good news about the claims process is that you don’t have to go through it alone; instead, a car insurance attorney can represent you in all talks with the insurance adjuster, as well as other elements of the claims process.
At Ladah Law Firm, our experienced Las Vegas car accident attorneys are ready to meet with you today. Contact us now for your free consultation.
How Much Car Insurance Do I Need in Las Vegas?
With so many different types of car insurance policies available, all with varying amounts of coverage, it can be difficult to decipher what insurance you actually need to have, as opposed to the insurance that your insurance agent would like to sell you. The reality is that you don’t have an unlimited amount of money to pay your car insurance premiums, so you need to know what type of car insurance policy that you are required to have under Nevada law. This knowledge will ensure that you both comply with the law and obtain the coverage that you need in the event that an accident occurs.
What Are the Minimum Requirements for Car Insurance Coverage in Las Vegas and Nevada?
According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, Nevada law requires that drivers maintain automobile insurance liability policies in the following minimum requirements:
$15,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in any one accident;
$30,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more persons in any one accident; and
$10,000 for injury or destruction.
There are, however, a number of uninsured drivers in Las Vegas, who are not carrying an adequate amount of insurance or who do not possess any coverage at all.
Do I Have to Get Insurance Before I Register My Vehicle?
Yes, you have to get insurance before you register a new vehicle. You have to show your Nevada Evidence of Insurance card in order to register your car. In fact, if you drop the required liability coverage on your vehicle for any reason, at any point, you must surrender your car registration and license plates.
Can I Have an Insurance Policy From Out of State?
No, you are required to have an insurance policy written by an insurance agent or insurance company that is licensed in Nevada.
What Happens if I Let My Insurance Coverage Lapse?
If you let your insurance coverage lapse for even one day, or if the DMV cannot verify that you have insurance coverage through your Vegas insurance company, the DMV will send you a certified letter notifying you that your vehicle registration will be suspended. Any suspension for a lack of insurance takes effect ten days following the date that the DMV mailed the letter.
Are There Other Penalties if I Let My Insurance Coverage Lapse?
Nevada law sets penalties for a lack of vehicle insurance coverage based on how long you went without insurance and how many times you have let your insurance lapse in the past. You will have to pay a reinstatement fee and a fine; the amount of both the fee and the fine increase with each subsequent offense within a five-year period. Furthermore, depending on how long and how many times you go without insurance, you may have to maintain SR-22 insurance. The DMV also can suspend your driver’s license for a minimum period of 30 days after your third offense in five years. After a license suspension, you must pay an additional license reinstatement fee to the DMV.
What is SR-22 Insurance?
SR-22 insurance is a Certificate of Financial Responsibility that your Vegas insurance company or agent will provide to the DMV. Any driver who allows his or her insurance coverage to lapse for 91 days or more must carry SR-22 insurance for at least three years. If you drop SR-22 coverage, your insurance agent must notify the DMV immediately, which will result in both a driver’s license suspension and suspension of the registration of all of your vehicles.
Is There Any Kind of Grace Period for Me to Get Insurance?
No. Nevada law does not permit any grace period. If your insurance coverage lapses for even one day, you are subject to the penalties for not maintaining the required insurance policy, which can result in fees, fines, and a driver’s license suspension, depending on the circumstances.
Contact Your Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
At the Ladah Law Firm, we pride ourselves on representing the interests of those who have been injured in all types of accidents, from car crashes to truck accidents, from medical errors to slip and fall accidents. While you focus on healing from your injuries, both physical and emotional, we will focus on your financial recovery from those who are responsible for the accident. We are dedicated to obtaining a fair and just settlement on your behalf that truly compensates you for your losses. You can call us at 702.570.2104, 24 hours per day, and set up an appointment with one of our experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorneys.
How Do I sort out Medical Costs & Juggle Health Insurance, Car Insurance, Med Pay & PIP After an Injury?
The average cost of lifetime care following even a mild traumatic brain injury is around $85,000, and can be as high as $3 million. Moderate to severe brain injuries can be far more costly. One of the major difficulties that traumatic brain injury victims experience after their injury is how to handle costs prior to receiving a settlement. This posts outlines some of the ways to manage your expenses during this difficult and stressful time so you can keep up with the expenses in the ordinary course of life while also addressing the extraordinary and unexpected costs of dealing with your injury.
Keep Records
It is important that you keep records of all the costs associated with your injury. This will ensure that your attorney can effectively persuade the defendant’s insurance company (or a court) of the extent of your damages, so that you can be fully compensated when it comes to settling your case. This means keeping meticulous records. You should keep all medical bills from your provider, as well as all explanation of benefits (EOBs) documents from your insurer. You should also keep receipts for any prescription medications, copays from your chiropractor or physical therapist, medical supplies such as neck braces or crutches, and anything else you purchased in relation to your injury. You can even keep parking receipts for visits to the doctor’s office or hospital.
Also, because many people miss time at work due to their injuries, it is important that you obtain wage verification from your employer. If you have not kept your pay stubs, request any documentation your employer can provide. This will help your attorney prove your lost wages so you can be compensated for your injuries.
Stay in Touch with Insurers, Providers, and Creditors
When you are going through financial hardship, the worst thing you can do is ignore the mounting expenses. Creditors are generally willing to work with people who communicate with them about their difficulties in keeping current. They are especially willing to work with those who are enduring such hardship due to an unexpected occurrence such as an illness or injury.
If you Must Borrow, Borrow Wisely
Sometimes you have no option but to borrow to sustain yourself temporarily during times of hardship. If you do so, there are several things you must consider. You should discuss your options with your attorney. If you have a good case, your attorney will generally advance litigation expenses and you will only be required to pay them back if you receive a favorable outcome. This is called a contingency fee. Additionally, an attorney may be able to refer you to a lender (though many will not do so because they do not think it is in the client’s best interest). However, according to ethical rules governing lawyers (see especially Rule 1.8), attorneys generally may not loan money to clients to meet their expenses in the meantime.
Contact a Nevada Personal Injury Attorney for Help Managing Medical Costs After an Injury
A good attorney will be able to both finance your legal case, and provide you with wise and creative advice for meeting your needs in the meantime. An attorney’s job is to ensure that you get paid what you deserve for your injuries. When your attorney does his or her job well, they will compile a detailed record of your expenses and ensure that your fees for their services are not wasted. And any good personal injury attorney will make sure that you owe nothing unless you win your case. Contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Ladah Law Firm, PLLC today, or call us 24 hours a day at (702) 252-0055 . We provide free consultations, and we only charge legal fees if you recover. The nature of our agreement with our clients ensures that we work hard to make sure they get the largest recovery available. We can also advise you on how to cover your expenses in the meantime.
Should I speak with the insurance company after a motor vehicle accident?
Every driver should know what to do in the aftermath of a car accident. Even the safest and most skilled of motorists could still end up in a serious collision. The Nevada Department of Transportation reports that 34,174 people were hurt in accidents in 2017 alone. Another 30,000 Nevadans were involved in property damage-only crashes.
At Ladah Law Firm, we are strong advocates for the rights of injured victims. We want to make sure that you have all of the information and resources you need to effectively deal with the insurance company. In this guide, our attorneys answer one of the most common questions we get from people involved in car accidents: Should I speak to an insurance adjuster after a crash?
Your Guide to Dealing with Insurance Companies After an Accident
(a) Should I speak with the other driver’s insurance company after an accident?
No, you should not personally speak with the other driver’s insurance company after an accident. Insurance companies usually record conversations with drivers involved in car, truck or motorcycle accidents. The insurance company can and will attempt to construe every word you say against you. Insurance companies hate having to pay for the medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, or any other damages incurred by drivers involved in an accident caused by their insured. Therefore, they will do anything and everything they can to avoid making payment. This includes speaking with the injured driver(s), convincing them that they do not need an attorney, and recording all conversations with them.
The bottom line : You are not required to speak to the other driver’s insurance company. It is not in your best interest to do so. Do not give a recorded statement before consulting with a Las Vegas car accident attorney.
(b) Should I speak with my insurance company after an accident?
While most injured victims believe that their own insurance company is on their side, things can drastically change when the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured. In such cases, the injured victim may need to recover from his or her own insurance company through uninsured motorist coverage or underinsured motorist coverage. In these circumstances, your own insurance company can very easily turn against you as their interests actually become adverse to yours.
The bottom line: Even your own insurance company is not truly on your side. Many people end up in disputes with their insurer. Do not give a recorded statement to your insurance provider without first calling a Nevada car accident lawyer.
Know the Risks: Three Reasons Not to Speak Insurance Adjusters
You may be wondering: Why should I avoid talking to the insurance company after an accident? After all, you have nothing to hide and you are more than willing to share what you know about the crash in order to facilitate a fair settlement. Unfortunately, despite your good intentions, talking to an insurance adjuster directly can still cause big problems. Insurers are simply not neutral parties in the case. Here are three reasons not to speak to an insurance adjuster after a crash:
They Ask Leading Questions Designed to Build a Defense: Insurance adjusters are trained to ask very specific, leading questions. While coming off as both friendly and disarming, their goal is to elicit information that can be used to protect the financial interests of the company. You will not always know what they are looking for—and a seemingly innocuous answer to a leading question could actually undermine your case. Your Words Can Get Twisted or Misinterpreted: Insurance companies are not above twisting words or taking statements out of context in order to further their own goals. Beyond that, they frequently use high-pressure tactics to try to get injured victims to say something that can be used against them. In far too many cases, insurance adjusters find a way to get people to say something against their own interests.Even Perfect Answers are Unlikely to Help You: Imagine that you answer every question perfectly. That would surely help your case, right? Not exactly. Insurance adjusters are looking for information that they can use against you. At this stage of the process, even the most articulate answers are no better than simply not giving a recorded statement. When speaking to insurance adjusters, you are playing their game. A bad answer can cause serious damage to your personal injury claim, whereas a perfect answer makes little difference. The Insurance Company is Required to Go Through Your Attorney
Unfortunately, insurance companies have developed a wide range of tactics and strategies designed to minimize the amount they pay out to car accident victims. Whether you are dealing with an opposing insurance company or your own insurer, you need to be ready for the fact that they are looking for information that they can use against you to deny your claim or reduce your settlement offer.
The good news is that top Las Vegas car accident lawyers are well aware of the insurance company’s tactics. Once you hire a lawyer, the insurance company cannot badger you for a statement. Your attorney will take over the process of dealing with the adjuster. If the insurance company needs a formal statement—which may occur later in the claims process—you have professional legal representation in your corner.
Call Our Las Vegas, NV Accident Attorneys for Immediate Assistance
At Ladah Law Firm , our Las Vegas car accident lawyers have the skills, knowledge, and expertise to handle insurance adjusters. If you have any questions or concerns about dealing with the insurance company, we are more than ready to help. For a no-cost, no commitment assessment of your personal injury case, please do not hesitate to contact us today: 702-252-0055 . From our office location in Las Vegas, we are well-positioned to represent auto accident victims throughout Clark County and Southern Nevada.
How Much is Car Insurance in Las Vegas?
Auto insurance can be costly. The average estimated annual cost of auto insurance in Vegas is approximately $1,600. That being said, your rates could certainly be higher or lower. The cost of car insurance in Vegas depends on many different factors, including your age, the make and model of your vehicle, and your driving history. By shopping around among multiple providers, you may find a better value.
Why is Car Insurance So Expensive in Las Vegas?
Auto insurance is notoriously expensive in Las Vegas and throughout Nevada more broadly. There are many different reasons for this, including the region’s relatively high rate of drunk driving, the disproportionate number of serious collisions, and high rate of uninsured motorists. While no one likes paying for car insurance, you need to make sure you get enough coverage to protect yourself. Car insurance is one of those things that you do not want to use but you will be happy to have if you need it.
What is the Average Cost of Car Insurance Per Month in Las Vegas?
Based on a recent survey conducted by WalletHub , the average cost of car insurance is Nevada is nearly $1,250 per year. Unfortunately, it is one of the least affordable states for motor vehicle coverage. Las Vegas is even worse than the state average. The average monthly cost of auto insurance in Las Vegas exceeds $150. Few cities are more expensive for car insurance coverage than Vegas. As frustrating as this can be, it is still imperative that you obtain proper insurance.
How Do I Find Out If I Have Valid Car Insurance in Las Vegas, NV?
Are you unsure if you currently have valid car insurance? It is time to look into the matter to confirm that you are fully protected. Your best option is to go directly to the source. Call your insurance provider and ask for a copy of your policy details. In doing so, you can check to see if you have coverage. If so, you should get an up-to-date proof of insurance card and keep it in your vehicle. If not, you need to buy car insurance. It is required in Nevada.
What Are the Car Insurance Minimums in Las Vegas, NV?
Car insurance minimums are governed by state law. All motorists based in Vegas should follow Nevada’s minimum coverage requirements. Under our state’s regulations, you must carry liability coverage that provides at least:
$25,000 for bodily/injury fatality per person;
$50,000 for bodily/injury fatality per accident; and
$20,000 for property damage.
You do not want to be hit with uninsured motorist penalties. Failure to meet the minimum insurance requirements could result in a fine and additional financial exposure if you are found at-fault for a crash.
How Long Can You Live in Las Vegas Before You Need to Switch Your Car Insurance?
When you relocate to a new state, you are almost always required to update your auto insurance coverage. How long you have to make changes depends, in part, on the specific terms of your policy. That being said, the general rule is that drivers have somewhere between 30 days and 90 days to switch their insurance after moving to Las Vegas. It is best to get it done as soon as possible. You do not want to forget and risk running into problems getting a claim covered after an accident.
