Being involved in a car crash is stressful enough, without the added inconvenience of being involved in one with an uninsured driver. Usually, being insured is a legal requirement in a state; however, there are many drivers that choose to ignore this and run the risk of driving uninsured.
If caught in Illinois, an uninsured driver can be charged $1,000. They may also face a license suspension for up to three months. But if they become involved in an accident, the determining factor is who is at fault in regard to the accident.
Illinois’ fault law
In Illinois, the person who is to blame for the accident will be the person that needs to deal with the damages. Therefore, if you were at fault for the accident, then your insurance will have to pay for all damages.
However, if the uninsured driver was at fault, they are unlikely to be able to pay out of pocket for the damages in this case. In a situation like this, your insurance company could be able to advise you and assist you. Alternatively, you may need to get in touch with a lawyer who can help.
There are also options to protect yourself from an uninsured driver. Many insurance companies offer add-on protections that will still pay out even if the uninsured driver was to blame for the accident.
Knowing what to do after an incident involving an uninsured driver is vital to being successful. Make sure to gather as much information as possible from the scene of the incident so that fault can be established.
Source: How Stuff Works, “What happens if you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver?,” accessed Feb. 01, 2018