Peter Burnett spoke to 80 seniors last month at the Sterling United Methodist Church about the importance of maintaining strong coverage levels on their personal auto insurance. Members of the church’s Senior Activity Group provided an engaged audience, listening carefully, taking notes, and asking insightful questions as Peter went through the many issues surrounding proper coverage levels.
In our decades of legal practice, we’ve helped many people deal with tough injuries sustained in serious car accidents in Virginia. Most of the time we are representing clients who were not in any way at fault in the accident — they were hit by someone else who was mishandling their vehicle. Typically we get involved when the other driver’s insurance company fails to offer a fair settlement or refuses to fully cover expenses, or when the injuries sustained are so life-changing that every option for compensation must be explored.
There are many legal options in these cases in Virginia, but there are also many times when the defendant does not have enough insurance available to cover the expenses provided by law. In Virginia, and many other states, coverage minimums simply haven’t kept up with the steep increases in medical costs. To make matters worse, nearly 1 in 6 drivers don’t have insurance, which means an accident victim is often relying on their own coverage and their Uninsured Motorist Coverage for the bulk of their claim.
At Burnett & Williams, we’re working to educate the public about the best insurance coverage options, and our attorneys are available to speak to groups about our insights and recommendations. At the Sterling UMC presentation last month, Peter underscored the most important recommendation, which is that very often coverage can be increased dramatically with a relatively small increase in your annual premium.
If you would like additional details about maintaining adequate coverages, or if you’d like to explore the possibility for a group presentation, call us anytime at 800-969-1650.