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Blog 
Personal Injury and Automobile Accidents
- Tidewater area drivers: Beware, more Toyota recalls!
- Victim's Family Files Suit Against Winery and Market for Their Role in DUI Automobile Accident
- Will VDOT approve raising the speed limit to 70mph more Virginia roads?
- Driver, cyclist killed in Fairfax crash
- Virginia Beach, Norfolk law enforcement focusing on seat belt use
Firm News
Norfolk VA car & bicycle accident leaves cyclist injured
Posted on 7/29/2010
Virginia Beach police officer, civilian taken to hospital after crash
Posted on 7/27/2010
Virginia Beach car wreck kills one and injures three others
Posted on 7/27/2010
Tidewater motorists, get ready for a new seat belt law
Posted on 6/30/2010
Windsor woman dies in tragic car wreck on Rt. 258
Posted on 6/29/2010
Pickup truck wreck injures three in Suffolk
Posted on 6/29/2010
Homeless man killed by dump truck accident at Virginia Beach
Posted on 6/29/2010
Fatal Car Crash in Norfolk on I-64 Blamed on Speed & Weather
Posted on 5/31/2010
Virginia Beach man killed in serious auto wreck on I-264
Posted on 5/28/2010
Three men thrown from car in fatal crash
Posted on 5/20/2010
Firm Library
Personal Injury and Automobile Accidents
- Virginia Crash Victims: What You Need to Know About Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
- What three mistakes could WRECK your Virginia auto accident claim?
- Virginia motorists: What does the MOVE OVER law mean for you?
- Study of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake schools asks: does more sleep for teens mean fewer car crashes?
- How a Virginia Auto Accident Attorney Can Make a BIG Difference In Your Case
Car Insurance Terms in Virginia
Before you are able to purchase license plates or decals for your car in Virginia, you must certify that you have either met the minimum insurance requirements or paid the uninsured motor vehicle fee.
Minimum Coverages
Virginia requires drivers to carry a minimum of 25/50/20 insurance. This means that your insurance policy must have a minimum coverage of $25,000 for the bodily injury or death of one person in a car crash, a minimum coverage of $50,000 for the bodily injury or death of all people involved in a single car accident, and a minimum coverage of $20,000 for all property damage caused in the auto accident.
Uninsured Motorist Fee
Remarkably, in Virginia it is completely legal to drive without insurance. As long as you pay a $500 uninsured motorist fee to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, you can still register your car in the state. If you do so and are involved in a car crash, you remain personally liable to anyone you injure. This means that anything of value – your home, savings, future wages, and other assets – may be taken from you to pay for the losses you cause.
This unbelievably bad law not only imposes incredible risk on the driver of being the personal subject of a lawsuit, but it puts everyone else on the road at risk. When you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, there may be no funds available to pay for your injuries.
Uninsured Motorist Insurance
Because there are some people who choose to pay the uninsured motorist fee instead of purchasing insurance, it is a superb idea to purchase uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Uninsured coverage obligates your own insurance company to pay your medical bills and compensate you for your lost wages if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist. Underinsured coverage obligates your insurance company to pay any part of your damages that exceeds the amount of the other driver’s insurance coverage. For instance, if the other driver purchases the minimum amount of coverage allowable, $25,000/$50,000, and your personal injuries are $30,000, his insurance carrier will pay $25,000 and your carrier will cover the next $5,000.
Optional Coverage
There are many additional coverage options to choose from.
Collision and Comprehensive Coverage.
This coverage pays for the repair or replacement of your auto regardless of who is at fault. Collision coverage pays if your auto collides with most objects, including other cars. Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your auto from other causes, such as fire, vandalism, wind, hail, or glass breakage.
Medical Expense Coverage
As the name suggests, this coverage pays for all reasonable and necessary medical and funeral expenses for you or others injured or killed in an accident.
Loss of Income Benefits Coverage
This coverage pays for your, your family, or other passengers in your car for loss of income up to $100 a week for up to 52 weeks.
Rental Reimbursement Coverage
This coverage reimburses you for the expense of renting a vehicle if your car is unusable for more than 24 hours due to a collision or comprehensive loss. Each policy will vary as to which losses are covered and which are not, so it is important to read your entire insurance document before signing.
A Longer Guide to Virginia Auto Insurance
The Virginia Bureau of Insurance offers a Consumer’s Guide to Virginia Auto Insurance. This 49-page guide is incredibly helpful. It contains tips for shopping for insurance rates, definitions of various auto insurance terms, an explanation of how accidents and violations affect insurance premiums, and a special section for senior citizens.
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Michael S. Weisberg, P.C.
112 College Place
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: (757) 622-7740
Fax: (757) 533-9223
Toll Free: (800) 690-0235
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