If you’re ever involved in a car accident caused by someone else, you’ll usually be able to force that driver to pay for any damages done to your car or medical bills stemming from your crash. This is the way that things work in the majority of the states throughout the country.
There are, however, a dozen no-fault states in the U.S. If you get into an accident in one of these at-fault states, the driver who caused a car crash might not be responsible for these same expenses.
So, who pays for car damage in a no-fault state? It can get to be a little complicated. Keep reading to find out.
What Is No-Fault Insurance?
Before we begin trying to answer the question, “Who pays for car damage in a no-fault state?”, let’s talk about what no-fault insurance is. Those who live in no-fault states like New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and others will need to obtain no-fault insurance.
No-fault insurance, which is also called personal injury protection insurance, is a type of insurance that calls for all drivers in no-fault states to have their medical bills stemming from car crashes paid for by their own auto insurance companies. Drivers may still be responsible for damage done to other vehicles when they cause crashes. But they won’t have to worry about paying the medical bills for others, even when they cause crashes.
This increases the average cost of car insurance in no-fault states. But no-fault insurance is designed to reduce the number of lawsuits that drivers file against other drivers after being involved in accidents with them.
Who Pays for Car Damage in a No-Fault State?
Now that you know what no-fault insurance is, let’s segue into trying to answer the question, “Who pays for car damage in a no-fault state?” You should have a slightly better idea of what the answer might be after reading about no-fault insurance.
As we just alluded to, your own auto insurance company is going to pay for medical bills following a car crash regardless of whether you were to blame for the crash or not. But when it comes to car damage, the auto insurance company for the driver who was responsible for a crash will still be in charge of footing the bill.
This is what can make no-fault auto insurance confusing at times. People sometimes assume there isn’t any fault found during car accidents in no-fault states. But in reality, this only applies to medical costs and not car damage.
Which No-Fault Insurance Policy Should You Get?
If you live in a no-fault state, it’ll be extremely important for you to shop around for the right no-fault insurance policy. Since auto insurance is likely to cost you more money in a no-fault state versus an at-fault state, you’ll need to do whatever it takes to get your hands on an affordable policy.
Click here for more information on securing an auto insurance policy. Be sure to pay close attention to things like bodily injury liability and property damage liability when you’re comparing different options.
Secure the Right No-Fault Insurance Policy Today
Answering the question, “Who pays for car damage in a no-fault state?”, can be complicated. It’s all going to depend on how a car crash plays out.
You can protect yourself by choosing the best no-fault insurance policy possible. Begin shopping around for one now. Browse through our blog for additional auto insurance-related tips and tricks.