Does Car Insurance Cover The Car or the Driver?

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Does Auto Insurance Follow the car or the driver? Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C., two people standing behind a side-impact collision

When it comes to car insurance, there are a lot of questions that people have. One of the most common questions is whether or not car insurance covers the car or the driver. The answer to this question is…it depends! Every car owner’s insurance policy is different and will offer different coverage options. The best way to determine what is covered under your auto policy is to contact your insurance company or insurance agent.

If you have a question about auto insurance policies and how they may impact your car accident case, contact a Washington, DC auto accident lawyer with Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. today for a free consultation. We value the attorney-client relationship, and we will work to protect your rights and obtain the compensation you deserve.

Auto Insurance Coverage Options

You have a few different options when you purchase an auto insurance policy. Keep in mind that some insurance options are required depending on the state.

Personal Injury Protection Coverage (PIP)

PIP is no-fault insurance that helps cover the cost of medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses that are incurred due to an accident. PIP coverage is typically available regardless of who is at fault for the accident.

Property Damage Liability Coverage

This type of coverage can help pay for the repairs to someone else’s car if you are at fault for an accident.

Comprehensive and Collision Coverage

Comprehensive and collision coverage both pay for damages to your vehicle. However, comprehensive auto coverage helps pay for the repairs to your vehicle if it is damaged by something other than an accident, such as a fire, theft, or vandalism. While collision coverage pays for the repairs to your vehicle if it is damaged in an accident.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Damaged in heavy car accident, comprehensive and collision coverage in dc

There are two types of uninsured motorist coverage you can buy, including:

  • Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury – This covers compensation for all injuries you suffer when a driver who doesn’t carry insurance hits you.
  • Uninsured Motorist Property Damage – This covers all damage to your car when a driver that hits you doesn’t carry insurance.

Underinsured motorist coverage applies if the person who causes the accident doesn’t have enough insurance to cover the value of your claim. 

Purchasing UM/UIM coverage may increase car insurance premiums. Still, it exists if you are ever involved in an accident with someone who has no insurance, or too little insurance, to cover bodily injury or damage to your vehicle.

Washington DC and Surrounding State’s Car Insurance Laws

Most car insurance companies offer the same coverage options. However, all states have different insurance regulations with regard to the minimum amount of liability coverage. For example:

  • Washington, DC – $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident; $10,000 for property damage
  • Maryland – $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident; $10,000 for property damage

Virginia Liability Insurance Policy Minimum Limits

Liability insurance coverage requirements for Virginia include:

Policies effective before January 1, 2022

  • $25,000 – Injuries or death of one person
  • $50,000 – Injury or death of two or more people
  • $20,000 – Property damage

Policies effective January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2024

  • $30,000 – Injury or death of one person
  • $60,000 – Injury or death of two or more people
  • $20,000 – Property damage

Policies effective on or after January 1, 2025

  • $50,000 – Injury or death of one person
  • $100,000 – Injury or death of two or more people
  • $25,000 – Property damage

What Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. Can Do For You

Washington DC car insurance lawyer

The Washington, DC car accident lawyers with Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. have a proven track record of success helping clients obtain the maximum compensation possible for injuries they have suffered due to the negligence of others. Our firm has consistently demonstrated we have the expertise needed to help our clients see that justice is served. We have the resources needed to conduct thorough investigations of all the circumstances contributing to a motor vehicle accident, gathering the evidence to establish liability and negligence.

Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. has achieved more than $500 million in verdicts and settlements, and our attorneys have more than a century of combined legal experience. Two of our partners are certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Our firm has also earned the highest AV® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, one of the most respected attorney-ranking service organizations in the United States. Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. attorneys work passionately on behalf of our clients to help them secure fair compensation – there is no type of case that is too complex for us to litigate.

Recovering Damages After a Car Accident

The best way to find out what your case might be worth is to speak with an attorney with Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. Our accident lawyers have obtained settlements for various car accident cases. 

Here are a few of our case results:

  • $6 million for a client who suffered a brain injury after being involved in a rear-end collision.
  • $4.8 million for a severely injured client after another vehicle struck his motorcycle.
  • $1.9 million for a client who suffered a permanent back injury due to a car accident.
  • $1.5 million for a client who had to undergo multiple surgeries after a negligent motorist cut off his motorcycle.
  • $1 million settlement obtained on behalf of our 19-year-old client who was a passenger in a car in which the driver lost control, causing a collision. As a result, our client suffered extensive brain damage with cognitive impairment. He was in a coma for an extended period of time. Although he has regained consciousness, he is unable to care for himself. The law firm asked the Court to appoint him a guardian to care for him. The law firm is helping to establish a special needs trust so that the proceeds from the settlement will be protected against any medical liens.
  • $1 million settlement on behalf of a client who suffered a brain injury when the driver of the car in which he was a passenger lost control of his vehicle.
Does Car Insurance Cover The Car or the Driver? car symbol with the applicable insurance policy underneath it on a keyboard

Contact a Washington DC Accident Lawyer Today

If you are looking for the highest level of representation available for your personal injury case, turn to Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. Our firm has helped clients recover more than $500 million in compensation, and we have more than 100 years of combined experience. All of our partners are recognized by Washington, DC Super Lawyers®, and our firm includes three past presidents of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, DC.

 We work to help our clients obtain fair settlement offers to compensate them for the injuries they’ve suffered, but our attorneys are extremely well-equipped to go to trial if needed. Call (202) 659-8600  or contact us online to get the proven legal representation you deserve.

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Car Accident Lawyer Questions

Back Injuries

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Car Accident Without Insurance

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Does My Insurance Cover Other Drivers?
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Should I Get a Lawyer

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Spine Injuries

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Trauma

Types of Distracted Driving

Uber / Lyft
Uninsured & Underinsured Motorists
Vehicle Defects

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Where Do Most Accidents Happen?

Whiplash Injuries

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