Fault is usually a major consideration after a car crash. Both the police officers responding to the scene of a collision and the insurance adjusters handling claims after a crash will try to decide who was responsible.
Sometimes, one person is fully at fault, and in other situations, most of the people involved in a collision contributed to the crash. In most states, fault is what determines whose insurance policy pays after a crash.
If you get hurt and need to go to the hospital in a crash caused by a drunk driver, you probably expect that the drunk driver’s insurance will cover your hospital bills. What does Minnesota’s no-fault insurance mean for you after a crash?
Your no-fault coverage protects you if you need medical care
Under Minnesota’s car insurance system, no-fault medical insurance is a requirement for every driver. The policy that you paid for covers you and other people in your vehicle if there is a crash.
This system benefits individuals because it does not leave them at the mercy of other driver but rather lets them determine for themselves how much medical coverage they want in case they get into a crash. When you file a claim after a collision, it will be the policy you carry that pays for your medical care or reimburses you for any medical expenses you have had to pay out-of-pocket.
No-fault rules do not apply to property damage claims
Minnesota differs from some other states with no-fault insurance coverage because the law differentiates between property damage liability and medical liability after a crash. While your insurance policy will cover your medical costs and the cost of any passengers in your vehicle even if the other driver is clearly responsible, it is the person at fault whose policy pays for property damage.
If the other driver has bad coverage, that could leave you scrambling to cover your costs after a major collision. You may need to negotiate an insurance claim with your own insurance provider and then another company. If there isn’t enough coverage from the other driver, you might need to go to court to get the compensation you deserve after a wreck.