Georgia law requires every licensed driver to have insurance. The minimum insurance requirements in Georgia include:
- $25,000 for bodily injury liability for the injury or death of one person
- $50,000 for bodily injury for the injury or death of two or more persons in any accident, with a $25,000-per-person limit
- $25,000 property damage liability
However, not every Georgia driver is insured. A 2011 study conducted by the Insurance Research Council found that one out of every seven drivers in the United States is uninsured. Although Georgia is not included in the top ten states for uninsured motorists, the number of uninsured drivers is higher than the national average. In Georgia, about one in six drivers has no insurance.
The rates were calculated based on the ratio of uninsured motorist (UM) insurance claims to bodily injury (BI) claims. UM claims are usually made when a car accident is caused by an uninsured driver. BI claims are made when accidents are caused by an insured driver.
The authors of the study believe that cost is the main reason some drivers choose to drive without insurance. Some drivers can’t afford insurance. Others have high rates because of traffic convictions or previous accidents and don’t want to pay the increased premium. Unfortunately, these drivers’ bad choices mean the rest of us pay higher rates because our uninsured motorist coverage must make up for uninsured drivers.
What can you do if an uninsured driver causes your Atlanta car accident? Contact an experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney to learn about your rights and possible sources of compensation. To schedule a free consultation, call Kaufman Law, P.C. for help.
