A:

First, sometimes the other driver’s insurance company will not take responsibility for what the negligent driver did. If that is the case, and you have collision coverage for your automobile, you do not need to deal with the defendant’s insurance company for your property damage. Because you paid for collision coverage, you can seek reimbursement for the repair or replacement cost of your automobile under your own policy. If you wish to pursue the claim through your own policy, do not let your own insurer tell you that you have to go through the defendant’s insurance. Denial of a valid claim should be reported to the Virginia Bureau of Insurance at (http://www.scc.virginia.gov/division/boi/).

Second, a valuable form of auto insurance many people have but are not aware of is medical expense payment coverage (“Medpay”) which is a no-fault type of coverage. If you have Medpay, you may submit medical bills incurred as a result of a car crash to your own auto insurance company and be paid directly for those expenses up to the limits on your policy. In addition, you may also have your health insurance pay the same bills. This is because you have paid additional money in premiums for optional coverage. Medpay may not be coordinated with health insurance (see the Answer to Question 4, above).

Lastly, your auto policy may work as additional coverage in the event the at-fault party has little or no coverage to pay for your full damages. This type of coverage is mandatory in Virginia and is called uninsured motorist coverage (UIM).