I was involved in a car accident with a driver whose insurance coverage had lapsed. Can I still bring a claim for my personal injuries?

Answer:

Believe it or not, we find that a number of drivers who cause accidents in northern Virginia do not have car insurance, either because their coverage lapsed or because they never bothered to purchase it in the first place.

Yes, you can still bring a claim for your injuries resulting from a crash with an uninsured driver. However, the claim you’ll be filing will actually be with your auto insurance company. When we tell people this, their first reaction is usually fear that their own auto insurance rates will go up. Fear not. By statute, an automobile insurance company is not allowed to raise your rates if you bring a claim under your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage for a Virginia car crash that was not your fault. If you want some more information, please read our guide on how to buy car insurance in Virginia.