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Driving without car insurance is against the law in Arizona and many other states – yet this doesn’t stop hundreds of Arizonians from driving without insurance each day. If you get into a collision with another driver, you need to find out if that driver has car insurance. Arizona is a fault car insurance state, which means that the other driver should pay for your car accident using his or her car insurance if that driver is at fault. Here’s how to obtain another driver’s insurance information.
Exchange information with the other driver involved in your car accident right away after the crash. Arizona law requires everyone involved in a car accident to stop at the scene and exchange information. Write down the other driver’s full name, address, phone number, vehicle description, license plate number and VIN. You should ask about the other driver’s car insurance, as well. The driver should give you his or her insurance information if you ask, but not all drivers are this forthright.
If the other driver refuses to give you his or her insurance information, jot down as much as you can about the car accident and the other driver to conduct a search later. Keep in mind, however, that the driver may give you false information. It is important to call the police after a car accident in Arizona so that they can collect information for you. The police can also issue a citation if the other driver involved in your car accident is illegally driving without insurance. A Phoenix car accident attorney may also be helpful in determining your options for compensation following the crash.
If you cannot find out about the other driver’s insurance information directly from the driver, you can request this information from the police with a valid reason. If you provide the license plate number of the other driver, along with an incident report, the police can locate the driver’s auto insurance information and give it to you.
You can also request another driver’s insurance information from the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). You can do it this way if you do not wish to involve the police, but you must give your personal information and a valid reason for the request. If you provide false information to the MVD to obtain insurance information, your request can be denied. The MVD can use the other driver’s license plate number to find out if he or she has car insurance.
If the other driver gave you the name of his or her car insurance company but would not give you the policy number or any other details, you can call the company to request more information. If the other driver gave you a fake phone number and disappears after your crash, for instance, you can still go through his or her insurance company to file a claim.
All motor vehicle drivers in Arizona must carry at least $25,000 in bodily injury insurance per person, $50,000 per accident and $20,000 for the destruction of property. Unfortunately, your car accident may still involve an uninsured or underinsured driver. If you find out that the other driver does not have insurance, you can seek reimbursement in other ways.
You can file a lawsuit against the driver, for example, but many drivers who don’t have insurance also don’t have the assets to pay out of pocket. You can also file a first-party claim with your car insurance company if you have the right type of coverage. If you opted for additional coverage in the form of comprehensive, collision, and/or uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance, your car insurance provider can cover your losses.
To discuss all of your options for making a financial recovery after a car accident in Arizona – with or without the other driver’s insurance information available – contact Stone Rose Law for a free consultation.