Across the U.S., more than 14 percent of all motorists are uninsured, meaning that about 1 in every 7 drivers doesn’t have auto insurance, according to the Insurance Research Council (IRC).
In the state of New York, however, this average is about a third less, as only about 5 percent of motorists in the state reportedly don’t have car insurance. This makes New York among the top 3 states with the most insured drivers, only coming in behind Massachusetts and Maine (where only about 4 percent of the motorists in the respective states are uninsured).
What States Have the Most Uninsured Motorists?
So, do you know which states have the most uninsured drivers? Well, according to the IRC, the 6 states with the most uninsured motorists (per capita) include:
- Mississippi – 28%
- New Mexico – 26%
- Florida, Oklahoma & Tennessee – 24%
- Alabama – 22%
Given that most people choose to forgo getting auto insurance because they can’t afford it, it’s interesting to compare the above list to the list of the states where annual auto insurance rates are the highest in the nation.
In fact, according to Insurance Business America, these states (i.e., those with the most expensive car insurance rates) include:
- Louisiana, where the average auto insurance rate is just over $1,270
- The District of Columbia (not a state, we know), where the average auto insurance rate is also just over $1,270
- New Jersey, where the average auto insurance rate is just over $1,240
- New York, where the average auto insurance rate is nearly $1,200
- Rhode Island, where the average auto insurance rate is just over $1,140
- Florida, where the average auto insurance rate is about $1,120.
What You Can Do If an Uninsured Driver Hits You: Option for Compensation
While all of the numbers and info above certainly are fascinating, if you are end up being hit by an uninsured driver, your primary concern will likely be your options for compensation.
In fact, in collisions with uninsured motorists, you can still obtain compensation for your injuries and losses as long as you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage as part of your auto insurance policy.
However, with such coverage, you should also be aware that:
- Insurers cannot necessarily be trusted to honor these policies.
- They can, in fact, be inclined to try to deny or reduce payouts (in an effort to protect the company’s profits).
This is when having an experienced attorney – like Kingston Personal Injury Lawyer Charles N. Rock – on your side can make all of the difference in your financial recovery.
Kingston Personal Injury Lawyer at Charles N. Rock, P.L.L.C.
Have you or someone you love been injured by an uninsured (or underinsured) motorist? Or have you been hurt in any type of traffic accident caused by negligence? If so, contact Kingston Personal Injury Lawyer Charles N. Rock for aggressive legal advocacy and effective help obtaining the compensation and justice you deserve.