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Alaska Auto Coverage
Learn how Alaska auto insurance coverage may help after a crash, including liability, U/UIM, and MedPay coverage for injured drivers and passengers. A thorough Alaska fall vehicle maintenance checklist includes an insurance coverage review.
Alaska Auto Insurance Coverage After a Crash
If you are injured in an Alaska car crash, you may have access to more than one type of auto insurance coverage. This can be true whether the crash involves multiple vehicles or only one vehicle.
A single-vehicle crash does not automatically mean there is no insurance coverage. Depending on the circumstances, insurance may provide benefits to an injured driver or passenger even when the other vehicle is not involved. Coverage may also apply when the people involved are friends, acquaintances, or family members.
Understanding which insurance policies may apply is an important first step after an Alaska car accident.
What Alaska Auto Insurance Covers Injuries After a Car Accident?
Three types of auto insurance coverage may be particularly important after an Alaska car crash:
- Liability insurance
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (U/UIM)
- Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay)
Each type of coverage serves a different purpose. The available coverage depends on the circumstances of the crash and the specific terms of the applicable insurance policies.
An Alaska personal injury attorney can review the insurance policies available to the driver and passengers to determine what coverage may apply.
1. Alaska Auto Liability Insurance Coverage
Auto liability insurance is designed to cover certain damages when an insured driver is legally responsible for causing an accident.
Alaska requires drivers to maintain minimum liability insurance coverage. For bodily injury or death, the minimum limits are generally $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident. Alaska also requires minimum property-damage liability coverage.
Liability coverage may apply to an insured driver and, depending on the policy, other people operating the insured vehicle with the owner’s permission.
What Can Liability Insurance Pay For?
When liability coverage applies, it may help compensate an injured person for losses such as:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Other damages allowed under Alaska law
Liability coverage generally depends on establishing that another person was legally responsible for the injury.
What If the Crash Involved Only One Vehicle?
A single-vehicle crash requires a closer look at the available insurance policies.
For example, a passenger injured while riding in a vehicle driven by a friend or family member may have potential insurance coverage even though no other vehicle was involved.
The important question is not simply whether another vehicle was involved. The important question is what insurance coverage is available and whether that coverage applies to the particular circumstances of the crash.
Learn more: Alaska Liability Insurance After a Car Accident
2. Alaska Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage—often called U/UIM coverage—can become particularly important when the driver responsible for a crash has no insurance or does not have enough liability insurance to cover the injured person’s losses.
Uninsured motorist coverage may also become important in a hit-and-run crash when the responsible driver cannot be identified.
U/UIM coverage can provide protection beyond the liability insurance carried by another driver. Depending on the policy and circumstances, coverage may extend to occupants of the insured vehicle, family members, and people injured in other situations.
Alaska law can also affect how U/UIM coverage applies. For that reason, reviewing the actual policy and the circumstances of the accident is important.
Does U/UIM Coverage Follow You?
U/UIM coverage is generally personal in nature rather than limited solely to the vehicle listed on the policy. Depending on the policy language and circumstances, coverage may apply when an insured person is riding in another vehicle or is injured as a pedestrian.
This is one reason an injured person should not assume there is no insurance available simply because the at-fault driver had no insurance.
Learn more: Alaska Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
3. Alaska Medical Payments Coverage
Medical Payments Coverage, commonly called MedPay, is another type of auto insurance coverage that may help after a crash.
MedPay can help pay covered medical expenses resulting from an automobile accident, subject to the limits and terms of the policy.
One important feature of MedPay is that it generally does not depend on determining who caused the crash.
Depending on the policy, MedPay may cover the insured driver and passengers who suffer accident-related injuries.
MedPay can therefore be relevant after:
- A multi-vehicle crash
- A single-vehicle crash
- An accident caused by another driver
- An accident caused by the insured driver
Because MedPay is designed to address medical expenses, it can provide an important source of coverage while an injury claim is being investigated or resolved.
Learn more: Alaska Medical Payments Coverage After a Car Accident
Can More Than One Insurance Policy Apply?
Yes. More than one insurance policy may potentially provide coverage after an Alaska car accident.
For example, an injured passenger could potentially have access to:
- Liability coverage from the vehicle involved in the crash
- U/UIM coverage available through an applicable policy
- MedPay coverage
- Other applicable insurance coverage
Your auto liability insurance provides important protection when you cause an accident and face a claim for injuries or property damage. However, serious accidents can result in losses that exceed your policy limits. Umbrella insurance can provide an additional layer of liability protection above your auto liability policy insurance limits. Learn more about how auto liability insurance works in Alaska, then explore how umbrella coverage can provide additional protection when a serious claim exceeds your primary policy limits.
The answer depends on the facts of the accident, the relationships between the people involved, and the language of the applicable policies.
That is why it can be important to identify all potentially applicable insurance, rather than looking only at the policy covering the vehicle involved in the crash.
What If the Driver Was a Friend or Family Member?
People sometimes hesitate to pursue an insurance claim when the driver who caused the accident is someone they know.
That concern is understandable, particularly when the driver is a friend or family member.
An insurance claim, however, is not necessarily the same thing as personally pursuing money from the individual who caused the crash. Auto insurance exists in part to provide financial protection when covered accidents occur.
The specific circumstances and insurance policies determine what coverage may be available. Learn more about Alaska resident relative claims and how they may provide UM/UIM coverage after an accident and what injured Alaskans should know about available insurance.
What If I Was Injured in a Single-Vehicle Crash?
A single-vehicle crash does not automatically eliminate the possibility of an insurance claim.
For example, an injured passenger may have potential coverage even when the vehicle they were riding in was the only vehicle involved.
The available coverage could depend on the driver’s liability policy, U/UIM coverage, MedPay, the injured person’s own insurance, and other applicable policies.
The same principle applies when the injured person is the driver. An attorney can review the circumstances and available policies to determine whether coverage may exist.
What Should You Do After an Alaska Car Crash?
After a serious crash, take steps to protect your health and preserve information about the accident.
Seek medical attention
Some injuries do not become apparent immediately. Follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations and keep records of medical treatment and expenses.
Report the crash
Follow applicable requirements for reporting the accident to law enforcement and your insurance company.
Gather insurance information
Obtain the names of the drivers, insurance companies, policy information, and other available accident information.
Do not assume there is no coverage
A lack of insurance on the other driver’s vehicle does not necessarily mean you have no potential insurance coverage.
Your own policy or another applicable policy may provide U/UIM or MedPay benefits.
Have the insurance policies reviewed
Insurance coverage can be complicated, particularly when a crash involves multiple people, family members, passengers, uninsured drivers, or a single vehicle.
An Alaska personal injury attorney can review the available policies and the circumstances of the accident to help determine what coverage may apply.
How Alaska Auto Insurance Coverage Can Help
After an Alaska car accident, the question is not always simply “Who caused the crash?”
It can also be:
“What insurance coverage is available to help with the resulting injuries and losses?”
Liability insurance, U/UIM coverage, and MedPay can serve different purposes. In some cases, more than one policy may apply.
Understanding those differences can help injured Alaskans make informed decisions about their claims.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alaska Auto Insurance Coverage
What insurance covers injuries after an Alaska car accident?
Potentially applicable coverage can include liability insurance, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and Medical Payments Coverage. The coverage available depends on the circumstances of the crash and the terms of the applicable insurance policies.
Does insurance cover a single-vehicle accident in Alaska?
A single-vehicle accident may still involve applicable insurance coverage. Depending on the circumstances, liability, U/UIM, MedPay, or other insurance policies may provide coverage to an injured driver or passenger.
Does Alaska require auto insurance?
Yes. Alaska law requires certain motor vehicle owners and operators to maintain minimum liability insurance coverage. The minimum bodily injury limits are generally $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident, along with required property-damage coverage.
What is U/UIM insurance in Alaska?
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can provide protection when an injured person is involved in a crash with a driver who has no insurance or insufficient liability coverage. It may also apply in certain hit-and-run situations.
What is MedPay insurance?
Medical Payments Coverage, or MedPay, is optional auto insurance coverage that can pay covered medical expenses resulting from an automobile accident, subject to the policy’s limits and terms. It generally applies regardless of who caused the accident.
Can I make an insurance claim if the driver was a family member?
Potentially. Being related to the driver does not automatically eliminate insurance coverage. The applicable insurance policies, the circumstances of the crash, and Alaska law determine whether a claim may be available.
Can I use my own insurance if another driver caused my accident?
Potentially. Your own auto insurance policy may include U/UIM or MedPay coverage that could apply after an accident caused by another driver. The policy should be reviewed to determine what coverage is available.
Should I talk to an Alaska personal injury attorney after a car accident?
If you suffered significant injuries, have questions about insurance coverage, or are facing a disputed claim, consulting an Alaska personal injury attorney can help you understand your legal and insurance options.
Johnson Law, P.C. represents people injured in motor vehicle accidents throughout Alaska. We investigate serious crashes and help injured Alaskans understand their legal rights and options. If you are injured in a crash, it is important that you hold the negligent person responsible. Please call Johnson Law to discuss your claims: (907)277-3090 or use our online contact form.
Johnson Law has been helping Alaskans for nearly 30 years. It’s who we are. And while we hope you never need us… We’re here if you do. ~ Doug Johnson
Disclaimer: This article series provides general educational information about preparing your vehicle for a safer winter in Alaska. However, it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Because every case is unique, consult a qualified Alaska personal injury attorney about your specific circumstances.
Image generated and modified using ChatGPT – Prompt: Alaska Couple Reviewing Auto Policy Options