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A crash is hard enough. Finding out that the other driver has no valid license can make it even more stressful. You may start to wonder who will pay your medical bills, car repairs, and other costs.
An unlicensed driver is not always an uninsured driver. The car may still have an active insurance policy. If it does not, parts of your own auto policy may help. A Las Vegas automobile accident attorney can help identify every available source of compensation and protect your rights.
This guide explains where payment may come from after an unlicensed driver accident in Las Vegas and what steps can protect your claim.
Nevada requires registered vehicles used on public roads to carry liability insurance. The minimum limits are $25,000 for injury or death to one person, $50,000 for two or more people, and $20,000 for property damage in one crash.
The fact that the driver has no valid license does not tell you whether the car has insurance. The insurance company will check the policy and the facts of the crash before deciding if coverage applies.
If the policy covers the crash, it may pay covered injury and property losses up to the policy limits.
Your own auto policy may become important if there is no usable insurance on the other car. Nevada insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage with certain auto policies. You are not required to buy it.
Uninsured motorist coverage, often called UM, can help with bodily injury when the other vehicle has no liability insurance that applies.
Underinsured motorist coverage, or UIM, may help when the other driver has insurance but the bodily injury limits are too low for your losses.
Check your policy or declarations page to see whether you bought UM/UIM coverage.
Different parts of your policy serve different purposes.
| Coverage |
What It May Help Pay |
| UM/UIM | Bodily injury when the other driver has no insurance or too little insurance |
| MedPay | Medical costs after a crash, up to your policy limit |
| Collision | Damage to your own car, subject to your policy and deductible |
Under NRS 687B.145, Nevada insurers must offer UM/UIM coverage. They must also offer at least $1,000 in medical payments coverage, often called MedPay.
MedPay can help pay covered medical costs after a crash. Collision coverage may help repair or replace your car if you bought that coverage.
The car owner’s insurance may be another place to look. Do not assume there is no coverage just because the driver did not own the vehicle. The insurer may need to review who was using the car, the policy terms, and any limits or exclusions.
Try to get both the driver’s information and the vehicle owner’s information after the crash. This can make it easier to find and check the correct insurance policy.
Medical care may start long before the insurance claim is settled. If you have MedPay, it may help with reasonable and necessary medical costs from the crash, up to your policy limit. Nevada insurers must offer this coverage, but drivers are not required to buy it.
Health insurance may also cover care under the terms of your plan. Keep your medical bills, treatment records, receipts, and proof of missed work. These records can help show how the crash affected you and what it cost.
If the other driver’s insurance covers the crash, its property damage coverage may help pay for your repairs. Nevada requires registered vehicles driven on public roads to carry at least $20,000 in property damage liability coverage.
If no usable liability coverage is available, check your own policy. Collision coverage may help pay for damage to your car if you bought it. A deductible may apply.
Some crashes cost more than the available insurance limits. If the other driver has insurance but not enough to cover your bodily injury losses, UIM coverage may help if you bought it. Payment is limited by the terms and limits of your policy.
There may also be other insurance or sources of recovery based on the facts of the crash.
Before accepting a settlement, it is important to know which policies are available and how much coverage each one provides.
Do not focus only on the missing license. The information you collect after the crash can also help you find insurance and support your claim.
An unlicensed driver is not automatically an uninsured driver. Confirm what coverage exists before deciding who may pay.
No. The vehicle may still have active insurance. The insurance company will review the policy and the driver’s use of the car before deciding if coverage applies.
Not for that reason alone. UM coverage may apply when no liability insurance covers the crash, and the claim meets the terms of your policy.
No. Nevada insurers must offer UM/UIM coverage with certain auto policies, but drivers can choose not to buy it.
Yes, if you bought it. MedPay can cover reasonable and necessary medical costs after a crash, up to the limit shown in your policy.
Yes. Report the crash and check your coverage. Your UM/UIM, MedPay, or collision insurance may become important if the other vehicle has little or no coverage.
Being hit by an unlicensed driver does not always mean you must pay the costs yourself. The other vehicle may still have insurance. If that coverage is missing or too low, your own policy may offer another way to recover some of your losses.
If you were hit by an unlicensed driver in Las Vegas and are unsure which insurance should pay, Gina Corena & Associates can review the crash and available coverage.
Contact the firm for a free consultation to discuss your options.
As founder of Gina Corena & Associates, she is dedicated to fighting for the rights of the people who suffer life-changing personal injuries in car, truck and motorcycle accidents as well as other types of personal injury. Gina feels fortunate to serve the Nevada community and hold wrongdoers accountable for their harm to her clients.
