Will Insurance Pay if You Were in an Accident Drinking and Driving?

Drunk driving is regulated by individual state laws nevertheless it is considered a criminal offense in the entire United States of America and many countries. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2006 there were 17,941 road traffic casualties in US associated with drunk driving.

Driving under Influence (DUI) insurance policies will cover the financial burdens that drivers will eventually suffer in the event of car accidents. But will Insurance pay if you were in an accident drinking and driving?

Yes, your insurance provider will pay the damages from your liability coverage. Liability coverage, which is mandatory in all states, is a negligent driver’s insurance policy which covers the other driver’s medical bills and property damage incurred during the accident. However, any damage that you will suffer whether bodily injury or vehicular, is not covered by your liability insurance because it is only applicable to the other person’s damages. You will have to shoulder all the expenses on your own with regard to any damages you suffer from the vehicular accident you are in the first place responsible for. If for example you met a car accident while you were drinking and driving, you will be held financially responsible for all the damages to the other driver which includes medical expenses and other property damages involved in the accident. And whether or not you suffer more vehicular damage and bodily injuries compared to the other driver, your insurer will not pay you in any way with regard to your own damage. Liability coverage nevertheless will only pay up to the policy limit and not all the damages. However, if in case you purchase a comprehensive coverage policy as part of your insurance plan, your insurer will pay the damages for your car. A comprehensive coverage is a policy type which covers the damages of the insured party’s vehicle. If you are driving and drinking, there is a huge probability that you will be presumed guilty and responsible for any road accident that you may encounter especially when test results show that your Blood Alcohol Content exceeds the legal limit set by the law.

When you are arrested because of drunk driving, there are two ways your insurer will deal with you. First is that your current insurance coverage premiums will substantially increase up to three years or before your driver’s license is reinstated. If your car insurance provider decides to increase your insurance rate, normally to triple times, you will however be marked as a “high-risk driver” in the insurance industry. And having a DUI record means outrageously expensive car insurance rate.

Second is cancellation of your insurance policy. If your car insurance policy is canceled, you may transfer to other insurers but definitely you will bring your DUI driving record with you, which means you will be offered highly inflated car insurance rates.

Driving under influence (DUI) car insurance policies are costly because of the higher risk involved. It is impossible to get a less expensive full coverage car insurance policy if you have a DUI driving record. Insurance providers normally evaluate a person’s driving records. Insurers impose serious penalties to the policy holder who meets an accident due to driving under influence of alcohol. However, there are insurance companies who specialize in DUI insurance.

In the United States, it is believed that there is a road traffic casualty associated with DUI in every 29 minutes. Driving while intoxicated is a dangerous form of negligence which often leads to fatal road accidents.