In regards to the number of uninsured motorists in 2012, the state of Wisconsin ranked 25 in the country with 11.7 of its motorists being uninsured, according to a report by the Insurance Information Institute. The state of Massachusetts carried the fewest amount of uninsured motorists, and Oklahoma carried the highest amount at 26 percent.

It appears that the numbers have steadily been decreasing over the last 20 years, however, with 15.6 percent of motorists being uninsured in 1992 as compared with 12.6 percent, or roughly one in eight drivers, in 2012. This may be because motorists who reside in the 20 designated states and the District of Columbia are required by law to carry underinsured or uninsured coverage on their car insurance policies. Moreover, other states, such as Texas and Nevada, are cracking down on uninsured motorists by identifying them through online car insurance checking systems.

The purpose of vehicle underinsured and uninsured coverage is to reimburse policyholders in the event they experience an accident involving another driver who is underinsured or uninsured. The coverage also applies to incidents with hit-and-run motorists.

Anytime uninsured accidents take place because of a driver’s negligence, anyone who becomes injured as a result might consider pursuing compensation for their accident-related losses by holding the driver liable. A local attorney who is experienced in auto injury claims may be able to evaluate the case in order to determine if grounds exist for filing the claim. By analyzing the official accident report and possible eyewitness accounts, the attorney may be able to build a case based on the negligence of the driver at fault. If the court finds that the accused driver caused the accident through an act of negligence such as speeding, driving under the influence or driving in a careless manner, the injured party may be awarded for their accident-related losses.

Source: Insurance Information Institute, “Uninsured Motorists “, November 22, 2014