Penalties for uninsured drivers in Alabama are going up, but that probably won’t help you. Take my legal advice … insure yourself.

Starting Nov. 1, 2017, penalties for those who don’t have car insurance will increase by a few hundred dollars. This money goes to the state; not to you. The new law is meant to make it cheaper for people to carry car insurance than to pay all the fines.

The state currently requires every driver to have $25,000 of liability insurance coverage for injury/death payments and $25,000 to cover property damage.

Here is the real problem: the minimum is not enough if you are seriously injured and your medical expenses and lost income is more than $25,000 or if you owe $30,000 on your car/truck. So protect yourself. Uninsured/under insured motorist coverage covers you if the other guy doesn’t have enough insurance. It is remarkably cheap.

Remember in Alabama, it is estimated that about 20% of all drivers do not have insurance no matter what fines are placed on them.

If you are interested in the new fines and why it would be cheaper to get insurance, here is how it goes:

• First offense $200
• Second offense $300
• Subsequent offenses $400
• Plus failure to pay could result in a 3 month license suspension and an additional $100 fee

My job is to see that you have enough money to get your life back to where it was. Insurance, no matter where it comes from, will help.

If you or a family member is injured in a car wreck, slip and fall at a business, workers’ comp or any other injury, you can talk with the lawyers at  Eiland and Ritchie  for free. As we say, there is no cost until we collect for you. We want to help you get back on your feet.

Allen Ritchie
Personal Injury Attorney

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