Hawk Law Group | January 17, 2022 | Car Accidents
After a car accident, you need to know the at-fault driver’s insurance information. This information will help you make a property damage claim to get your car repaired or replaced. It will also allow you to make an injury claim to cover your medical bills, lost income, and non-economic losses.
Fortunately, Georgia provides several mechanisms for you to acquire someone’s insurance information after an accident.
Learn more about how to find out whether someone has car insurance in Thomson, GA.
Duty to Disclose Insurance Information
Georgia requires all registered vehicle owners to insure their vehicles. The minimum policy coverages required by Georgia include:
- $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability
- $25,000 per accident in property damage liability
If a vehicle owner fails to get insurance, the state can suspend the vehicle’s registration. If you get cited for driving without insurance, the state can suspend your driver’s license too.
Georgia has two laws that help you find out someone’s car insurance information after an accident. The first says that every driver must have proof of insurance in their car at all times. They must present proof of insurance if requested by a law enforcement officer.
The second says that law enforcement officers must instruct each driver at the scene of an accident to exchange insurance information with the other drivers.
This gives you two options for finding out someone’s car insurance information at an accident scene:
Ask the Other Driver
After the police officer has instructed you to exchange information, you can ask the other driver for their insurance info. If they refuse, go back to the police officer and report the refusal.
Most police officers will simply get the information from the other driver and turn it over to you. This minimizes the risk of a confrontation.
Get It from the Accident Report
The investigating officer will ask all drivers for their insurance information while preparing the accident report. You can get the other driver’s car insurance information from the accident report.
In Georgia, you can access accident reports electronically from the Georgia Department of Transportation website five to seven days after the accident.
Investigating Someone’s Insurance Status
Suppose that you get into an accident where you cannot exchange information with the other driver because of one of the following scenarios:
- You were unconscious
- The driver fled the scene
- Someone hit your unoccupied vehicle
You have a few tools for investigating the other driver’s insurance status. If you have some information about the other driver, you can try to get their insurance information.
Use Georgia’s E-Services Website
Georgia’s Motor Vehicles Division allows you to check the insurance status of a vehicle online. To search for a vehicle, you need either the license plate number or the VIN. This resource can help if you have license plate information from a security video or a witness.
Ask for Help
If you do not have a license plate number, you might need help getting the other driver’s insurance information.
A hit-and-run accident constitutes a crime in Georgia. If you are injured in a hit-and-run, you should report the accident to the police. If the police can identify the other driver, you can use the suspect’s license plate number to check their insurance status.
You will also report your accident to your insurer. If you have uninsured motorist coverage, your insurer must pay your damages unless it can identify the other driver. Your insurer may try to track down the missing driver so it can avoid liability for your claim.
Hiring a Lawyer
You can also hire a lawyer to help you find someone’s insurance status. If you only have a name or vehicle description, the lawyer’s investigator can try to track the driver down. If you sue the other driver, they must disclose their insurance information during the lawsuit.
Contact the Car Accident Lawyers In the Central Savannah River Area at Hawk Law Group for Legal Assistance Today
For more information, please contact the car accident lawyers at Hawk Law Group at our nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
We serve throughout the Central Savannah River Area and its surrounding areas:
Hawk Law Group – Augusta, GA
338 Telfair St, Augusta, GA 30901, United States
(706) 722-3500
Hawk Law Group – Evans, GA
4384 River Watch Pkwy, Evans, GA 30809, United States
(706) 863-6500
Hawk Law Group – Thomson, GA
146 Railroad St A, Thomson, GA 30824, United States
(706) 361-0350
Hawk Law Group – Waynesboro, GA
827 Liberty St, Waynesboro, GA 30830, United States
(706) 437-9122
Hawk Law Group – Aiken County, SC
156 Laurens St NW, Aiken, SC 29801, United States
(803) 226-9089
We also serve in Edgefield County, SC.