In most cases, you can use your own insurance after a car accident in Arizona, even when the other driver caused the crash. Depending on your policy, Med-Pay can help with medical bills and collision coverage can repair your car. Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may apply when the other driver’s insurance falls short.
Which coverage applies depends on what you bought and how the crash happened. At Grabb & Durando, we’ve helped Tucson drivers sort out overlapping insurance claims since 1994.
Quick Answers: Which of Your Own Coverages Can Help After a Crash?
| Coverage | What it may help with | When it usually comes into play |
| Medical Payments (Med-Pay) | Accident-related medical bills for covered people | Soon after the crash, regardless of fault |
| Collision | Repairs to your own vehicle, minus your deductible | When you’d rather not wait on the other insurer |
| Uninsured Motorist (UM) | Bodily injury caused by a driver with no insurance | Uninsured drivers and some hit-and-run crashes |
| Underinsured Motorist (UIM) | Bodily injury damages beyond the other driver’s limits | When the at-fault driver’s coverage is too low |
Your declarations page lists which of these you have and your limits for each. Start there.
What Does My Own Car Insurance Cover After an Arizona Accident?
Each type of coverage has a different job, so it helps to know what each one is built to pay for.
Medical Payments Coverage (Med-Pay)
Med-Pay may help pay accident-related medical expenses for covered people, up to the policy limit. It’s often useful early on, when bills from the ER or a follow-up visit start arriving before a claim against the other driver is resolved.
Collision Coverage
Collision coverage pays to repair your vehicle after a crash, subject to your deductible. You can usually choose between filing a property damage claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer and using your own collision coverage. Going through your own policy is often faster when the other insurer is slow to accept fault.
Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage
UM coverage may pay for covered bodily injury when the at-fault driver has no insurance. Arizona law requires insurers to offer UM coverage, but a policyholder can reject it, so not every driver has it. Some hit-and-run crashes involving an unidentified driver can also fall under UM, subject to Arizona’s rules.
Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage
UIM coverage can apply when the at-fault driver has insurance but the limits are lower than the total damages for bodily injury. In that situation, your UIM coverage may help cover part of the difference, depending on your policy and Arizona law.
Can I Use My Own Insurance If the Other Driver Was at Fault?
Yes, and doing so isn’t an admission that you caused the crash. Your insurer evaluates the claim under your policy’s terms. Meanwhile, you can still pursue a separate claim against the driver who caused the accident.
Juggling more than one claim gets complicated when the policies have different limits, conditions and exclusions. If you aren’t sure which policy should cover a particular loss, get answers before you accept a settlement or sign a release.
What If the Other Driver Has No Insurance or Not Enough?
Arizona requires drivers to carry at least $25,000 in bodily injury coverage for one person, $50,000 for two or more people and $15,000 for property damage. Those minimums can run out quickly after a serious crash on I-10 or Broadway, and some drivers carry no insurance at all.
That’s when your own UM or UIM coverage matters most. Our post on what happens if the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance in Arizona walks through those options in more detail.
Is There a Deadline to Use My Own Insurance for a UM or UIM Claim in Arizona?
Yes. Under A.R.S. § 12-555, you must give your insurer written notice of your intent to pursue a UM or UIM claim within three years after the accident. After that notice, there’s another three-year window to demand arbitration or file suit.
Your policy may also require prompt notice of any accident, which is a separate obligation. It’s safest to report the crash to your insurer right away and send written notice of a possible UM or UIM claim early.
Will Using My Own Insurance Affect My Claim Against the Other Driver?
Using your own coverage doesn’t automatically end your claim against the at-fault driver. The claims often address different losses. Your collision coverage might handle the car, for instance, while the bodily injury side remains part of your car accident claim against the other driver.
Your insurer may have rights tied to the payments it makes, depending on the policy. Keep track of every payment you receive from any insurer so the full picture is clear when the case resolves.
What Should I Do Before Filing a Claim With My Own Insurer?
A little organization early on makes every claim easier:
- Report the crash to police when required and get a copy of the report.
- Get checked by a doctor, since some symptoms don’t show up right away.
- Notify your insurer promptly and stick to facts you actually know.
- Pull your declarations page and identify your UM, UIM, Med-Pay and collision coverage.
- Save photos, medical bills, wage records, repair estimates and insurer correspondence.
For a fuller checklist, see what to do immediately after a car accident in Arizona.
What If My Own Insurance Company Disputes the Claim?
Your own insurer can still question how the crash happened, deny coverage or offer less than the claim is worth. In a UM or UIM claim, your insurer essentially stands in for the at-fault driver, so the process can feel adversarial.
Ask for the reason for any denial in writing and compare it to your policy language. Keep copies of every letter and email, along with claim documents and bills. When a dispute involves a serious injury or a large loss, it’s worth having an attorney review the policy and the insurer’s position.
How Grabb & Durando Helps With Insurance Claims After a Tucson Car Accident
Grabb & Durando has served Tucson since 1994. When a crash involves more than one policy, we identify every coverage that may apply, track the deadlines and handle communication with the insurers. That way you understand how each claim fits together before anything is signed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Using Your Own Insurance After an Arizona Car Accident
Do I have to go through the other driver’s insurance first?
Not necessarily. Many people use their own Med-Pay or collision coverage right away while a separate claim against the at-fault driver moves forward.
Does using my own insurance mean I’m admitting fault?
No. Filing under your own policy is a contract claim with your insurer. It doesn’t decide who caused the crash.
How long do I have to notify my insurer of a UM or UIM claim in Arizona?
A.R.S. § 12-555 requires written notice within three years after the accident. Your policy may also require prompt notice of the crash itself, so report it early.
Can I get my collision deductible back if the other driver was at fault?
Often, yes. Your insurer may seek repayment from the at-fault driver’s insurer, and your deductible can be included in that recovery. Results depend on the insurers and on how fault is decided.
When should I talk to a lawyer about my insurance options?
It’s worth a call when the crash involves serious injuries, disputed fault, multiple policies or an uninsured or underinsured driver. A call also makes sense before you sign any release.
Talk With a Tucson Car Accident Lawyer About Your Coverage
If you have questions about which insurance applies after a crash, call Grabb & Durando at (520) 222-2222. We’re available 24/7, or you can request a free consultation online. There are no fees unless we win, and Sí, Hablamos Español.
This post is for general information only and isn’t legal advice. Insurance coverage depends on your specific policy, the facts of the crash and applicable Arizona law.
