Why To Choose Full Tort Auto Insurance Over Limited Tort Auto Insurance

In Pennsylvania, if you own a car you are required to register the car and insure it. But what type of insurance do you need? Choose full tort not limited tort. In order to protect your full right to bring a claim if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident in PA you need full tort coverage. Full tort coverage allows you to bring a claim for your pain and suffering whether or not your injury is permanent or represents a serious impairment of bodily function. If you choose limited tort your right to bring a claim for your injuries is limited unless certain exceptions apply. If you have limited tort, you can only recover money for your pain and suffering if your injury is considered permanent or one that causes a serious impairment of bodily function. Although limited tort will be a few dollars less than premiums for full tort, you get what you pay for and most clients that choose limited tort wish they hadn't after they are involved in an accident and find out they can't recover any money. Typically, limited tort limits the right to bring a claim against the responsible driver even if the other driver is completely at fault in causing the accident. To repeat, if involved in a car accident which was completely caused by the other driver, the right to bring a claim for injuries may still be limited if limited tort coverage was chosen.

Not only does your choice of limited tort act to limit your rights if you are involved in a car accident, but it may also limit the rights of your children, spouse and parents living in your household. Again, your choice of limited tort may limit the right of your child, spouse or parent living in your house to bring a claim against the party responsible for causing a car accident. Even though a relative living with you had nothing to do with the choice of limited tort, their rights may nevertheless still be affected by your choice of limited tort.

Only full tort completely protects your rights and the rights of your family members living in your household to bring a claim for injuries suffered in a car accident. And don't think that full coverage means full tort. It doesn't. Many clients think they have full tort, but in fact only have limited tort. They got confused into thinking they bought full tort when they bought insurance, because they were told they had full coverage. Full coverage usually refers to liability coverage and collision coverage, but has nothing to do with your ability to recover money damages from the other driver in a car accident. Liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if someone sues you for causing an accident. Collision coverage is the coverage that protects your car if it is damaged (usually with a $500.00 or $1,000.00 deductible), but full coverage is not full tort. You may have full coverage but still have limited tort. You must check your insurance policy declaration page carefully to see if you have limited tort or full tort or ask your insurance agent or company. If you can afford to switch from limited tort to full tort do it. You'll be glad you did the next time you or a relative living in your household is involved in an accident.

There are a few exceptions to limited tort. Even if you have limited tort coverage on your policy, your rights against the responsible driver will not be limited and you will get the benefit of full tort; if:

You are an occupant of a septa bus or other truck or commercial vehicle or
The car that hits you is from out of state or
The driver of the car that hits you is convicted of DUI, pleads guilty to DUI or enters an ARD Program
You are a pedestrian or on a bicycle then your choice of limited tort will not apply