Every driver in Kansas is required to carry car insurance, and the law establishes specific dollar amounts for minimum coverage that drivers must maintain. However, these statutory minimums were set with considerations that may not align with today’s medical costs, vehicle values, or litigation realities. If your damages exceed the minimums of the insurance policy in question, you may need to look elsewhere to cover the damages that you have sustained.
Understanding Kansas’s No-Fault Car Insurance System
Kansas operates under a no-fault car insurance system. This means your insurance policy covers your medical bills and certain other losses after an accident, regardless of who caused the crash. However, you can pursue compensation from the at-fault driver in certain circumstances.
According to Kansas state law, you can pursue an auto accident claim in Kansas City against the responsible party if your medical bills total $2,000 or more, or if your injuries qualify as serious. Serious injuries include permanent disfigurement, fractures to weight-bearing bones, compound or displaced fractures, permanent injuries, or permanent loss of bodily function.
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How Much Car Insurance Coverage Is Required in Kansas?
Kansas law mandates three types of insurance coverage for anyone who owns or operates a motor vehicle: liability coverage, personal injury protection (PIP), and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Liability coverage protects others if you cause an accident. This insurance pays for the other party’s medical expenses, rehabilitation, funeral costs, vehicle repairs, and legal fees. Kansas’s minimum liability insurance requirements are:
- $25,000 per person for bodily injury
- $50,000 per accident for bodily injury
- $25,000 per accident for property damage
PIP is your no-fault coverage that pays for your own injuries regardless of fault. This coverage extends to you and covered household members. Kansas’s minimum PIP requirements are:
- $4,500 per person for medical expenses
- $900 per month for up to one year for lost income
- $25 per day for in-home services
- $2,000 for funeral expenses
- $4,500 for rehabilitation
Finally, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or insufficient coverage. This coverage also applies to hit-and-run accidents and injuries you sustain as a pedestrian or cyclist. The minimum requirements are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
Pursuing Claims Beyond Insurance Policy Limits
These minimum amounts are rarely enough to cover the true cost of a serious accident. A single emergency room visit can easily exceed $4,500, and long-term rehabilitation or lost wages from permanent injuries can quickly deplete policy limits. When you are left with substantial unpaid medical bills, ongoing treatment needs, or a reduced ability to earn income, you need additional avenues for recovery.
In these situations, your injuries have likely crossed the thresholds that allow you to step outside Kansas’s no-fault system, and you have the right to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver directly. This allows you to pursue compensation from their personal assets or any additional insurance coverage they may carry. An attorney can help you explore your legal options with a personal injury lawsuit in Kansas City to pursue every available source of compensation to fully cover your damages.
Trust Dollar, Burns, Becker, and Hershewe to Fight for You
At Dollar, Burns, Becker, and Hershewe, we thoroughly investigate every potential source of recovery to help bridge the gap. From navigating the no-fault car insurance system to pursuing a personal injury lawsuit, our attorneys will advocate tirelessly for your full recovery. Contact us at (816) 876-2600 for a free consultation today.