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Take this step before you file for uninsured/underinsured motorist protection
A little-know rule called the Hamilton Rule factors into uninsured/underinsured motorist policies. Though very seldom used, it gives insurance companies the right to sue an at-fault driver before the victim would file a claim to recoup their losses. If you don't take this step in the right order, your insurance company deny your claim and pay you nothing. Click to watch this video by Bill Coats Law on taking this necessary step in the claims process.
[VIDEO] A guide to using your uninsured/underinsured motorist protection
It's a step not everyone will have to take, but using your uninsured/underinsured motorist protection means some fairly complicated fine print can affect your claim. Insurers are skilled at looking for ways to reduce your compensation, as it saves their bottom line. Click here for a video series from Bill Coats Law on what you need to know about using your uninsured/underinsured motorist protection.
Tips on keeping pets safe in cars
Pets - 84% of pet owners travel with their pets in automobiles, which can lead to dangerous distractions. For more statistics on distracted driving, and ways to keep pets safe in cars, click here.
One last step of the claims process may mean a big fat check to your health insurance company - signed by you
It's a shocking title for my video about a fairly common policy that takes many accident victims by surprise. For more information on reimbursement, or subrogation, after an auto accident, click here.
A critical step in the claims process for owners of financed or leased vehicles
Insurance claims adjusters are notoriously adept at negotiating a smaller claim than their insured would like. If you've got a financed or leased vehicle, you may be in for a bigger shock than even the claims adjuster can give you if you lack gap insurance. Here's what you need to know about this coverage.
Tips on buying the right car seat
Every parent in Washington, as well as many other states, will have to decide what car seat to buy. No baby can go home from the hospital without being in one, by law. Bellingham lawyer Bill Coats writes on tips for buying the right car seat to keep your child safe.
Who do you trust to test the nation's car seats? The NHTSA, of course
But how do they rate them? The answer may surprise you. Click here to read about how car seats are rated, and tips on finding the right one for your little one.
Does size matter? In car v. semi crashes like this one, yes it does
A recent catastrophic accident involving two semi tractor trailers and six cars or pickup trucks showed how clearly large trucks have the advantage in an accident. However, does this mean cars are always going to lose in accidents with bigger vehicles? Increasingly, materials and engineering have leveled the field. Read more from Bill Coats Law in Bellingham, WA about top safety ratings for cars.
The #1 thing you need to do after an auto accident
Accident victims have a wide range of reactions after a crash, and as a personal injury lawyer here in Bellingham, WA, I have seen them all. While one might expect that someone would seek medical attention soon after a collision, that's not always the case. I created this video linked through this article on what all accident victims should do after an auto accident.