Legal Question in Insurance Law in Pennsylvania

Re: Car Insurance Mandate

Sure, why wouldn't an employer be allowed to require a reasonable level of insurance? If you are using your car, with reimbursement, on the company's business, the company might be liable if you cause an accident. That's a very good reason for them to require insurance.

State minimum levels are RIDICULOUSLY LOW.

And that's the real reason I'm answering your question, so I can get on one of my favorite soapboxes.

The insurance you buy protects you and your family, as well as strangers. In particular, in Pennsyvlania, you can only buy Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage up to the level of your liability insurance.

EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST 300,000 IN LIABILITY, UNINSURED, AND UNDERINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE.

The UM/UIM insurance gives a source to recover for lost wages, medical expense, and pain and suffering when some other negligent driver injures you or your family. Not surprisingly, bad drivers also tend to be uninsured, and vice versa.

ALSO, GET FULL TORT, not limited TORT.

DO NOT WAIVE UM/UIM COVERAGE.

DO NOT WAIVE STACKING.

And let me explain why all these capital letters. Because of all the tough parts about being a lawyer handling injury cases in this day and age, the very worst is when I have to meet with a family and tell them, "Yes, I know you are permantently injured and you might never be able to work again (or your husband and father was killed, etc). Yes, I know it was entirely that other (drunk, unlicensed) driver's fault. But he only had minimum coverage, and you only had minimum coverage, and so all we can get is a few thousand dollars. There just isn't any other money anywhere."

Adequate coverage doesn't cost that much more, considering what you're risking.